内容摘要：Food experts say it’s overly simplistic to declare that all

Food experts say it’s overly simplistic to declare that all

into the western U.S., Catron County commissioners heard nearly three hours of testimony Thursday from frustrated ranchers and concerned rural residents — some of whom traveled from Arizona to attend the packed meeting. Dozens more joined online, including environmentalists and state and federal officials.“For us, for the people in this room, wolves are not some romanticized concept. ... For those of us on the ground, they’re a very real daily threat,” said Tom Paterson, a rancher and president-elect of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association. He’s worried about his grandson playing on the deck, just 100 yards (90 meters) from where wolves killed a steer in February.

County commissioners issued a warning to residents last week to be aware of their surroundings when outdoors and maintain constant supervision of children and pets.The concerns stretch beyond New Mexico, as officials in parts of Oregon and Northern California say gray wolves — the larger, more common cousins of Mexican gray wolves — seem brazen and are killing more livestock. Two California counties declared emergencies in recent weeks and the sheriff in another requested help from state wildlife officials.Ranchers in New Mexico and Arizona have been at odds with the reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves since the first release in the late 1990s. Despite limited programs for reimbursing certain losses, ranchers say wolves pose a threat to their way of life, which is already challenged by prolonged drought and rising prices.

Environmentalists argue that Mexican wolves should have a place in the Southwest, often criticizing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for not releasing more captive wolves to ensure genetic diversity among the wild population. They contend there’s no incident in recorded history of a Mexican wolf attacking or injuring a person.While fatal attacks are rare in North America, Catron County Sheriff Keith Hughes said there’s danger in not removing Mexican wolves that frequent developed areas. He said one was spotted Wednesday in the community of Reserve.

There are at least 286 Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico, but federal officials acknowledged Thursday that they don’t know how many actually are on the landscape. They also say livestock kills are decreasing, with 100 confirmed in 2024. Ranchers argue that for every confirmed kill, there are likely five more where investigators don’t have enough evidence left to add them to the list or the animals are never found.

Wildlife managers conducted 290 successful hazing operations last year to scare wolves away from rural homes and livestock, and the Fish and Wildlife Service reiterated its commitment Thursday to minimizing conflicts and reducing the economic effects on ranchers.She’s now the president-elect of the state pharmacy association and helps run the Basin pharmacy.

“We’ve definitely tried to do everything we can to run lean to find other options to try and make money to keep our doors open so we can continue to serve patients,” Camilla Hancock said. “But when you’re working so hard and you’re trying your darndest to accomplish these things, and you just kind of get kicked in the gut over and over, it’s really disheartening.”If it weren’t for the “devastating” impact on his daughter’s future, Jones admitted, “I’d pack it in.”

“I wish I could say I had this healthy, wonderful business I could hand off to my daughter,” he said. “But I worry whether it’s even going to be worthwhile for her to take it over if we can’t make a profit on it or even pay our own wages.”Associated Press data journalist Kasturi Pananjady in Philadelphia contributed to this report. Shastri reported from Herscher, Illinois.