The last 40 or so wild-roaming endangered Mexican gray wolves call a vast stretch of forest in southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico home. Roughly two-thirds of the available habitat for these wolves is in the state of New Mexico but only half of the current population resides in this state. When the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) integrates Mexican gray wolves into the wild directly from captivity, the animals are only released into Arizona. According to the Final Rule governing the Mexican Wolf reintroduction, the USFWS is prohibited from integrating these captive born wolves into other parts of their current range like New Mexico’s Gila National Forest, home to a greater amount of available habitat. Captive wolves that were once in the wild, however, can be re-released into New Mexico, and this is where a wonderful opportunity for some special wolves begins.

Lobos of the Southwest is leading a nine-week campaign to encourage the USFWS to re-release into the wild nine wolves recaptured as young pups when their packs were removed for depredations between 2005 and 2007 under the now-discredited SOP 13.0 program. The nine wild-born wolves are still in captivity today and they are physically, genetically, and temperamentally suitable for release. These wolves are all eligible for re-release in New Mexico, where the majority the recovery area is located.

Every week for nine weeks, we will share information about Lobos of the Southwest’s featured re-release candidate and will offer people an opportunity to speak up on behalf of each of the 9 wolves so they can one day resume their rightful place in the wild.

M1050 – Re-release Candidate for Week Two!
Photo: USFWS
M1050, littermate of M1049 (re-release candidate for week one), is the Mexican gray wolf release candidate of the week. Like his brother, wild-born M1050 was brought into captivity as a three-week-old puppy when his parents were trapped and removed for killing cattle. M1050 is eligible for re-release into New Mexico. His curiosity toward humans may make him unsuitable for release. That could change, however, if he is mated with a female. If so, he deserves a chance to live in the wild. If he proves to be a good release candidate, FREE M1050!

Send your e-mail to Director Benjamin Tuggle at RDTuggle@fws.gov.

Need help? Lobos of the Southwest made it easy! Send a very brief e-mail to FWS Region 2 Director Benjamin Tuggle. Simply copy and paste the message below into an email or use your own words. Please add your name and address at the end, because anonymous letters get little attention. Remember, too, that polite requests are more effective.

Dear Dr. Tuggle,
I am alarmed at how few Mexican gray wolves remain in the wild and I know that there are wild-born wolves in captivity that are eligible for New Mexico releases. Please re-release former Saddle pup M1050 in New Mexico. He has been in captivity long enough; it’s time for him to be a free, wild wolf again.
Thank you,
your name

Let him know you want M1050 to be a free, wild wolf again.

Check back next week for our next re-release candidate of the week. Thanks for your help!

To learn about the Mexican gray wolf re-release candidate for week one (M1049) and how to speak on his behalf, please click More!
More…

Lobos of the Southwest made it easy to help! Send a very brief e-mail to FWS Region 2 Director Benjamin Tuggle. Simply copy and paste the message below into an email or use your own words. Please add your name and address at the end, because anonymous letters get little attention. Remember, too, that polite requests are more effective.

Dear Dr. Tuggle,
I am alarmed at how few Mexican gray wolves remain in the wild and I know that there are wild-born wolves in captivity that are eligible for New Mexico releases. Please re-release former Saddle pup M1049 in New Mexico. He has been in captivity long enough; it’s time for him to be a free, wild wolf again.
Thank you,
your name

Here’s the first Mexican gray wolf re-release candidate of the week:

The Mexican gray wolf re-release candidate of the week is former Saddle pup M1049, born in the wild on May 7, 2007. He was captured with his mother and six littermates on May 31, 2007, when his parents were removed from the wild for killing cattle. The Mexican wolf field team captured alpha female AF797 first. Searchers had a hard time locating the tiny puppies, because their mother, disturbed by attempts to shoot or trap members of the pack, had moved them to a new den.

M1049 was taken to the Sevilleta pre-release facility on June 6, 2007. On May 20, 2009, he was transferred to Wild Canid Center in Missouri. Because he was just a small pup when he was captured and had no part in killing livestock, he is eligible for release in New Mexico. FREE M1049!

Send your e-mail to Director Benjamin Tuggle at RDTuggle@fws.gov.
Let him know you want M1049 to be a free, wild wolf again.

Check back here or Lobos of the Southwest next week for the next re-release candidate of the week. Thanks for your help!