Gray wolf arrives at New Mexico zoo for recovery program

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque’s zoo has received another Mexican gray wolf as part of an international recovery effort that includes breeding the endangered animals in captivity to ensure their genetic viability.

The ABQ BioPark said Dec. 27 it received the wolf earlier this month from the Binder Zoo in Michigan. The animal will be a mate for a 4-year-old female wolf already at the Albuquerque zoo.

The transfer stemmed from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mexican Wolf Recovery Program, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan, and the zoos holding Mexican wolves.

The wild population in Arizona and New Mexico has struggled to gain significant ground since the first release in 1998. About 114 wolves are believed to be roaming the two states.