Category Archives: Phoenix

2022 spring hunt draw results now available

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has released the draw results for 2022 spring hunts for turkey, javelina, bison and bear, and raptor capture.

AZGFD portal accounts now are the sole source for finding out draw results and viewing bonus points. Customers can create a free portal account (family account features are now available) at accounts.azgfd.com/Account/Register. Draw results no longer will be provided through the automated phone system.

A portal account allows customers to create a secure account where they can view and manage their contact information, as well as their licenses, draw results history and bonus points in their personal “My AZGFD Dashboard” section. For questions about creating a portal account, call the department at 602-942-3000 and press “7.”

By the numbers:

  • 31,789: The total number of hunt permit-tags issued.
  • 63,918: The total number of those who applied for hunts or bonus points.
  • 45,460: The total number of applications submitted.

All hunt permit-tags are expected to be mailed by December 3.

Enrollment for nonprofit 2022 Arizona Gives Day opens November 1

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REGISTRATION AND RE-ENROLLMENT OPENS NOVEMBER 1 FOR NONPROFITS PARTICIPATING IN 2022 ARIZONA GIVES DAY, PRESENTED BY FIRSTBANK


PHOENIX – Coming off a record-breaking outcome in 2021 when Arizona Gives Day raised $7.1 million for nonprofits across the state, registration and re-enrollment opens November 1 for Arizona nonprofits interested in participating in the 24-hour online fundraising event, from noon on April 5 until noon on April 6, 2022. Since 2013, Arizona Gives Day has raised more than $30 million for nonprofits statewide.

Presented by FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” Arizona Gives Day is hosted by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and the Arizona Grantmakers Forum.

Arizona Gives Day unites nonprofits, big and small, new and established, to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona through online giving. Arizona Gives Day helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in our communities and inspires people to give generously to create a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.

Re-enrollment and payment of a refundable registration fee is required annually and can be completed at www.AZGives.org. “Early bird” registration, through January 31, 2022, is the best value for new or re-enrolling organizations. The registration deadline for all nonprofits is February 28, 2022. Registrants receive access to workshops and training, the Giving Day toolkit and have the ability to fundraise all year on AZGives.org.

Features rolled out in the past year include peer-to-peer fundraising, an early giving leaderboard and a collective listing of events and volunteer opportunities for viewing in one place. These features were created to encourage year-round use of the website and assist with connecting the community with nonprofit organizations of interest.

“Arizonans from every community in every corner of the state stepped up last year like never before,” said Arizona Alliance of Nonprofits Chief Executive Officer Kristen Merrifield. “That incredible generosity clearly showed that the people of Arizona can look beyond their own circumstances to ensure that those who may be in need have access to vital services and resources.”

Information required for registration and re-enrollment includes general information about the nonprofit; IRS Determination Letter; the most-current completed financials through Form 990 or the organization’s operating budget; and a bank account and routing number for electronic distribution of donations.

Arizona Gives virtual workshops to assist in making each participant’s fundraising experience a success will take place at several intervals before Arizona Gives Day. Registrants can participate in real time or view the recording at a later date.

“Arizona Gives Day offers a number of significant options for both nonprofits and donors including the ability for year-round giving and for donors to create personal fundraising campaigns,” Merrifield said.

New 2022 campaign features for nonprofits include:

  • New ways for nonprofits to direct traffic to their Arizona Gives Day profiles including options for an embeddable donation button and QR code
  • Ability to send thank-you emails directly from the Arizona Gives Day platform
    An option for the Peer Fundraiser page “hero image” to be either static or as a video
  • Ability for nonprofits to link to their Vimeo videos in addition to YouTube
  • A new Repeat Your Donation feature which enables donors to review previous donations and allow them to make that specific donation again or add to it with a click of a button

For interested donors, AzGives.org offers an advanced search filter to find nonprofits by specific criteria, area of focus, and which donations may qualify as an Arizona tax credit. In addition to creating a fundraising page, donors also can create a donor account to set up recurring donations, track their giving throughout the year. or they may simply check out as a guest.

