Wolf advocates will host a rally, ‘online hearing’

By Journal Staff | 16 hours ago

 

Advocates for the reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves in the Southwest will host a rally and “online hearing” for comments to be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today, starting at 5 p.m. at Embassy Suites, 1000 Woodward Place NE.

Organizers say the rally is in lieu of planned public hearings on the issue that were canceled because of the shutdown of federal government offices, a result of Congress’ standoff on the budget.

While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove protections for the wolves nationwide, wolf advocates are pushing for a number of reforms, including retaining the protections, expanding the area in which Mexican wolves can roam and allowing the direct release of wolves in New Mexico.

“The American public overwhelmingly supports wolf recovery, and people from around the country will be in Albuquerque (today) to tell the Obama administration to keep protections for wolves” said Michael Robinson, a wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity.

An hour before the 6 p.m. rally, organizers will set up laptop computers from which people can submit comments on proposed changes to Fish and Wildlife Service officials.

Guest speakers include Robinson; David R. Parsons, a former Fish and Wildlife Service biologist who led its Mexican wolf recovery program; and Maggie Howell, executive director of the Wolf Conservation Center in New York, which helps raise captive Mexican wolves eligible for release into the wild.

For more information, visit www.biologicaldiversity.org.

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