ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – The New Mexico Game Commission is expected to decide an appeal by federal officials who are seeking to release endangered Mexican gray wolves as part of recovery efforts in the Southwest.
The commission is meeting Tuesday in Albuquerque.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initially sought permits that would allow the agency to release a pair of wolves and their pups onto federal land in New Mexico and allow for up to 10 captive pups to be raised by foster wolves in the wild.
The requests were denied in June by the state game director.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has said that delaying releases could compromise the genetics of the wild population in New Mexico and Arizona.
There are at least 109 wolves roaming parts of the two states.