|
July
27, 2005
|
Photo
by Shawna Nelson,
Arizona Game and Fish Department
|
NEWS
RELEASE
Defenders
of Wildlife • Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter
• Animal Defense League of Arizona • Center for
Biological Diversity • Southwest Environmental Center
•Sky Island Alliance
PHOENIX
– Supporters of the continued reintroduction of the Mexican
gray wolf to the Southwest delivered a wolf poster with signatures
and comments to the Arizona Game and Fish Department today.
The poster joins thousands of comments already submitted in
support of wolf recovery.
Comments
on the poster were solicited in response to a proposal by
the wolf management committee to institute a one-year moratorium
on releasing new wolves into the wild and proposals to make
it easier to kill wolves that prey on livestock. Previously,
hundreds of supporters turned out at wolf meetings in Phoenix,
Albuquerque, and Silver City to express their support for
wolves and thousands of written comments have been submitted
to both Game and Fish and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
The official comment deadline is July 31.
The
wolf featured on the comment poster recently died in captivity
after being captured by wildlife officials last month due
to livestock depredation. She was the last remaining wolf
from the original 11 that were reintroduced in 1998.
“Arizonans
and New Mexicans have expressed repeated support for returning
wolves to their rightful place in the wilds of Arizona and
New Mexico,” said Sandy Bahr, Conservation Outreach Director
for the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter. “These
comments and this poster are one more expression of that strong
support.”
“This
is a critical time for the wolves,” said Eva Sargent
of Defenders of Wildlife. “We encourage the agencies
to focus on the science, not the politics and to work together
so our grandchildren can one day hear wolves howl on the landscape.”
Stephanie
Nichols-Young of the Animal Defense League of Arizona noted
that an overwhelming number of Arizonans -- four out of five
– told a recent poll they support letting Mexican gray
wolves naturally migrate from southeastern Arizona to suitable
habitat in northern Arizona. Some 86 percent said wolves bring
a natural balance to the Southwest landscape
“Wolves
play a critical role by bringing balance to ecosystems in
the southwest,” said Nichols-Young. “In poll after
poll, Arizonans confirm their desire to have wolves in their
state and support for the Mexican gray wolf reintroduction
program. We support scientific recommendations to allow the
program and the wolves to succeed.”
"The
Mexican gray wolf is the most imperiled mammal in North America,
so thousands of New Mexico and Arizona residents are speaking
up for its survival,” said Michael Robinson of the Center
for Biological Diversity.
As
you know, there has been tremendous effort to return the Mexican
gray wolf to the wilds of Arizona and New Mexico, but now the
wolves are facing huge challenges. State and federal agencies
are proposing a one-year ban on new releases of Mexican gray
wolves. They also are proposing major limits on translocation
of wolves and a policy that makes it easier for the agencies
to kill wolves that bother livestock. The Mexican Wolf Adaptive
Management Work Group is holding meetings and has extended the
public comment period on the wolf reintroduction project.
For
more information on the meeting and to find out how to comment
go to http://www.adlaz.org/wolfalert.html.
Public
comments on the proposed changes to the wolf reintroduction
program are due July 31.
Please
take the time to comment on the moratorium and also on the
Five-Year Review. It requires two
separate letters to two separate entities. Both sets of
comments must be received in writing by
July 31, 2005 to be considered.
1)
Written comments on the SOPs or moratorium must be submitted
at one of the public meetings noted above, or sent via email
or through the U.S. Postal Service (postmarked by July
31, 2005). Submit email comment to: mexwolf@azgfd.gov.
Submit postal-mailed comment to: Mexican Wolf Reintroduction
Project, c/o Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2221 West Greenway
Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85023-4399.
2)
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also accepting comments
on the Five-Year Review. Written comment must be submitted
at one of the public meetings noted above, or sent through
the U.S. Postal Service (postmarked by July
31, 2005) to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New
Mexico Ecological Services Office, 2105 Osuna NE, Albuquerque,
New Mexico, 87113.
Copies
of documents pertaining to the three meeting topics are available
electronically in a downloadable format at http://azgfd.gov/wolf
and http://mexicanwolf.fws.gov (the socioeconomic component
of the Five-Year Review is now available on those websites).
Individual copies of the documents are also available by telephone
request at (602) 789-3500 or (505) 346-2525.
Please
copy Governor Janet Napolitano on your Comments. Her address
is 1700 West Washington, 9th Fl, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. Her
fax number is 602-542-1381 and to email her, either click
on the following link or cut and paste it into your server
http://www.governor.state.az.us/post/feedback.htm.
If
you live in New Mexico, you can copy Governor Bill Richardson
at 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501 or
email http://www.governor.state.nm.us/emailchoice.php?mm=6.
|
