Mexican Wolf Recovery Program Update
Second Quarter 2024 (April, May, June)

The following is a summary of Mexican Wolf Recovery Program activities in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) in Arizona, including the Fort Apache Indian Reservation (FAIR), San Carlos Apache Reservation (SCAR), and New Mexico. Additional Program information can be obtained by calling (928) 339-4329 or toll free at (888) 459-9653, or by visiting the Arizona Game and Fish Department website atwww.azgfd.gov/wolf, or by visiting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at ?fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf. For information on the FAIR, call (928) 338-4385 ext. 226 or visit ?wmatoutdoor.org. Past updates may be viewed at these websites. Interested parties may ?sign up ?to receive this update electronically by visiting ?azgfd.gov ?and scrolling down to the "Subscribe" tab near the bottom of the webpage. This update is a public document and information in it can be used for any purpose. ?

The Mexican Wolf Recovery Program is a multi-agency cooperative effort among the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), USDA Forest Service (USFS), USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS).

To view semi-monthly wolf location information, please visit ?https://arcg.is/bLyPO.

Please report any wolf sightings or suspected livestock depredations to: ?the Alpine wolf office (928) 339-4329, Pinetop wolf office (928) 532-2391 or toll free at (888) 459-9653. For sightings or suspected depredations on the FAIR, please call the WMAT wolf office in Whiteriver at (928) 338-4385 ext. 226. To report incidents of take or harassment of wolves, please call the AZGFD 24-hour dispatch (Operation Game Thief) at (800) 352-0700. ?

Overall Mexican Wolf Recovery Program Quarterly Updates

On April 18, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied plaintiffs’ petition for rehearing and motion to vacate the district court’s ruling on alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act and Administrative Procedure Act regarding the adequacy of the 2017 Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan. Plaintiffs had filed the motion for rehearing and vacatur following the Ninth Circuit’s December 2023 ruling that the lawsuit was moot because it was superseded by the 2022 Recovery Plan. These rulings finalized the litigation on the 2017 Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan

On April 24, 2024, representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish attended the Hidalgo County Public Lands Advisory Committee Meeting in Lordsburg, NM. Discussion was focused on the translocation of AF1828
and AM2774.

On June 12, 2024, representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish attended the Catron County Commission Meeting.

On June 15, representatives from the AZGFD met with the Graham/Cochise Cattle Growers Association at their annual meeting. Jim deVos was the
keynote speaker primarily covering future Mexican wolf release potential in Cochise County and compensation programs. During the question and answer portion of the schedule, the majority of the questions were focused on concerns related to the Wildlife Service’s Standards of Evidence used to determine cause of death in livestock depredations.

Numbering System: ?Mexican wolves are given an identification number recorded in an official studbook that tracks their history. Capital letters (M = Male, F = Female) preceding the number indicate adult animals 24 months or older. Lower case letters (m = male, f = female) are used to indicate wolves younger than 24 months. A lowercase letter “p” preceding the number is used to indicate a wolf pup born in the most recent spring. The capital letter “A” preceding the letter and number indicates breeding wolves.

?Definitions: ?A “wolf pack” is defined as two or more wolves that maintain an established territory. In the event that one of the two breeding (dominant) wolves dies, the remaining breeding wolf, regardless of pack size, retains the pack status. The packs referenced in this update contain at least one wolf wearing a radio telemetry collar. The Interagency Field Team (IFT) recognizes that wolves without radio telemetry collars may also form packs. If the IFT confirms that wolves are associating with each other and are resident within the same home range, they will be referenced as a pack.

?CURRENT POPULATION STATUS

?The end-of-year count for 2023 generated a minimum abundance of 257 Mexican wolves in the wild (113 in AZ and 144 in NM). ?This was a 6% increase in the population from the minimum of 242 wolves counted at the end of 2022. The increase documented from 2022 to 2023 marks the eighth consecutive year of population growth, the longest continuous streak since recovery efforts began. At the end of 2023, there were a minimum of 60 packs documented (23 in AZ and 37 in NM). Annual counts are conducted in the winter as this is when the population experiences the least amount of natural fluctuation (i.e., the population increases dramatically in the spring with the birth of new pups and declines throughout the summer and fall as pup mortality generally occurs in this period). Thus, the IFT summarizes the total number of counted wolves in winter. Counting the population at the end of each year allows for comparable year-to-year trends at a time of year when the Mexican wolf population is most stable.

?WOLF PACK UPDATES:

?For each documented wolf pack in the tables below, wolves fitted with functioning collars at the end of the quarter are listed by studbook number. Studbook numbers of wolves without collars or with non-functioning collars are not listed in the pack updates. Not all wolves in the population are collared or have assigned studbook numbers. Captures, mortalities, removals, and food caching are listed in the corresponding column for the given time period. If a pack was food cached at any time within the quarter, the food cache column will indicate the type of food cache. The primary reason for food caching will be noted with “S” for supplemental and “D” for diversionary; the reason for a food cache may change over time.

