Introduction
The reintroduction of the Mexican Gray wolf into the southwestern United States has been a subject of large controversy in the past few decades. They first became protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1976; this species that had numbers in the thousands only a few decades earlier had become completely extinct in the United States (Southwest Wildlife). In 1960 the population dropped to seven, and yet there were still no efforts to implement their recovery as a species for 16 more years. Currently the goal of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is to expand the population in the wild to at least one hundred (Bergman). As of the end of 2013, there were here are only eighty-three Mexican Gray Wolves living in the wild and only about three …show more content…
Between 1977 and 1980, the last five wolves were captured from Mexico in order to be put into a breeding program in the U.S. (Southwest Wildlife). A recovery plan was approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1982 and by 1996 an official EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) was released. On March 29, 1998, after years of breeding programs, wolves were released into the BRWRA (Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area) (Progress Report). Thirteen wolves were released but of these thirteen, five were shot, which just goes to show how controversial this project has been since its implementation (Tangley). Wolves are still being released today and populations are rising, though very slowly. Because of the wolves’ improving circumstances, actions have been taken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to revise the reintroduction provisions set in 1998. Many people want the Mexican Gray Wolf to return to it’s natural habitat in the Arizona and New Mexico area, but many don’t. This paper will explore the arguments in favor of the continued reintroduction of the Mexican Gray Wolves as well as the arguments against
The reintroduction of the Mexican Gray wolf into the southwestern United States has been a subject of large controversy in the past few decades. They first became protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1976; this species that had numbers in the thousands only a few decades earlier had become completely extinct in the United States (Southwest Wildlife). In 1960 the population dropped to seven, and yet there were still no efforts to implement their recovery as a species for 16 more years. Currently the goal of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is to expand the population in the wild to at least one hundred (Bergman). As of the end of 2013, there were here are only eighty-three Mexican Gray Wolves living in the wild and only about three …show more content…
Between 1977 and 1980, the last five wolves were captured from Mexico in order to be put into a breeding program in the U.S. (Southwest Wildlife). A recovery plan was approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1982 and by 1996 an official EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) was released. On March 29, 1998, after years of breeding programs, wolves were released into the BRWRA (Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area) (Progress Report). Thirteen wolves were released but of these thirteen, five were shot, which just goes to show how controversial this project has been since its implementation (Tangley). Wolves are still being released today and populations are rising, though very slowly. Because of the wolves’ improving circumstances, actions have been taken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to revise the reintroduction provisions set in 1998. Many people want the Mexican Gray Wolf to return to it’s natural habitat in the Arizona and New Mexico area, but many don’t. This paper will explore the arguments in favor of the continued reintroduction of the Mexican Gray Wolves as well as the arguments against