NM legislative committee hears wolf testimony

The Legislative Interim Water and Natural Resources Committee held its monthly meeting at the Grant County business/conference center all day Monday and until noon today. The senators and representatives heard information on various issues, including the wolf program and how it is impacting Catron County. Catron County Commission Chairman Ed Wehrheim said he knows most people have already formed opinions on the wolf program, but wanted to present new developments. “The program has now cost taxpayers about $400,000 per wolf,' Wehrheim said. “We estimate that when the program reaches its goal populationof 100 wolves, we will lose about 7,000 head of cattle over five years. Our state is 48th in the U.S. in per capita income, and Catron County is the third lowest in the state in per capita income.' He reported that since the program went into effect, 1,200 head have been killed and only 72 compensated for by the Defenders of Wildlife. “Clearly this program is stealing our private property,' Wehrheim said. The Center for Biological Diversity has sent a petition to the U.S. secretary of the interior requesting the Mexican graywolf status be changed from an experimental, non-essential program to full endangered status as a subspecies of the gray wolf or as a distinct population segment. “That means there will be road and trail closures, no hunting, no woodcutting, no ranching and the recovery area will be expanded,' Wehrheim alleged...SilverCityDailyPress