Zoo-bred wolves are sent packing

Facilities in U.S., Mexico raise them for release in wild

By Gary Gerhardt, Rocky Mountain News January 2, 2004

Five Mexican wolves were captured from 1977 to 1980 in Mexico and taken to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, where they became the Genesis pack for today's recovery efforts in New Mexico and Arizona.

As the numbers expanded, zoos in the United States and Mexico started breeding programs, and now there are 29 U.S. zoos and 10 in Mexico raising wolves.

There are about 200 wolves in those zoos, in addition to at least 34 released in the wild.

One of the zoos playing a key role in the breeding effort is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.

"We have been a part of the program since 1994, and produced nine pups since 1997," said Della Garrelle, director of conservation and animal health at the zoo.

"And one of our females, who produced pups here, was released and produced pups in the wild as well."

There are now four wolves - all brothers - on display at Cheyenne Mountain.

They are waiting for their turn to join the breeding pool.

"They get some acclimation to the outside world because wild bears, cougars and other animals wander around outside the cage," Garrelle said.

The program costs about $8,000 annually, which the zoo funds.

In addition, Cheyenne Mountain has joined Denver, Pueblo and Albuquerque in a wolf forum, which is designed to offer biological information about wolves without political, economic or social considerations.

According to its brochure, the "Wolf Forum of the Southern Rockies was created to provide citizens of the region with science-based information and access to the various arguments for and against the wolf's return."

It covers such subjects as wolves and livestock, wolves and wildlife, wolves and property rights, public attitudes, government position and wolves and the human threat.

For more information, log onto www.wolfforum.org.

gerhardtg@RockyMountainNews.com  or 303-892-5202.

Copyright 2004, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved.

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