SILVER
CITY — Two domestic dogs were bitten by Mexican gray wolves in the Gila
Hot Springs area around Thanksgiving day, according to New Mexico Fish
and Wildlife Service public outreach specialist Jeff Humphries. The
wolves belong to the Coronado Pack, which were originally released at
McKenna Park in the Gila Wilderness during the summer. Neither of the
wounded dogs was seriously injured, Humphries reported.
The two domestic dogs that were attacked are a retired sheep
dog and a dog of unknown breed, though the second dog is believed to be
a pet. The dogs had puncture wounds in their flesh and the Fish and
Wildlife Service confirmed the bites came from Mexican gray wolves. The
bites occurred on Nov. 27 and Nov. 29. “Wolves have different behavior with canids,” Humphries
explained. “They’re marking their territory. They’re not particularly
looking to feed.”
Humphries added that a field crew went into the Gila
Wilderness area on Nov. 24 to get a handle on wolf movement. Two of the
adults in the pack wear collars which transmit the wolves’ location via
satellite. By early December, the field crew was able to drive the wolf
pack back into the Gila Wilderness area through the use of yelling,
firecrackers and horns.
New Mexico Cattle Growers Association Executive Director
Caren Cowan said that as more Mexican gray wolves are released into the
wild, there will be more conflict between wild animals and people.
In November, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a
proposal that would increase the number of sites where wolves can be
released and increase the number of Mexican gray wolves to 325 in
wilderness areas in New Mexico and Arizona. Currently, there are only 83
in the wild.
However, under this new proposal, livestock owners could
kill any wolf that is biting, wounding or killing livestock on federal
land. Pet owners could do the same on federal land.
Humphries said he didn’t know if the pets that were bitten
around Thanksgiving Day were out roaming or if they were on farm or
residential property. “These (wolves) are accustomed to people and they seek
people out,” Cowan said. She added that there are wolf cages in Catron
County because of reports of Mexican gray wolves following school
children to the school bus.
Village of Reserve Town Clerk Andre Giron said there are two
“wolf shacks,” located in Catron County that were built in the last
decade. Reserve Independent School Superintendant Bill Green confirmed
that the Reserve Independent School system contracted to have
four-to-five wolf shacks built under a previous school board
administration. He said one was auctioned off last year to be repurposed
into a chicken coop. He confirmed only two are left. “I’m not a wolf supporter; we have no business reintroducing
them,” Green said. “It’s a failed program. The dollars could be spent
on something else. It’s a waste of time for this country.” However, Green added the wolf shacks are not something his administration is focused on or a part of.
WildEarth Guardians Wild Places Program Director Bryan Bird called the wolf shacks a scare tactic.
“Those wolf shacks are a stunt that were built to scare
people and generate opposition to wolf protection,” Bird said. “Children
are not in harm’s way.”
Bird added that while his group is sorry that someone’s pet
was injured, people need to realize it’s a privilege to live in the
wolves’ habitat. “People are going to have to make lifestyle changes to protect their pets and property,” Bird remarked.
Humphries said the owners of the dogs injured Thanksgiving
week can seek compensation for their veterinarian bills from the Mexican
Wolf Livestock Coexistence Council.
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