State seeking injunction to stop release of wolves

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is seeking a temporary restraining order in state District Court to prevent the federal government from releasing endangered Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico. “Basically we are asking the court to review our case and to halt any imminent releases” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Game and Fish spokesman Chris Chadwick. “We asked them to not conduct any releases at this time and they refused. This is basically the only remedy we had left.” Game and Fish has said it wants the Fish and Wildlife to come up with a detailed, science-based recovery plan before conducting any wolf recovery activities in New Mexico. The current recovery plan dates to the 1980s and is widely regarded as being outdated. On Monday, Game and Fish said it met with representatives from Fish and Wildlife and attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice to offer “alternative solutions” to resolve the issues. Fish and Wildlife notified Game and Fish on Wednesday that it had declined the proposals, which were not specified. Game and Fish has notified Fish and Wildlife that it intends to sue in federal court over the wolf releases. The temporary restraining order being sought in the 7th Judicial District in is separate from that notice, Chadwick said...more