Complete information including answers to important questions about Arizona Gives Day can be found at www.AZGives.org.

ATV use on highway shoulders illegal, unsafe

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PHOENIX – While all-terrain vehicles are a popular way to explore off-road areas, the Arizona Department of Transportation reminds ATV riders it is illegal and unsafe to drive these vehicles along state roadways.

The shoulders of state highways are only to be used only for emergencies, not for joyrides.

ATV users create many hazards when they drive on shoulders. At a minimum, they are a distraction to passenger and commercial traffic on the highway. At driveways and on sharp curves, they can surprise other drivers and lead to near-misses or crashes. And on unpaved shoulders, ATV riders can kick up dust that blinds drivers who are traveling at highway speeds.

ATV use also damages the areas along highways. The vehicles destroy vegetation and erode unpaved areas, which can cause steep drop-offs at the edge of pavement and at driveways. When enough damage occurs, ADOT maintenance crews are needlessly diverted from other important functions as they work to repair damage from off-road vehicles.

The problem applies no matter where ATV riders are improperly using highway shoulders, but the issue is more pronounced in certain areas. This includes State Route 188 in the Tonto Basin, where curves and elevation changes only make the problem more pronounced. Also northwest of Wickenburg, heavy ATV use is an issue along SR 89 between US 93 and SR 71.

ADOT reminds off-road vehicle operators they can be cited for illegal use of highway shoulders, including for damage to state or private land.

State Employees Charitable Campaign raises money for charities

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PHOENIX — The State Employees Charitable Campaign (SECC) annually provides Arizona state employees with an opportunity to voluntarily contribute monetary donations that support hundreds of nonprofit charities.

The public can show its support for three of those 501(c)(3) nonprofits by purchasing raffle tickets for a chance to win from a wide selection of brand-name outdoors equipment, which includes the grand-prize winner’s choice of a 2021 Polaris Ranger Crew XP 1000 EPS or a 2021 Sea-Doo Fish Pro and trailer.

Proceeds from the raffle will benefit Wildlife for Tomorrow and the Arizona Elk Society, both of which work closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Together, the organizations provide needed support for habitat projects, water for wildlife, education and mentored activities where traditional resources aren’t adequate. Special Olympics Arizona also will benefit to help assist more than 22,000 Arizona athletes who participate in the program.

RideNow Powersports has donated a 2021 Polaris Ranger Crew XP 1000 EPS ($18,837 MSRP) and a 2021 Sea-Doo Fish Pro with trailer ($16,199 MSRP) to be raffled as the grand prize. The Arizona Elk Society is hosting the fundraiser on behalf of the three charities and has donated six additional prizes to increase the number of winners — 55-quart Canyon coolers (second and third prizes), Vortex Diamondback 10×42 binoculars (fourth and fifth prizes), and Canyon Nomad soft-sided coolers (sixth and seventh prizes).

The raffle ends at 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) November 28, with a live drawing scheduled for December 11 at RideNow Powersports in Phoenix at 17202 N. Cave Creek Road.

Public’s help needed to detect, prevent spread of fungus deadly to bats

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PHOENIX — Results from monitoring work this spring suggest that Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats, may be present in samples collected from multiple species in five counties across California and northwestern Arizona.

The analytical results for these samples are considered “inconclusive” based on established national standards for the disease, which means they do not provide definitive evidence of the fungus being present in those bat populations. However, officials note they do underscore the importance of increased surveillance for WNS and the public’s help in reporting sick or dead bats on the landscape.

Federal and state agencies are asking the public to report any sick or dead bats found on the landscape. Sick or dying bats observed during winter may be a sign of WNS and can lead scientists to important roosting locations.

The general public should not handle bats but can report bat sightings to park rangers or state biologists. In California, the public can help conserve bats by reporting bat colonies (https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Bats/Report-Colony) and sick or dead bats (https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Monitoring/WNS). In Arizona, the public can report bat colonies or observations of sick or dead bats to bats@azgfd.gov.

