Mexican wolf numbers dropped in 2009

Image via.

Not that they have ever been high enough to begin with- but Mexican gray wolf numbers dipped about 20 percent in 2009, from 52 [in 2008] to 42 individuals estimated to be remaining in the wild. Full story from the AZ Daily Star (thanks Tony Davis, as usual).

An unusually poor survival rate among wolf pups appeared to play a key role in last year's population decline, officials indicated. Thirty-one pups were born last year in seven wolf packs. Seven survived, the wildlife service said.

Normally, the wild wolf pup mortality rate is about 50 percent, Tuggle said. Only four of the non-surviving pups were found dead, meaning that the rest either "slipped under the census or they are no longer on the landscape," he said, meaning they are dead.

Isn't that sad? The mortality among the pups is a worrisome and perhaps self-perpetuating trend: it may be an issue of genetic fitness and breeding declines due to the low number of wolves out there.

But the pup mortalities are not the only problemo:

Two wolves were confirmed to have been shot to death last year. Tuggle said he is not ruling out the possibility that the other six dead wolves were shot. Those deaths are under law enforcement investigation.

If you've for any info on the wolf deaths, there's a pretty penny reward in sharing that info with the appropriate officials. (See sidebar on our blog.) It is illegal to kill a federally-protected endangered species and these wolf-killers are criminals. Godspeed the federal investigation and prosecution of these SOBs.