Pup fostering gives genetic boost to wild Mexican wolves

摘要

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. U.S. officials claimed success yesterday, saying 12 pups were placed this year with packs living in a mountainous region along the New Mexico-Arizona state line. That marks the most pups fostered in a single breeding season since biologists first attempted the technique in 2014 by moving wild-born pups from one wild pack to another. In 2016, they tried placing captive-born pups with wild packs, discovering that the survival rate of the foster pups was on par with those born in the wild.