Natural resource managers in California and Arizona are monitoring the rapid spread of WNS across North America and watching local bat species for evidence of Pd. As part of routine surveillance conducted by the National Park Service (NPS) in April and May, biologists collected samples from bats in Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, Death Valley National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and a private property in Chester, California. The sites span a region that includes Inyo, San Bernardino, Shasta and Plumas Counties in California and Mohave County in Arizona.

Samples were analyzed at Northern Arizona University (NAU) and suggest that DNA from the fungus may be present in very low amounts on seven bat species from these sites, including two species not previously known to carry Pd. However, it is also possible that these inconclusive results do not reflect a true presence of Pd on these bats.

Similar findings were first reported at Grand Canyon National Park in 2019 and one site in Plumas County, California in 2018.

White-nose syndrome is a serious concern for wildlife managers across North America, as it has caused significant population declines in several susceptible bat species. Bats become infected during hibernation through physical contact with other bats or a contaminated roost surface, enabling the disease to spread quickly through a colony. The disease is not known to pose a direct health risk to people, pets or wildlife other than bats.

Federal and state officials in Arizona and California have been collaborating and preparing for the possible arrival of the fungus for many years. In support of the national response to WNS, surveillance for Pd and WNS is administered by the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the NPS, NAU, Bat Conservation International and many other state and federal agencies and partners. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has partnered with the NPS and others to screen bats for the fungus since 2016. These agencies, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Bureau of Land Management and other partner organizations will continue to work together to monitor for Pd and WNS in the region.

People can protect bats and help slow the spread of the fungus by honoring closures in caves, old mine adits and other areas used by bats. Additionally, people can help slow the spread of WNS by decontaminating caving and climbing gear and other equipment used in areas where bats live, and avoiding the transport of this equipment to other locations used by bats. Visit https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org for more information.

Bats are essential for healthy ecosystems and contribute at least $3 billion annually to the U.S. agriculture economy through pest control and pollination. White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats in North America – with mortality rates of up to 100 percent observed at some colonies – since it was first seen in New York in 2006. To date, WNS has been confirmed in bats from 37 states and seven Canadian provinces. Pseudogymnoascus destructans has been found without confirmation of disease in two additional states (Mississippi and New Mexico).

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue funding to support Arizona’s sport fish stocking program

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PHOENIX — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) as part of the Environmental Assessment (EA) of its proposal to continue to fund, in part, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s (AZGFD) sport fish stocking program over the next 10 years.

The FONSI decision means that FWS can continue funding to support AZGFD’s hatchery operations and fish stocking activities that provide recreational opportunities for anglers.

As part of the Proposed Action, conservation measures were incorporated that will offset or reduce the effects of the stocking action to the level that is not significant to the human environment and ultimately contribute to conservation and recovery of native species. The conservation measures were developed as a coordinated effort between the FWS’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR), FWS Arizona Ecological Services Office, and AZGFD.

The FONSI decision followed an EA process that analyzed two alternatives, the Proposed Action and the No Action alternative. After review of public and agency comments received on the Draft EA, WSFR and the Arizona Ecological Services Office and AZGFD revised the conservation measures to provide additional detail and clarification. The final EA reflects these modifications, provides corrections to the document where warranted, and adds clarification as requested in public and agency comments.

Under the Proposed Action, funding will support stocking of sport fish at 186 individual sites in selected rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and tanks in the state. It will also support continued operations and maintenance of five AZGFD hatcheries that rear sport fish (primarily trout) for stocking. The actions in this alternative are the most comparable to the stocking program that has been in place since 2011.

Hundreds of thousands of Arizona residents and nonresidents take advantage of the state’s recreational fishing opportunities each year. There were 6,009,716 angler use days (AUDs) of fishing in Arizona, with a total annual economic impact of $1.47 billion based on 2013 numbers (Duda 2014; Fedler 2014). The demand for angling opportunities in Arizona is anticipated to further increase given current trends and projected models of population growth, especially in close proximity to urban areas.

