By Rene Romo / Journal South Reporter
LAS CRUCES – Federal officials overseeing the recovery of a wild population of Mexican gray wolves counted 75 lobos between Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2012, the highest number in the 14 years since the predators were released into a national forest.
There were at least 58 wolves counted in the 4-million-acre Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area located principally in national forests in southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico at the end of 2011, so the count released Wednesday represents growth of nearly 30 percent.
“The bottom line is that I think this result shows we are moving toward our recovery goal that we set,” said Benjamin Tuggle, Southwest regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
According to the annual census, there were 38 wolves in New Mexico and 37 in Arizona.
Among the 75 wolves were 20 pups.