The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released 11 captive-born Mexican wolf pups into wild dens to boost the genetic diversity of the subspecies.
The release coincides with the agency eliminating the population cap on the wolves to grow their numbers.
The pups were released into five wild packs in New Mexico and Arizona, where they will be raised by the breeding females. There is a 50 percent survival rate for the fostered pups.
“Since the inception of the program, 83 pups have been placed into wild wolf dens, and as a result, three of four genetic metrics have shown improvements, which bodes well for the long-term survival of the Mexican wolf,” said Jim deVos, Mexican wolf coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