Under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, FWS has the authority to provide federal funding to state wildlife agencies for management and restoration of sport fish, as well as public use and benefit from those resources. Funding is provided on a match basis through the WSFR program. Sport Fish Restoration funds through that program come from a federal excise tax on certain fishing equipment and a portion of motorboat fuel tax revenues. In July 2021, Arizona received about $8 million in Sport Fish Restoration Act funds.

Public comment period extended for draft Environmental Assessment for continued fish stocking in Arizona

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PHOENIX — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) today extended the deadline for the public to comment on the draft Environmental Assessment (dEA) of Arizona’s sport fish stocking program. The original June 11 deadline has been extended for two weeks, until June 25, 2021, to allow for more comment opportunity. The methods of providing public comments remain the same as in the original announcement and are described below.
The dEA is part of a process to continue to allow federal Sport Fish Restoration funding to support AZGFD’s long-standing program of stocking fish for public recreational opportunities, and for hatchery operations and maintenance. Each year, thousands of anglers in Arizona take advantage of the fish stocking program, which is funded in part by federal dollars from the Sport Fish Restoration Program and augmented by state dollars from fishing license sales.
Every 10 years, USFWS and AZGFD evaluate the social, economic and environmental effects of Arizona’s stocking program, and pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), prepare a dEA that analyzes possible actions or alternatives. The preferred alternative for the agencies, also known as the Proposed Action, would allow AZGFD to continue its stocking program for the next 10 years and also includes conservation measures to reduce potential impacts on federally listed or sensitive native aquatic or semi-aquatic species.
Members of the public are encouraged to review and provide comments on the dEA. Written comments can be submitted from May 11, 2021 through 5 p.m. (Arizona time) on June 25, 2021. Comments can be either:
•    Emailed to fw2fa@fws.gov, or
•    Sent by U.S. Mail to Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attention Dave Weedman, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086 (must be postmarked no later than June 25, 2021).
Your written comments—including personal identifying information, such as name, address, phone number, and email address—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask that personal identifying information be withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Two Facebook Live sessions with information about the dEA were held June 1 and June 2 and are available for on-demand viewing:
•    View the June 1 session – covers AZGFD northern regions (1, 2, 3).
•    View the June 2 session – covers AZGFD southern regions (4, 5, 6).

EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION OPENS FOR ALLIANCE OF ARIZONA NONPROFITS’ ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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PHOENIX — Early-bird registration has opened for the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofit’s 2021 Engage Conference featuring four half-days of virtual programming throughout August to engage and inform nonprofit staff, board and volunteers in effective leadership and collaboration to rebuild, strengthen and succeed.

Conference sessions are scheduled every Wednesday in August (4th, 11th, 18thand 25th) from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The conference will feature four keynote speakers and 24 educational sessions covering eight topics including advocacy; board development; executive; program/volunteers; development; marketing; diversity; equity and inclusion; and HR/finance. There will be more than 30 hours of content for registrants to hear from national and local thought leaders in the world of nonprofit management.

During early-bird registration through June 30, the cost for Alliance members is $109 ($149 after June 30). Each additional registrant pays $85 through June 30 and $125 after. Nonmember cost is $159 through June 30 and $199 after. Additional registrants will pay $135 through June 30 and $175 after. Scholarships are available courtesy of the Vitalyst Health Foundation.

Registration includes admission to sessions all four days, access to a post-conference video library and keynote speeches.

The full schedule of keynote and discussion speakers will be announced shortly.

The current schedule features real-time networking and discussions on “Wonder” and includes:

August 4

8-8:30 a.m.

• Keynote address

8:30-9 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

9-10 a.m.

• Debt is a Four-Letter Word We Like

• Using Equity Focused Feedback Loops to Increase Impact

• Designing and Building Capacity for Your Organization’s Future

10-10:30 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

10:30-11:30 a.m.

• Dirty Money – Ethics in Nonprofits

• Workshop: Discover your Core Values

• Panel Discussion – Marketing

11:30 – 12 p.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

August 11

8-8:30 a.m.

• Keynote address

8:30-9 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

9-10 a.m.

