ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s a carefully planned mission that involves coordination across state lines — from Mexican gray wolf dens hidden deep in the woods of New Mexico and Arizona to breeding facilities at zoos and special conservation centers around the U.S.
It’s also about timing as wolves in the wild and those in captivity need to be having pups at the same time to ensure a smooth transition.
Pups born within a couple days of each other are the best candidates for a fostering program that aims to get more pups out of captivity and into the wild in hopes of boosting the genetic diversity of the endangered species.
“It’s really a balance of science and astrology — because the stars have to align,” said Maggie Dwire, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service team that oversees recovery of Mexican gray wolves in the American Southwest.
