>> Gene: AN UPDATE TO THE MEXICAN GRAY WOLF SEEN  WANDERING NEW MEXICO.

YOU MIGHT HAVE READ ABOUT  THIS.

IN DECEMBER THE YOUNG FEMALE  LEFT HER PACK IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA AND TRAVELED THROUGH  NEW MEXICO CROSSING I-25 AND I-40 MULTIPLE TIMES,  THIS IS AMAZING, AS SHE HEADED NORTH LOOKING FOR A MATE.

OUR LAND'S LAURA PASKUS HAS BEEN WATCHING THE WOLF'S  PROGRESS THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND SPOKE WITH THE U.S.

FISH  AND WILDLIFE SERVICES MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY COORDINATOR,  BRADY MCGEE, MONDAY MORNING.

WHEN HE TOLD HER THE WOLF HAD  BEEN CAPTURED OVER THE WEEKEND.

LAURA ASKS WHY THE WOLF WAS CAPTURED AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN  NEXT.

>> Laura:   BRADY MCGEE, THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> McGee: I APPRECIATE BEING  HERE, THANK YOU.

>> Laura: SO, WE WERE TALKING  MONDAY MORNING, BIG NEWS IS THAT A FEMALE WOLF FROM  SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA HAS BEEN MAKING HER WAY THROUGH NEW  MEXICO THE PAST MONTH OR SO.

CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE  UPDATE ON WHERE SHE IS AND WHERE SHE HAS BEEN TRAVELING?

>> McGee: I CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.

IN FACT, WE CAPTURED HER YESTERDAY AND MOVED HER TO OUR  SEVILLETA PEN.

SHE WAS TRAVELING OFF IN  NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO ABOUT 90 MILES NORTH OF I-40, ABOUT  15 MILES EAST OF ANGEL FIRE, KIND OF SETTLED IN IN THAT  AREA.

AND HAS BEEN UP THERE FOR MOST  OF THE MONTH OF JANUARY.

AND SO AS OF YESTERDAY, WE --  ANY TIME A WOLF MOVES NORTH OF I-40, OUR PROTOCOL IS TO  MONITOR IT FOR AT LEAST 14 DAYS, SEE IF IT WILL MOVE BACK  SOUTH OF I-40 ON ITS OWN.

OUR MAIN RECOVERY PROGRAM IS  TRAINED TO RECOVER WOLVES SOUTH OF I-40.

ANY WOLVES THAT MOVE NORTH OF I-40 ARE FULLY PROTECTED UNDER  THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.

SOUTH OF I-40 WE HAVE 10J  POPULATION THAT REDUCED REGULATIONS SO THAT WE CAN  MORE EFFECTIVELY MANAGE WOLVES, ESPECIALLY A LARGE  PREDATOR THAT EATS LIVESTOCK.

SO, WHEN WOLVES MOVE NORTH OF  I-40 AND THEY ARE ATTACKING LIVESTOCK, THERE IS NOTHING  LANDOWNERS CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY ARE FULLY  PROTECTED UNDER THE ACT.

AND THIS WOLF MOVED NORTH INTO  AN AREA AND SETTLED ON PRIVATE LAND AND AFTER 14 DAYS IT WAS  PRETTY OBVIOUS IT WASN'T GOING TO MOVE BACK DOWN SOUTH.

AT THE REQUEST OF THE LANDOWNERS WE CAPTURED IT AND  IT IS CURRENTLY IN A PEN AT OUR SEVILLETA NATIONAL  WILDLIFE REFUGE.

>> Laura: WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO  HER NEXT?

>> McGee: SHE WILL GO BACK OUT  INTO THE WILD.

WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT  OPTIONS.

SHE ORIGINATED OUT OF ARIZONA  OUT OF THE PRIME CANYON PACK.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE  ARE LOOKING AT IS PUTTING HER TOGETHER WITH A MATE RIGHT NOW  AND RELEASING HER BACK OUT INTO THE WILD IN APRIL.

WE COULD PUT HER BACK OUT INTO THE WILD IN ARIZONA OR WE  COULD TRANSLOCATE HER TO MEXICO AND RELEASE HER INTO  THE WILD DOWN THERE.

PART OF THIS RECOVERY PROGRAM  IS ESTABLISHING A SECOND POPULATION IN MEXICO ABOUT  150 MILES SOUTH OF THE BORDER OF ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO BORDER.

