Another Mexican gray wolf found dead near Beaverhead
Compiled By The Daily Press
Another Mexican gray wolf has been found dead in the Gila National Forest.
The body of a female from the Francisco Pack was discovered Thursday west
of Beaverhead (east of Snow Lake), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
reported.
Another wolf, an alpha female from the Bonito Creek Pack, was found dead
Jan. 16 on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona.
Officials are awaiting necropsy results to determine what killed the
animals.
The incidents bring to 13 the number of wolf deaths in southwest New
Mexico and eastern Arizona since March.
The wolf found near Beaverhead was the second recent fatality in the
Francisco Pack. A male found dead Sept. 24 at the western edge of Silver
City may have been killed in a collision with a vehicle, according to the
service.
The six-member pack originally was released in the Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forest in eastern Arizona. After the wolves wandered outside the
designated recovery area, they were recaptured and later turned loose on
the Gila.
Another recent wolf death in southwest New Mexico involved a male of the
Gapiwi Pack, found Sept. 28 one mile east of Snow Lake. It was a
“potential gunshot” victim, according to the FWS.
Program field coordinator John Oakleaf said he is concerned about the
mounting number of deaths, but the news is not all bad, The Associated
Press reported.
Although it is somewhat of a setback, the population as a whole is still
growing, he said, noting that 20 pups were born in the past year.
The agency is seeing positive signs, like new wolves moving in to take the
places of animals that have died in various packs.
Tests have revealed at least two of the wolves were gunshot victims.
A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those
responsible for shooting a wolf. The telephone number is (888) 459-WOLF.