Idaho, Cody wolves ‘pair’

Federal biologists tracked a wolf from Idaho to Cody where it has “paired” with a Wyoming mate, providing new information in the debate over whether federal protection of wolves should end. The question of whether state wolf plans for Idaho, Montana and Wyoming will ensure genetic diversity that would allow the species to persist is one the federal government has faced as it attempts to turn control of the animals over to local game and fish agencies. Lawsuits and court rulings against plans to end federal endangered species protection of the animal have raised the genetic viability question. But if populations in the three states are connected — something the latest news might confirm — the genetic question may diminish in importance. The exchange of DNA among the populations would enhance the genetic diversity of a population, an important factor in whether it persists in the long run...Jackson Hole Daily