Catron County’s endangered economy chosen over wolves

On June 12, the New Mexico State Game Commission severed its ties to The Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program.

Residents of Catron County pushed the decision, Glyn Griffin, District 2 Catron County Commissioner said.

“Much of the Game Commission’s decision was based on the hardships endured in this county,” she said in a press release. “Our biggest industry, logging, has been taken away by the spotted owl. Our next two biggest industries, ranching and hunting, are being destroyed by the Mexican Wolf.”

Mexican Wolves have been missing from the wild for more than 30 years, and are now protected from being killed or trapped under the Endangered Species Act.

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, the reintroduction effort, aims to preserve the Lobos’ dwindling numbers, but cannot keep them from preying on local industry.

“It is documented that these habituated wolves have come to people’s homes, stood confronting humans at close range, and attacked pets in the yard, both injuring and killing them,” according to Catron County’s Wolf Hotline. “Due to these wolf interactions, psychological trauma has been documented in our children by a family psychologist and a child psychiatrist. There are no protective measures in place to keep a wolf from biting a child.”

The Game Commission’s decision will not actually end the program, however.

Wolf supporters, including the Wildlife Campaign Manager of Animal Protection of New Mexico, Phil Carter, wrote to New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez asking her to oppose Catron County’s stand on the Lobo program.

“It is not surprising that longtime anti-wolf activists are sending you prejudicial and inaccurate information,” the letter said. “We urge you to examine skeptically the claims made by a zealous group of livestock owners and their political supporters who inflexibly oppose wolf recovery but are willing to be excessively flexible in their citation of evidence.”

Joseph Cook, Professor and Curator of Mammals at UNM, said
politics can’t be involved in saving the species.

“It is clear that if we expect the Mexican gray wolf’s reintroduction to be successful, we will have to put politics aside and follow the recommendations of the biologists that are trying to manage the program,” he said.

“It is sad that so many misconceptions surround this species and that politicians will lie to instill fear of the Lobo in the general public.”