Cheyenne's Howl

Printed in Mountain Messenger on Friday - March 6, 1998

Mexican Wolf Reintroduction

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Bring out the enchiladas, tortillas, salsa and chips, salt and tequila. Hey man, we're having a celebration. The American Southwest has been void of wild wolves for more than twenty-eight years but on January 26th of this year, three of my Mexican gray wolf cousins, an adult male and female and their female pup born last May, were placed into an acclimation pen near the Campbell Blue River. This is in the ponderosa pine mountains of eastern Arizona's Apache National Forest. At last my Mexican cousins, also known as El Lobo, are being returned to their historic homelands.

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Jamie Clark, helped carry the first cage containing one of my cousins into the acclimation pen. Secretary Babbitt declared, "As we bring these wolves back to the wild, we strengthen the human spirit". It is too bad that those who opposed wolf reintroduction can not grasp the true meaning of that statement. Now there is one thing I don't quite understand. Why does the government always name us with numbers? I guess since they name you humans with social security numbers, they decided to name us wolves with numbers too. My three Mexican cousins are simply known as No. 174, 166, and 511 and don't ask me how they picked those numbers. Yes, I too have a number for a name. It is USDA 84-C-0065 but you can call me Cheyenne. Mom picked that name for me and I really like it. Every once in a while Dad has another name for me, but since this is a family newspaper, I can't say it.

Back to my cousins. There are now three different family groups totaling eleven wolves in the Apache Forest. The other eight wolves are in two sites known as "Hawks Nest" and "Turkey Creek". They will be held in their release pens for at least six weeks. This will allow them to become acclimated to their new homeland. They are currently being fed carcasses of native prey which consists of road-killed elk, pronghorn, and deer. It is also hoped that breeding activity will occur while they are in the pens. The time frame for release of my cousins would be midway through the 63 day gestation period. This would mean that the pups would be born this spring in the wild for the first time in nearly three decades.

When released my cousins will spread out and each family will establish their own territory within the 7000 square mile Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area. The Apache and Gila National Forests in the eastern part of Arizona and the western part of New Mexico, make up the recovery area. It is expected to support approximately 100 wolves. Let's see now; 7000 square miles of national forest divided by 100 wolves; native deer, elk, and pronghorn------Hey Dad, I want a bigger kennel and you never have brought me any pronghorn. I wonder if I should move back to Arizona? No, it gets too hot, and besides I think they have snakes there too.

April 1 is the approximate release date for my cousins. I would like to wish them much success in their new life. I will continue to keep you informed of their progress and also of the situation with my Yellowstone cousins.

Cheyenne