Investigation: New Mexico Animal Shot by Wildlife Services Agent Was a Mexican Wolf

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that genetic tests reveal that the animal a U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agent shot in January in New Mexico was indeed a Mexican gray wolf. The Fish and Wildlife Service, which initially denied that any wolves had been killed in New Mexico in January, has now presented the case to the U.S. attorney’s office for possible prosecution. As of last week, the shooter was still in his job on the interagency wolf-recovery field team. “Prosecution for this crime is appropriate and would send a message that the ‘I-thought-it was-a-coyote’ excuse will not fly, especially when it comes to protecting some of the rarest wolves in North America,” said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Wildlife Services agent should be placed on immediate administrative leave. This also raises a real question about whether the federal wildlife-killing agency should be part of the Mexican wolf recovery program.”...more