Catron County Commission passes wolf ordinance

A new Catron County ordinance would allow a designated county officer to trap or remove endangered Mexican gray wolves if federal authorities don't act first. The ordinance, unanimously adopted by the County Commission Wednesday, is aimed at wolves that become accustomed to humans or that have made residents anxious, the Albuquerque Journal reported Thursday in a copyright story. The ordinance, which went into effect immediately, is less tolerant of wolf-human interactions than federal protocols. Commission Chairman Ed Wehrheim acknowledged conflicts between the county and federal authorities over the legality of the ordinance and whether particular wolves actually pose threats to people likely will arise. But he said the three-member board had to take action because of increasing numbers of wolf encounters, rising public anxiety and growing frustration with federal authorities. "This ordinance comes only as a last resort and only after all other avenues have been pursued to no avail," he said. Under the county's ordinance, complaints about wolves would lead to a dispatch order from the County Commission. Federal authorities would be notified and given 24 hours to remove the problem wolf. If federal authorities do not respond, the county's wolf interaction investigator would try to remove the wolf. If that doesn't work, the investigator could trap the wolf, and as a last resort, kill it....