• Visual Thinking for Nonprofits

• Purpose Driven Diversity

• 5 Tips to Get Local Leaders on Board

• 10-10:30 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

• 10:30-11:30 a.m.

• Return to Revenue

• Virtual Fundraising Events

• Panel Discussion: Programs/Volunteers

11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

August 18

8-8:30 a.m.

• Keynote address

8:30-9 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

9-10 a.m.

• Turning Your Board Into No Pressure Ambassadors for Fundraising Success

• Turning Resistance into Yes!

• Panel Discussion: Advocacy

10-10:30 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

10:30-11:30 a.m.

• Website Accessibility – The Basics in Writing

• Are You In The Dark About Your Financial Situation

• Developing Your Nonprofit’s Remote or Hybrid Workforce

11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

August 25

8-8:30 a.m.

• Keynote address

8:30-9 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

9-10 a.m.

• It’s Time to Rethink Your Board Structure

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Work for Nonprofits: How to Start, How to Stumble and How to Succeed

• Frugal Innovation in Nonprofit Branding and Innovation

10-10:30 a.m.

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

10:30-11:30 a.m.

• All About the Base: Growing Your Advocacy Skill

• Sexual Harassment in the “Me Too” Era: What Every Employer Needs to Know

• Panel Discussion: Development

11:30-12:30

• Networking & Ask the Expert on Wonder

For questions about topics and programs, contact Michael Barry, Director of Capacity Building at michaelb@arizonanonprofits.orgor Angela Palmer, Director of Marketing, at angelap@arizonanonprofits.org.

For sponsorships exhibiting opportunities, contact Jennifer Purcell, Senior VP and Director of Development, at JenniferP@arizonanonprofits.org or call 602-279-9166.

For more information about the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, visit www.arizonanonprofits.org.

Reminder: Public comment deadline on draft EA for Arizona’s sport fish stocking program is June 11

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PHOENIX — The deadline for submitting comments on the draft Environmental Assessment (dEA) for Arizona’s sport fish stocking program is 5 p.m. (Arizona time) on June 11, 2021.

The dEA is part of a process to continue to allow federal Sport Fish Restoration funding to support the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s (AZGFD) long-standing program of stocking fish for public recreational opportunities, and for hatchery operations and maintenance.

Each year, thousands of anglers in Arizona take advantage of the fish stocking program, which is funded in part by federal dollars from the Sport Fish Restoration Program and augmented by state dollars from fishing license sales.

Every 10 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and AZGFD evaluate the social, economic and environmental effects of Arizona’s stocking program, and pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), prepare a dEA that analyzes possible actions or alternatives. The preferred alternative for the agencies, also known as the Proposed Action, would allow AZGFD to continue its stocking program for the next 10 years and also includes conservation measures to reduce potential impacts on federally listed or sensitive native aquatic or semi-aquatic species.

Two Facebook Live sessions were held June 1 and June 2.

Written comments on the dEA, which was made available for public review beginning on May 11, can still be submitted through 5 p.m. (Arizona time) June 11, 2021. Comments can be either:

  • Emailed to fw2fa@fws.gov, or
  • Sent by U.S. Mail to Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attention: Dave Weedman, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086 (must be postmarked no later than June 11, 2021).

Your written comments—including personal identifying information, such as name, address, phone number, and email address—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask that personal identifying information be withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Additional information

Recreational angling in Arizona created a statewide economic impact of more than $1.4 billion in 2013, according to the 2013 Economic Impact of Fishing in Arizona by Responsive Management (the last year such a survey was done). In fiscal year 2020, AZGFD sold 273,902 fishing licenses, generating revenue of nearly $14 million. During the last six years, AZGFD has stocked approximately 3 million fish per year. The majority of stockings were cold water species, such as Rainbow, Apache, Brook, Cutthroat, and Brown Trout. AZGFD also stocked warm water species including Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Redear Sunfish, and Bluegill.

In 2013, there were 5,979,637 angler days of fishing in Arizona. Sport Fish Restoration funding will make it possible for AZGFD to continue to meet part of this demand for public recreational angling opportunities on Arizona’s waters.

