flagstaff, Arizona.— Three conservation groups today notified state and federal authorities that ongoing efforts to capture and relocate Mexican gray wolves west of Flagstaff violate the Endangered Species Act. The wolves, known as the Kendrick Peak pack, have been breeding in this area near the Grand Canyon since at least June.

“These persistent Mexican wolves live right where they are, and it would be a violation of the law for wildlife officials to move them,” said Michael Robinson, senior conservationist at the Center for Biological Diversity. We are warning that this will happen.” . “Instead of trapping and eliminating the Kendrick Peak pack, state and federal officials should do everything in their power to ensure Mexican wolf recovery.”

Mexican wolves, which live north of Interstate 40, are fully protected under the Endangered Species Act, which includes prohibitions on trapping and other harm. Today’s notice notifies the USDA Wildlife Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department that they lack permits to trap the Kendrick Peak wolf family.

The only relevant allow Authorizes the capture and relocation of Mexican wolves dispersed from so-called Mexican wolf experimental population areas. The region includes all of Arizona and New Mexico south of Interstate 40 to the Mexican border.

Permits to capture and relocate wolves do not apply to wolves near Kendrick Peak because their origins are unknown.

“It’s entirely possible that these wolves were born to parents who lived undetected outside of the experimental habitat area,” said Greta Anderson, deputy director of the Western Watersheds Project. “The vast and wild Grand Canyon ecoregion is perfect habitat for wolves, but officials insist on keeping wolves south of Interstate 40 for purely political reasons.”

A Kendrick Peak wolf family is being held in connection with a dispute related to public grazing land. No measures have been taken to protect the cattle from predation on these farms, and the cattle are scheduled to be removed from the farms at the end of October. Livestock industries are compensated for losses due to wolf predation.

“Wolves are essential to the ecological health of the Grand Canyon Ecoregion and should be allowed to find their natural territories,” said Claire Masser, executive director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Restoration Project. , said, “Instead of relocation, we should work with communities to prevent conflict.” and fostering a culture of tolerance and respect for these important predators. ”

Even when done by government agencies, trapping risks harming endangered wolves. Since 1999, at least 17 Mexican gray wolves have died as a direct result of capture and handling by authorities. The notice further explains that allowing the Mexican wolf to expand its range north into the Grand Canyon ecoregion will further the protection of the wolf as required by the Endangered Species Act.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Western Watershed Project and Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project filed the notification today. The Endangered Species Act requires written notification of violations as a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit.