AZGFD assessing potential wolf impact from New Mexico following court ruling

Officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department are left to consider the impact of Mexican wolves being released in New Mexico following an appellate court ruling. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a preliminary injunction barring the release of wolves in New Mexico last week, citing that “. . . the state of New Mexico had not met the legal standard for a preliminary injunction because it did not demonstrate that releasing Mexican wolves without state permits will cause irreparable injury to the state.” As a result, officials in Arizona are examining what the release of those animals will mean for the state. A 2016 survey showed a minimum of 116 wolves in the wild in both Arizona and New Mexico. Animals released in the neighboring state are not necessarily a concern solely of New Mexico either, as packs or individuals have the potential to migrate territory over time...more