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Biologists Begin Aerial Wolf Count in Arizona and New Mexico
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1/24/2011
Biologists have begun an aerial count of Mexican gray wolves along the border of Arizona and New Mexico, an annual exercise that's part of the effort to restore the endangered species' numbers in the region.
SILVER CITY, N.M. (AP) — Biologists have begun an aerial count of Mexican gray wolves along the border of Arizona and New Mexico, an annual exercise that's part of the effort to restore the endangered species' numbers in the region.
Scientists used fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter last week to find wolves fitted with radio telemetry collars, which will be followed to track others traveling with it.
The crews also were searching areas with no collared animals, in an attempt to locate and count wolves that may be looking for an unoccupied area to establish their own territory, find a mate and start a pack.
The wolf reintroduction program along the border of the two states began in 1998. Managers had hoped to have more than 100 wolves in the wild by 2006, but the count stood at 42 at the beginning of 2010.
The program has been hampered by illegal shootings, court battles, complaints from ranchers who have lost livestock and pets to wolves, and concerns by environmentalists over the way the program has been managed. Six wolves died last year, all but one involving suspicious circumstances.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials also said that if the battery on a wolf's collar needs replacing or if the crew can get close to an uncollared wolf, they will tranquilize the animal. It would be taken to a processing station to be examined, measured, vaccinated and fitted with a new radio collar before release into the wild again.
Managers of the program say the latest aerial survey will be combined with information gathered by ground monitoring in November and December for the count. They said the results would be considered a minimum number, rather than the total, because some uncollared wolves could be uncounted.
