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July
2, 2005
www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0702wolves.html
The following is an article that appeared in the Arizona Republic
regarding the Phoenix wolf recovery public meeting:
Hundreds
offer their opinion on wolf plans
By
Mary Jo Pitzl
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 2, 2005 12:00 AM
Hundreds
of people turned out at a series of public meetings last month
to give their opinions on the ongoing effort to reintroduce
the Mexican wolf to the Southwest.
At
issue are several proposals that could affect the future of
the 7-year-old program, including a proposed one-year moratorium
on introducing captive wolves into the wild.
The
moratorium was roundly opposed by most of the people who spoke
at a meeting Tuesday in Phoenix. They complained that a moratorium
would further deplete the numbers of wolves in the wild. There
are 26 wolves with collars in eastern Arizona and southwestern
New Mexico, although wildlife officials estimate that number
could be in the 40s when uncollared wolves are counted.
The
Phoenix meeting drew an estimated 200 people, only three of
whom favored further restrictions on the wolves because of
the damage they cause to livestock.
A
hearing in Alpine, in eastern Arizona, drew more ranchers,
who expressed exasperation at a program that they say suffers
from poor communication, slow to non-existent compensation
for livestock losses and puts their livelihood at risk.
The
wolf-recovery program is being run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, along with the Arizona and New Mexico game officials,
the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
Public
comment on the proposed changes is due July 31.
Written
comment on the proposed moratorium may be sent to Mexican
Wolf Reintroduction Project, c/o Arizona Game and Fish Department,
2221 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85023.
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