Counting, collaring Mexican Wolves includes vaccinations

—NEW MEXICO GAME & FISH

The annual census of Mexican wolves being restored to Arizona and New Mexico is scheduled to begin this week, and rabies is one of seven vaccines to be administered to any wolves captured during the survey. Results of the survey are a measure of reintroduction project progress.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Forest Service, White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish are among the partners in the Interagency Field Team doing the wolf count and captures.

The reintroduction project is restoring a native species to its habitat, as authorized by the Endangered Species Act.

Fixed-wing aircraft are used to locate packs whose members are wearing radio collars, and then a helicopter moves in to identify individual wolves. If necessary, capture is done by the helicopter crew using net guns or immobilizing drugs delivered via darts.

Capturing wolves is necessary if a radio collar has failed or to place collars on selected animals currently not wearing the tracking devices.

To prepare for the count, the Interagency Field Team attempted to contact 77 property owners or ranch families living in the wolf recovery area of the two states. Permission to land the helicopter on private property if necessary was approved in 54 instances, and in the other 23 permission was denied or the team could not reach the property owners.

Physical examinations are done by the ground crews which include a veterinarian, and they also administer the following vaccines: rabies, parvovirus, parainfluenza, canine distemper, coronavirus, adenovirus type 2, and Leptospira. These vaccinations help to protect both human and domestic animals, in the recovery area, from serious contagious diseases.

Rabid animals have been reported in Grant and Catron counties since June 2007, with foxes, a bobcat and a pet dog testing positive for the viral disease, reports the New Mexico Department of Health.

The New Mexico Department of Health is encouraging residents of Grant and Catron counties to vaccinate their pets, horses and other valuable livestock that may come into contact with wild foxes, bobcats or free-ranging domestic dogs and cats.

Sick or dead wild animals should be reported to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish at (505) 532-2100. The Department of Health reports rabid animals have no fear of people and may seem friendly or become aggressive.

For more information, call the New Mexico Department of Health at (505) 827-0006, or visit their website at www.health.state.nm.us/epi/rabies.html/.

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“Lalo” catches snowballs in the Jemez Mountains

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