ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - It was more than 15 years ago, on March 29, 1998, when the first Mexican gray wolves were re-introduced into the wild in the Southwest.

David Parsons was the first Mexican wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the time. The now-retired wildlife biologist said he believes every wild animal should be allowed to exist in nature. He said modern science on wolf ecology is increasingly documenting the important role the Mexican wolf plays in ecosystems, and provided an example from Yellowstone National Park.

"When the wolves were taken out of Yellowstone National Park, the elk populations exploded and they essentially ate everything down to the ground," he recalled. "The beavers disappeared and songbirds disappeared. And with the return of the wolves, we're now seeing the reverse of that. So, they really are important in maintaining biodiversity in our ecosystems," Parsons said.

According to Parsons, when Mexican wolves were eradicated from the wild in the early 1900s, only seven animals were saved and those seven were bred in captivity for years before being returned to the wild. Geneticists who have been studying the situation have recommended solutions to inbreeding which include releasing more wolves into the wild. Scientists had thought there would be more than 100 lobos in the wild by the end of 2006. So far, there are only 75.

According to the biologist, the project has not gone as predicted. Parsons acknowledges that 75 wolves in the wild is the highest number ever reached by that population. But the number is still lower than scientists had expected. Among the reasons for that are illegal killing, cars, and natural causes. But one of the main issues concerns policies followed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

"For many years the agency was removing too many wolves from the wild to address conflict between wolves and livestock," Parsons charged. "And we were more or less forced politically to put boundaries around the recovery area."

Those boundaries are still at issue today. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last week challenging a Fish and Wildlife Service permit that allows federal and state agencies to capture wolves that enter New Mexico and Arizona from either the north or south and keep them in captivity indefinitely.

Parsons said however that the future of the Mexican wolves could still be bright, depending upon how the re-introduction project is managed.

"The agencies have been lagging way behind in terms of getting the wolves released into the wild," he asserted. "The most looming problem is one relating to the genetics, problems that lead to inbreeding, depression."

Parsons said that responding to these challenges by increasing the number of wolves released into the wild is something the agencies in charge have thus far failed to do.

Those 75 surviving wolves and the re-introduction program will be celebrated from 6 to 10 p.m. this Friday at O'Neill's Pub in Albuquerque.






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Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss are making it difficult for many indigenous species to survive.

A coalition of conservation organizations will hold the annual Manu o Ku Festival this weekend to celebrate the islands' myriad species.

John Kantor, a wildlife biologist with the National Wildlife Federation, said the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act has helped preserve many exotic Hawaiian species.

"The federal Endangered Species Act, and the funds that are raised for migratory birds under the various programs there, are funding the frontline researchers and conservationists and folks that are trying to solve this multitude of issues that threaten Hawaii's birds," he explained.

The festival, sponsored by the Conservation Council for Hawaii and the National Wildlife Federation, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Coronation Pavilion of the Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

Kanter said the Migratory Bird Treaty was created in 1918 and updated in 1936. In conjunction with Canada, Mexico and other nations, it limits the taking of certain species for commercial products or as game. He cited the wood duck as one example, which is now plentiful but was almost wiped out a century ago.

"That species was almost extinct," he said, "and it is a hunted species - but there's strict regulations that are developed between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the states every year, based on the number of birds, that then are applied to the following season."

This year's festival celebrates the manu o ku, or white fairy tern, as an ambassador for other native Hawaiian species. Organizers have said conservation groups, educators and others are invited to share games and activities for people of all ages in learning about the manu o ku.

An environmental group is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Arkansas mudalia snail under the Endangered Species Act.

In Arkansas and Missouri, including along the North Fork River, mudalia are critically endangered freshwater snails.

Trisha Sharma, legal fellow at the Center for Biological Diversity, emphasized the need to save the snail from vanishing entirely. She said freshwater mollusks are the most endangered group of animals in North America, and snails are the most endangered mollusks.

"We've already lost more than 70 species of freshwater snails," Sharma pointed out. "The Endangered Species Act has a very high success rate. So if we can get it listed and protected under the ESA, it's highly likely that the species will survive and be able to continue playing its important role in the ecosystems where it's found."

Sharma noted areas where the Arkansas mudalia can be found have decreased by 90% and the main threat to the species is habitat degradation, primarily from dam construction and operation along the rivers.

Sharma emphasized mudalia is also threatened by habitat loss from grazing, logging and mining. She added climate change is also expected to threaten the species.

"Part of what can make a species more resilient to climate impacts is its ability to disperse as its habitat becomes unsuitable, and to essentially relocate to areas where it can survive," Sharma explained. "But snails have a pretty narrow set of habitat requirements and very limited dispersal capabilities."

Sharma said freshwater snails play a crucial role in managing nutrients by consuming detritus and plant matter, preventing their decay and subsequent disruption of water quality, and snails are vital for food webs, converting unusable food sources into usable ones for birds and turtles.


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Today is Earth Day, and one initiative in southern Arizona is helping build public gardens providing beneficial habitat for pollinators, from Monarch butterflies to bees and bats.

Emily Bishton, founder and coordinator of the Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project, said the human population depends on these animals and insects, as many of our foods and plant-based products require pollination. But human activity and climate change have put pollinators in jeopardy and Bishton wants to increase awareness of how crucial they are.

"The best chance you have for attracting and nurturing pollinators is with the species that they've co-evolved with," Bishton explained. "They will instinctively know that is food for them, or a place they can lay their eggs. They also are more likely to be able to put up with the way our climate is now and the way it is changing."

Bishton pointed out one focus of the project is to get Arizonans to plant more native species like milkweed, which is especially critical for Monarch butterflies. She would also like people to reconsider the use of pesticides since they do kill pests but also other beneficial insects. She suggested contacting a local county extension service or master-gardener program for alternative methods.

Madian Romero, technical assistant supervisor for the Caviglia-Arivaca Library, has been responsible for getting teenagers in the area to participate in the Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project. They not only help build garden spaces around town but grow their knowledge behind the importance of pollinators, as well as community building.

"The teens, they've come up with ideas on how to fundraise for the projects," Romero emphasized. "Each business that agrees to have a garden, it can be free."

Romero added the project has also been a character-building exercise for the young people of Arivaca, and hopes it is an experience they will cherish.