AND RIGHT NOW THE POPULATION DOWN THERE IS ABOUT 30 TO 40  INDIVIDUALS.

SO WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO  BOOST THE POPULATION DOWN THERE.

OUR POPULATION HERE IN THE U.S. IS AROUND 200 INDIVIDUALS  SO WE ARE DOING FAIRLY GOOD HERE IN THE U.S.

BUT WE ARE  STILL TRYING TO BOLSTER THE POPULATION DOWN THERE AND SO  RIGHT NOW, SHE IS IN CAPTIVITY.

HER GENETICS ARE ACTUALLY NOT VERY GOOD.

THEY ARE PRETTY REDUNDANT, SHE IS PRETTY INBRED SO WE ARE  LOOKING AT SELECTING A MATE FOR HER THAT WOULD GIVE US THE  BEST GENETICS AND BEST CONTRIBUTION IN THE WILD.

I AM WORRIED THAT IF WE WERE TO JUST TAKE HER AND  TRANSLOCATE HER DIRECTLY TO THE WILD THAT SHE WOULD, YOU  KNOW, WE CAN'T CONTROL WHO SHE MATES WITH AND SHE MIGHT  SELECT SOMEBODY THAT PERPETUATES BAD GENETICS.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO BOLSTER THAT GENETICS BY SELECTING A  MATE FOR HER AND THEN WE WILL RELEASE HER BACK OUT INTO THE  WILD IN APRIL BEFORE SHE DENS AND HAS PUPS.

>> Laura: JUST TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, WHEN SHE LEFT  ARIZONA IN DECEMBER, WHAT WAS SHE DOING?

WHAT WAS SHE LOOKING FOR?

>> McGee: SO, SHE IS A  ONE-YEAR OLD FEMALE THAT IS DISPERSING FROM HER NATIVE  PACK WHICH IS PRETTY COMMON FOR A ONE-YEAR OLD.

SOMETIMES THE FEMALES WILL STICK AROUND UNTIL THEY ARE  TWO YEARS OLD AND HELP OUT WITH THE PACK, HELP RAISE THE  OFFSPRING THE NEXT YEAR, BUT A LOT OF TIMES MOST WOLVES  DISPERSE ABOUT ONE-YEAR OLD.

THEY GO LOOKING FOR NEW  TERRITORIES, LOOKING FOR NEW MATES AND SO SHE TRAVELED OVER  350 MILES CROSSING MEXICO, MOVING NORTH.

SHE ACTUALLY CROSSED I-25 NEAR SEVILLETA NATIONAL WILDLIFE  REFUGE, WENT OVER TOWARDS -- CROSSED THE NORTH PART OF  WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, WENT OVER TOWARDS THE MANZANO  MOUNTAINS AND CROSSED I-40 A COUPLE OF TIMES, JUST KIND OF  EAST OF THE EDGEWOOD AREA IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS, SO, SHE  WAS LOOKING FOR NEW TERRITORIES, LOOKING FOR NEW  MATES.

AND WHERE SHE LANDED AND  ESTABLISHED UP IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO JUST EAST OF ANGEL  FIRE, THERE IS NO OTHER WOLVES UP IN THAT AREA, IT IS RIGHT  NOW IS THE PRIME MATING SEASON AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF  CONCERNS ABOUT HER JUST GETTING IN TROUBLE CONNECTING  OR GETTING TOGETHER WITH DOGS OR RANCH DOGS OR ANYTHING LIKE  THAT.

SO, UP IN THAT AREA, SHE IS  NOT CONTRIBUTING TO RECOVERY AND IT IS LIKELY TO GET IN  TROUBLE.

SO THAT IS PART OF THE  DECISION OF CAPTURING HER AND MOVING HER BACK DOWN SOUTH  INTO THE RECOVERY AREA.

>> Laura: WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT  THIS SORT OF I-40 BOUNDARY AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SOUTH OF  THE BOUNDARY, LIVESTOCK OWNERS CAN HARASS OR HAZE WOLVES AWAY  FROM THEIR LIVESTOCK.

NORTH OF I-40 THE FULL  PROTECTIONS OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PREVENT THAT FROM  HAPPENING.

HOW DID THAT I-40 BOUNDARY,  LIKE HOW IS THAT DECIDED UPON?

>> McGee: UNDER THE ENDANGERED  SPECIES ACT WHEN WE DESIGNATE A 10J, WE HAVE TO DRAW LINES  ON THE MAP.

THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT  SAYS YOU HAVE GOT TO DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE.

MOST OF THE TIME WHENEVER WE DO 10J TO REINTRODUCE AN  ANIMAL AND DRAW THOSE LINES ON THE MAP, WE DRAW IT AROUND  THEIR HISTORIC RANGE.

AND THE HISTORIC RANGE OF THE  MEXICAN WOLF IS SOUTH OF I-40 ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH SOUTH  CENTRAL MEXICO.

HISTORICALLY 90% OF THE  MEXICAN WOLF SUBSPECIES POPULATION OCCURRED IN MEXICO.

SO, BECAUSE OF THAT REASON, THE BOUNDARY WAS DROWN AT  I-40.

>> Laura: HOW DOES THE FISH  AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TRY TO FOCUS ON THE RECOVERY OF THIS  SPECIES WITH SO MUCH CONTROVERSY ON ALL SIDES?

>> McGee: IT IS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAM.

I DON'T KNOW OF TOO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE  COUNTRY THAT ARE MORE CONTROVERSIAL.

I MEAN, WE HAVE GOT NORTHERN GRAYS AND GRIZZLY BEARS BUT  MEXICAN WOLVES ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE MOST  CONTROVERSIAL SPECIES TO TRY TO RECOVER.

IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY TRYING  TO FIND THE BALANCE OF GROWING A POPULATION AND ALSO AT THE  SAME TIME OFFSETTING THE IMPACTS THAT IT HAS ON THE  LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY.

SO, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY GOALS  OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO TRY TO MANAGE AND REDUCE LIVESTOCK  DEPREDATIONS WHEN THEY DO OCCUR THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST.

SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TOOLS, A NUMBER OF PARTNERS.

WE PARTNER WITH ARIZONA GAME AND FISH, NEW MEXICO GAME AND  FISH, USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES, FOREST SERVICE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERS IN THIS PROGRAM AND EACH ONE OF  THEM WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.

WE ARE CONTRIBUTING MONEY TO RANGE RIDERS, TO ALL SORTS OF  HAZING AND HARASSING TECHNIQUES TO PREVENT  DEPREDATIONS.

WE CAN'T ALWAYS PREVENT IT.

A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN, THOUGH, SO, WE SPEND A VAST AMOUNT OF  TIME, EFFORT, ENERGY, STAFF, PERSONNEL, RESOURCES TO REDUCE  LIVESTOCK DEPREDATIONS AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.

ONE OF OUR PRIMARY GOALS.

WITHOUT THAT WE WON'T HAVE THE  SOCIAL TOLERANCE OR TOLERANCE TO BE ABLE TO RECOVER WOLVES  HERE IN THE SOUTHWEST.

>> Laura: DO YOU FEEL LIKE  OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM AND BY HAVING THESE MEASURES  IN PLACE, HAVE RANCHERS IN SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO BECOME  MORE TOLERANT OF WOLVES?

>> McGee: SOME HAVE AND SOME  HAVEN'T.

AND I DON'T THINK SOME EVER  WILL BUT I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RANCHERS OUT THERE  THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THAT ARE ALTERING THEIR OPERATION  ALSO, THAT ARE USING OUR PREVENTIVE MEASURES, THAT ARE  TRYING TO REALLY WORK ON WAYS OF OFFSETTING THE IMPACTS.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CASES WHERE WE HAVE GOT WOLVES  DENNING WITH LIVESTOCK OR AROUND LIVESTOCK AND A LOT OF  PACKS THAT ARE NOT DEPREDATING ON LIVESTOCK, SO, YOU KNOW, A  LOT OF THE MEASURES ARE WORKING.

IT IS NEVER GOING TO BE FOOLPROOF.

WOLVES WILL EAT COWS, YOU KNOW.

THEIR PRIMARY PREY SOURCE IS ELK.

SO, WHENEVER THEY ARE HUNGRY OR IT IS EASIER TO KILL A COW  AND THEY ARE IN THAT AREA, THEY ARE GOING TO DO SO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN HAZE THEM, HARASS THEM, TEACH THEM  NOT TO AND STAY AWAY FROM COWS, THEN, THAT IS ONE OF OUR  PRIMARY GOALS.

>> Laura: BRADY,   THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE YOU TALKING ME THROUGH THIS CONTROVERSIAL  TOPIC.

>> McGee: THANK YOU.