?If a wolf dies, becomes fate unknown, or is removed in the current time period, its studbook number will be removed from the pack column in the following quarterly report. After three months of consistent dispersal behavior away from pack territory, a dispersing wolf is no longer considered a member of its originating pack and will be added to a new row as a single wolf or member of a different pack. Packs that have raised pups in the quarter will be listed as “Yes” in the “Raising pups” column. This will remain for the calendar year if the pack was documented rearing pups in the period of April through September. Any fields that require further comment will be annotated with “*” and further comments are listed in the “Comments” column.

?ARIZONA:

If you have problems reading the charts below, click on the chart to open the image on your computer screen. On a phone, use your phone's zoom function (often a pinching motion) to enlarge the images. ?

NEW MEXICO:

MORTALITIES

Thirteen Mexican wolf mortalities were documented in the second quarter (7 in AZ and 6 in NM). The total number of documented mortalities from January 1 through June 30, 2024 is 15 (7 in AZ and 8 in NM) Cause of death for each mortality is under investigation by USFWS Law Enforcement. The number of documented mortalities per 100 Mexican wolves, using the annual total of documented mortalities compared with the final minimum population count for 2023 was 12 mortalities/ 100 wolves. Mortalities per 100 wolves the previous three years is as follows: 16 mortalities / 100 wolves in 2020, 13 mortalities / 100 wolves in 2021 and 5 mortalities / 100 wolves in 2022.

GENETIC MANAGEMENT

INCIDENTS

The following are investigations of livestock depredations conducted by Wildlife Services during the quarter that were determined to be caused by
wolves. Investigations of dead and injured livestock conducted by Wildlife Services during this time period that were determined to be from causes other than wolves (i.e., vehicle strike, illness, coyote predation, bear predation, or unknown cause) are not listed in this quarterly update.

DEPREDATIONS

The yearly total number of confirmed wolf depredation incidents in 2023 (111) was down from the yearly total of confirmed wolf depredation incidents in 2022 (137). The number of depredations per 100 Mexican wolves, using the yearly total confirmed wolf depredations (killed or died from injuries) compared with the final minimum population count for 2023 was 43 depredations / 100 wolves. Depredations per 100 wolves for the prior three years is as follows: 86 depredations / 100 wolves in 2020, 63 depredations / 100 wolves in 2021 and 56 depredations / 100 wolves in 2022.

PUBLIC INCIDENTS ?

On June 30, 2024, the IFT received a report from a homeowner located near Tucson, AZ that a wolf was seen in their backyard. The reporting party (RP) stated that they saw the animal through their window and that, after the animal noticed their presence, it ran off. Based on the description provided by the RP, the IFT was able to determine that this was not a wolf. ?

On May 7, 2024, the IFT received a report from a homeowner located approximately 10 miles south of Magdalena near State Highway 107 that an injured wolf was approximately 30 meters from his front door and fully aware of human presence. The RP estimated the wolf at 50-60 lbs. and stated it had a multi-colored (mostly red) collar with a radio transmitter. Collar description and GPS points indicate this wolf was likely single F2743. The RP stated the wolf was holding up one foot but could still walk/limp. The RP yelled with no response, so he shot in the air and the wolf limped away. The RP speculated that it might have been interested in his chickens and barn cats. The IFT did not respond to this incident and no additional wolf related activity was reported by the RP or others in the area. ?

PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT

PROGRAM PERSONNEL ?

In April, Gage Hollingsworth started as the new Wolf Biologist for the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Game and Fish Department. Welcome to the IFT Gage!

During the second quarter, Scott Mills, Tessa McDonnell, and Chelsey Taylor all joined the IFT working as Biological Science Technicians for the USFWS. Welcome Scott, Tessa and Chelsey!

REWARDS OFFERED ?

The USFWS is offering a reward of up to $50,000, the AZGFD Operation Game Thief is offering a reward of up to $1,000, and the NMDGF is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the shooting deaths of Mexican wolves. A variety of non-governmental organizations and private individuals have pledged additional funding for a total reward amount of up to $37,000, depending on the information provided. ?
?
Individuals with information they believe may be helpful are urged to call one of the following agencies: USFWS special agents in Pinetop, Arizona, at (346) 254-0515; the WMAT at (928) 338-1023 or (928) 338-4385; AZGFD Operation Game Thief at (800) 352-0700; or NMDGF Operation Game Thief at (800) 432-4263. Killing a Mexican wolf is a violation of state law and the Federal Endangered Species Act and can result in criminal penalties of up to $50,000, and/or not more than one year in jail, and/or a civil penalty of up to $25,000.