Enviros applaud trapping ban

"The Governor rightly recognizes that wild wolves can bring benefits to local communities," said Kevin Bixby, Executive Director of the Southwest Environmental Center. It's simple supply and demand: although once widespread, the supply of wild wolves in the wild in the U.S. is now limited to a few localities, while the demand to see them grows as more people come to appreciate their importance. Fortunately, New Mexico is one of the few places in the country that has wild wolves." "The Mexican wolf has a friend in Governor Bill Richardson," stated John Horning, Executive Director of WildEarth Guardians. "We are grateful for the Governor's action today, as the lobos face mounting threats to their very survival," continued Horning. "Governor Richardson understands the vital role wolves play as part of a healthy ecosystem," stated Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of Conservation Voters New Mexico and Vice-Chair of the NM State Game Commission. "This important policy change ensures that the Department of Game and Fish and the Game Commission will have the additional data necessary to assess the long-term biological impacts of trapping on wolf recovery."...more