Could this be a perfect pairing found in the wilderness of New Mexico?

A Mexican wolf that was in danger has been caught recently after traveling hundreds of miles from Arizona to New Mexico. It is now being prepared for a matchmaking process as part of the government’s efforts to reintroduce the species.

However, it remains to be seen if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be able to successfully find a compatible partner for the female wolf with the identification number F2754. The recently captured wolf will have the option to choose between two male siblings who are currently being kept at the federal wolf management facility in central New Mexico.

The agency’s spokeswoman, Aislinn Maestas, stated that they intended to bring her in sooner in order to give her more time to form a strong bond with a mate and potentially reproduce successfully. They will be closely monitoring her behavior and hoping that she shows interest in either one of the potential mates.

It may not be until late February or early March that biologists determine the success of their efforts.

For the past 25 years, Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced into the Southwestern U.S. using captive breeding and targeted releases. As a result, wildlife managers have successfully increased the population of this incredibly rare subspecies of gray wolf in North America.

Despite some obstacles, there has been a positive trend in the numbers of Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico. Last year saw the highest documented amount of these wolves since the program began.

Wildlife officials at both the federal and state level had been monitoring the solitary female wolf for several months, patiently waiting for an opportunity to recapture her. Her travels originated in the mountains of southeastern Arizona and extended through the dry, desert terrain of central New Mexico until she reached the border of Valles Caldera National Preserve.

For weeks, she traveled back and forth between the preserve and the San Pedro Mountains. When it became clear that she was not going back to the wolf recovery area, authorities made the decision to catch her before breeding season began.

On Saturday, they had the chance to capture the animal near the small town of Coyote, New Mexico. A team operating a helicopter in collaboration with the New Mexico Game and Fish Department used a tranquilizer dart to sedate her before preparing her for transportation to the Sevilleta Wolf Management Facility.

Brady McGee, the coordinator for the recovery of Mexican wolves, discussed the welfare of these animals.

According to a statement, the dispersal event was likely motivated by the search for a mate. Since there are no other wolves in the vicinity, the individual was not likely to find success and faced the danger of being mistaken for a coyote and potentially shot.

The objective is for the matchmaking efforts to result in finding puppies in the spring, allowing for more wolves to be released in order to increase the wild population.

Currently, there are over 240 endangered predators residing in the recovery area that covers parts of Arizona and New Mexico. Additionally, there is a smaller population of these predators in Mexico.

Environmental activists had urged government officials to allow the lone female wolf to remain on her own, citing past failures in attempts to relocate her after her initial journey north last winter. They also noted that the wolf’s movements served as proof that the designated recovery boundaries were not adequate enough to support the growing population.

Greta Anderson, deputy director of the Western Watersheds Project, stated that wolves are motivated to disperse in order to mate with wolves that are not related. However, in the case of Mexican wolves, finding unrelated mates is becoming more difficult due to high levels of inbreeding within the population and the limited area in Arizona and New Mexico where wolves are permitted to live.

Ranchers in New Mexico and Arizona have continuously expressed their grievances regarding the significant number of livestock fatalities caused by wolves each year, and are apprehensive about the potential expansion of the wolf population. As plans are underway to introduce gray wolves in Colorado in the near future, residents in rural areas are also expressing similar concerns.

Source: wral.com