By KRWG News
Mexico – ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRWG) After years of planning, Mexican wildlife officials are close to releasing rare gray wolves in their historic range in northern Mexico, and that's prompting questions from wildlife managers and ranchers in the United States.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and officials with the Arizona Department of Game and Fish say they recently learned of the latest plan to release five captive-bred Mexican gray wolves in Sonora this month.
The plan was first floated in 2009, but the effort has faced delays.
The Mexican agency that oversees natural resources and the environment, known as SEMARNAT, did not immediately respond to e-mail requests for comment. However, agency documents show much work has gone into identifying potential release sites.
U.S. environmentalists say a release in Mexico would help ensure the species' recovery in both countries.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press KRWG