This information is also posted at https://www.azgfd.com/Fishing/FisheriesManagement/.

From Pens to Dens: A Record Number of Mexican Wolf Pups Fostered into the Wild

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–Arizona Game and Fish Photo

PINETOP —​​​​​​​ A record 22 captive-born Mexican wolf pups were placed in wild dens to be raised in the wild by their surrogate parents after another successful cross-foster season. For six years, wild Mexican wolves have been raising captive-born pups as their own, helping to boost the genetic diversity of this endangered subspecies and moving the wild population towards recovery.

During April and May, nine pups were fostered into three different packs in eastern Arizona and 13 were fostered into five packs in western New Mexico.

“Fostering is an outstanding example of a working private-public recovery program. Wolf recovery has to recognize the importance of meeting genetic criteria, which requires many private organizations maintaining captive wolves for release into the wild. Without this important partnership, genetic recovery would be essentially impossible,” said Jim deVos, AZGFD Mexican Wolf Coordinator. “Importantly, we are now seeing Mexican wolves that have been fostered producing litters themselves supporting the use of fostering as an effective conservation tool.”

Cross-fostering is a proven method used by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) to increase genetic diversity in the wild Mexican wolf population. It involves placing genetically diverse pups that are 14 days or younger from the captive breeding population into wild dens with similarly aged pups to be raised in the wild by experienced wolves. The IFT has documented that cross-fostered pups have the same survival rate as wild-born pups in their first year of life (about 50%).

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remains committed to improving the health of the wild population of Mexican wolves, and cross-fostering is one of the many tools we are using to make progress in that direction,” said Allison Greenleaf, biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “To see this program continuing to have success is a true testament to the hard work of all our field staff and partners.”

Five different captive-born litters provided Mexican wolf pups for fostering into the wild population. The following facilities provided pups this year:

  • Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri: one litter provided two pups into the Owl Canyon Pack in New Mexico and three pups into the Elk Horn Pack in Arizona; a second litter provided three pups into the Lava Pack in New Mexico and three pups into the Hoodoo Pack in Arizona
  • El Paso Zoo in El Paso, Texas: one litter provided three pups into the Castle Rock Pack in Arizona and one pup into the Leon Pack in New Mexico;
  • Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Socorro, New Mexico: one litter provided two pups into the San Mateo Pack in New Mexico and two pups into the Leon Pack in New Mexico; a second litter provided three pups into the Dark Canyon Pack in New Mexico.

Aerial support for this year’s operations was provided by three private organizations: LightHawk Conservation Flying and APLux and Aero Charter. In addition, Arizona Game and Fish Department provided air support to facilitate fostering efforts.

“The cooperation between Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has allowed another record year, allowing us to improve the genetic diversity in the wild population and gaining on the goal for genetic recovery,” said Stewart Liley, Wildlife Management Division Chief at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Since the beginning of the cross-fostering program, the IFT has documented a minimum of 12 cross-fostered wolves currently alive and surviving in the wild. Seven of these wolves have reached breeding age (two years old) and count toward the Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan criterion for genetic recovery of the population. Four of these cross-fostered wolves have subsequently produced pups in the wild. Pups are too young to mark when fostered, therefore only those that are recaptured can be confirmed as being alive. It is likely that other fostered pups are alive and contributing to improving the genetic diversity of the wild population and helping meet recovery criteria.

The IFT will continue to monitor the packs that pups were placed in through GPS and radio telemetry signals from collars on older wolves within the pack to avoid further disturbance. Later, through remote camera observations and efforts to capture the young of the year, the IFT plans to document additional survival of cross-fostered pups.

The end-of-year census for 2020 showed a minimum of 186 wild Mexican wolves in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (72 in Arizona and 114 in New Mexico). This marked a 14% increase in the population from a minimum of 163 wolves counted at the end of 2019. The IFT documented a 24% growth in the Mexican wolf population in 2019, which has nearly doubled in size over the last five years.

Cross-fostering is a coordinated effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Lands Office, U.S. Forest Service, and the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan.