To the editor:
Roxane
George’s letter (Wednesday, October 7, 2015) expresses concerns over
Arizona Game and Fish Commission actions regarding Mexican wolf
reintroduction. Having been a Commissioner for four years, often
providing direction for Arizona’s Mexican wolf management, I can clearly
state this Commission steadfastly supports wolf recovery. In fact, the
Mexican wolf population has more than doubled in the last five years.
The
Commission approves the budget for Arizona’s participation in Mexican
wolf management which in 2012 and 2013 approached $500,000 annually.
This funding has been critical in allowing the Department to expend
nearly 23,000 hours of recovering this subspecies in the last three
years.
The Commission pays heed to the need for diverse
Mexican wolf genetics. In August 2015, the Commission authorized the
cross-fostering of six Mexican wolf pups each year into the future.
Cross-fostering has proven to be the cornerstone of successful recovery
and genetic management in many wildlife species, and it has worked with
the Mexican wolf. Release of naïve, captive-reared adult wolves has
failed repeatedly and only results in growing opposition to Mexican wolf
recovery.
As Commissioner, I am proud that no other
state can boast a more successful endangered species program than
Arizona and as guided by this Commission. Just because the Commission
doesn’t agree with Ms. George doesn’t mean that we have taken the wrong
way. In this case, actions speak louder than words, and the growing
number of wolves on the landscape proves our intent.
Submitted by:
PAT MADDEN
Vice-Chair
Arizona Game and Fish Commission
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