Once known as the most endangered mammal in North America, the Mexican gray wolf is still teetering on the brink of extinction more than 30 years after gaining federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. Even now, with less than 60 lobos left in the wild, wolves are routinely trapped or shot by federal officials for conflicts with cattle on the Gila and Apache National Forests in New Mexico and Arizona.

Almost 10 years after launching what has turned out to be a largely ineffectual wolf reintroduction program in southern New Mexico and Arizona, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is taking a second look at how it manages lobos. This process could change the Mexican wolf’s current listing status under the Endangered Species Act and current wolf removal policies.

The Mexican Gray Wolf needs us to become personally involved in saving the them by attending one or more of the following meetings if you’re in the area:

* Nov. 26 – Radisson Woodlands Hotel, Flagstaff, AZ.
Nov. 27 – Multipurpose Room, McNary School, McNary, AZ
Nov. 28 – Alpine Community Center, Alpine, AZ.
Nov. 29 – Best Western, Grants, NM.
Nov. 30 – Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM.
* Dec. 1 – Macey Conference Center, Socorro, NM.
Dec. 3 – Tays Special Events Center, Alamogordo, NM.
Dec. 4 – Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces, NM.
Dec. 5 – Glenwood Community Center, Glenwood, NM.
Dec. 6 – Eastern Arizona College, Thatcher, AZ.
Dec. 7 – University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Dec. 8 – Glendale Civic Center, Glendale, AZ

For more information about the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery program and to learn more about the upcoming hearings, please contact Nathan Newcomer (nathan@nmwild.org) or Stephen Capra (steve@nmwild.org).