Another wolf dies in Apache Forest
By Tom Jackson King, Managing Editor
Another Mexican gray wolf has been found dead in Apache National Forest
north of the Black River, and while the cause of death isn’t stated, it
could be one more shooting death in a series of gunshot wolf killings that
have filled the last year.
Arizona Game and Fish Director Duane L. Shroufe, in a report to the AGF
Commission, gave the details of the latest wolf fatality.
“On June 9, 2003, Bluestem pack yearling male wolf 756 was found dead
north of the Black River near Wildcat Crossing on the Alpine District of
the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests,” Shroufe said.
“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement agents are investigating
the case and trying to determine the cause of death. There are at least
four other members of the Bluestem pack still free-ranging, including the
alpha pair who appear to be raising pups. There has been no determination
on the cause of death from FWS,” he said.
In similar wolf deaths that occurred away from heavily traveled roads in
the last year, all were later determined to be due to gunshot wounds.
USFWS, however, frequently takes months to acknowledge what is obvious in
the field when a wolf dies from a gunshot.
The recent wolf death co-occurs with two wolf group releases, one by the
White Mountain Apaches on their reservation and one by AGF of the Red Rock
Pack in the Maness Peak area. While the number of radio-collared wolves
has been as low as 19 prior to the recent releases, the new releases
should increase overall wolf numbers in Arizona and New Mexico.
Shroufe reported that an effort to trap an uncollared wolf in the Greens
Peak area has stopped due to an inability to locate the wolf, while wolf
832 has visited the outskirts of the town of Alpine, near the Greenlee
County-Apache County border.
He said five other packs in Arizona, Bluestem, Hawks Nest, Cienega and
Bonito, seem to be denning in their ranges and thereby possibly raising
one or more pups.
The Thomas Fire that has burned in the Hannagan Meadow area has not
adversely affected any of the Arizona Mexican gray wolves, according to
Shroufe.
The next open to the public wolf meeting is set for July 9, 10 a.m., in
Glenwood, N.M. The meeting will discuss a memorandum of agreement,
outreach plans, the five-year review timetable and an update of the
project.