Wildlife

By Robert B. Carleton
Central Group Executive Committee

You can’t deny they were here first.” Thus began Biologist Jerry Burton’s July 13, 2003, article in the Albuquerque Journal. Despite intense efforts, they are still just barely hanging on in the Middle Rio Grande. A brighter future might be in store.

By Mary Katherine Ray
Chapter Wildlife chair

Aurelia Valente recently wrote her own op-ed for The Santa Fe New Mexican defending protection of Mexican gray wolves after the executive director of New Mexico Cattle Growers said wolves “haven’t proven to be able to live in the wild.” I talked to this 13-year-old Santa Fe wildlife enthusiast about what motivated her to speak out:

Mary Katherine Ray: How did you become interested in New Mexico’s wolves?

By Richard Barish
Central New Mexico Group

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry has initiated a planning process called “ABQ the Plan.” The purpose of The Plan is to identify enhancements that will improve the quality of life for Albuquerque residents and entice businesses to locate and grow here.

By Mary Katherine Ray
Chapter Wildlife chair

Rep. Jeff Steinborn of Las Cruces, who sits on the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee, heard the testimony on HB579, the bill to ban trapping on public land, and afterward introduced two memorials that would have provided needed oversight of New Mexico Game and Fish Department.

During March 2013, Bernalillo County has scheduled many events. Plus, it’s also time to apply for the Master Naturalist Program. Please see the attached Open Space Program of Events for a complete listing of the County’s Open Space activities this year. You can sign up for the workshops this month at bernco.gov/openspace.

Master Naturalist Program
Accepting applications now until March 29. The training will take place this June and July at Bachechi Open Space (9521 Rio Grande Blvd. NW)

By Walter Szymanski, Rio Grande Chapter member

At the invitation of New Mexico’s Southwestern County Commission Alliance (SWCCA) and the Council of Border Conservation Districts, a fast-talking lawyer and Republican state representative from Utah named Ken Ivory made a presentation to about 60 attendees at a meeting in Deming on Dec. 3, 2012, urging them to follow his state’s lead and push for legislation in New Mexico to “take back” national public lands.

By Mary Katherine Ray, Chapter Wildlife Chair

Coyotes, our native wild song dogs, are the most persecuted animal in New Mexico. They can be shot on sight, trapped or poisoned all year long in unlimited numbers. And now we know that shooters compete with each other in organized events to see who can kill the most in a weekend to win a prize.

At a public meeting regarding the Mexican Wolf Blue Range Reintroduction Project
Replacement Release Outline for Arizona 2013 held in Alpine, Arizona, Mr. Chris Bagnoli of the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) announced that public comments on the release proposal would be accepted through October 27, 2012. In response, the White Mountain Conservation League, has submitted a letter signed by 19 organizations, including the Grand Canyon and Rio Grande chapters of the Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, Western Wildlife Conservancy and many others.