Wolf recovery program topic of meetings this month
Proposed changes to the Mexican wolf recovery program will be the topic of a round of public meetings in Arizona and New Mexico later this month. Wildlife officials have extended the comment deadline to July 31 for three different items related to the ongoing reintroduction of the endangered wolf.
Those proposals include a one-year moratorium on releasing captive wolves; a five-year review of the overall introduction project; and proposed operating standards for the wolf program.
The public meetings are scheduled for three hours, but will conclude earlier if the speakers have finished.
Background material on the wolf is available via the Internet at http://azgfd.gov/wolf and http://mexicanwolf.fws.gov or by calling (602) 789-3500.
The Arizona meetings are:
” June 28, Arizona state fairgrounds, Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife building, 19th Avenue and McDowell Road, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
” June 29, Hon Dah Conference Center, Hon Dah, junction of Arizona 73 and Arizona 260, noon to 3 p.m.
” June 29, old Alpine Elementary School, Alpine on U.S. 180, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
” June 30, Morenci Club, Morenci, noon to 3 p.m.
There also will be four public meetings in New Mexico June 15-18.
– Mary Jo Pitzl