NM Wildlife latest news for you

Game Commission

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on May 28 announced the appointment of new members of the State Game Commission.

Jesse Deubel, executive director of the NMWF, said he’s thrilled with the new commission and looks forward to working with them to create a culture that manages game for the maximum benefit of state residents.

The NMWF interviewed six out of seven of the new commissioners on the day their appointments were announced. Read the article here: Commission Link

NMWF Director Testifies to Congress

Jesse Deubel, the executive director of the NMWF, testified to a congressional committee in Washington, D.C., that the hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities that generations of New Mexicans have enjoyed are in danger from the growing effects of climate change.

Deubel testified to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on May 15 at the invitation of Chairwoman Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M. Several other witnesses from around the West also addressed how climate change is affecting outdoor recreation. Read the article here: Deubel Testimony

NMWF Lecture Series:

The Language of Bears:

Continuing the NMWF lecture series, Daryl Ratajczak, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service in New Mexico, will present a talk titled “The Language of Bears.” He will discuss the vocalizations and body posturing that bears will exhibit in close encounters with people.

The free event is from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Wed., June 12, at Marble Brewery’s Northeast Heights location, 9904 Montgomery Blvd., NE, in Albuquerque. Read the article here: Language of Bears.

Dr. Karl Malcolm

Dr. Karl Malcolm, the southwest ecologist for the U.S. Forest Service, kicked off the NMWF lecture series on May 15 with a presentation on the history of wilderness in New Mexico. His talk at the Marble Brewery was well attended. Read the article here: Malcolm Lecture.

Valles Caldera

The NMWF reported on a pending federal lawsuit in which a federal judge said he intends to rule by the end of the summer on Jemez Pueblo’s claim that it owns the nearly 90,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve. Jemez Pueblo claims its aboriginal property rights to the area were never extinguished even though the federal government declared the area to be vacant land in 1860 and transferred it to private ownership. The federal government disputes the pueblo’s assertion it still has rights to the land. Read the article here: Valles Caldera

Wildlife Federation Staffer Addresses Tribes

PHOENIX, Ariz. — A representative of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation addressed an association of Native American fish and wildlife management agencies in May on the importance of cooperation to preserve wildlife corridors.

Jeremy Romero, regional connectivity coordinator for both the NMWF and the National Wildlife Federation in New Mexico, spoke at the 37th Native American Fish and Wildlife Society Annual Meeting in Phoenix. Read the article here: Romero Address

Rio Grande Trips

Staffers from the NMWF escorted dozens of students from the Native American Community Academy on raft trips down the Rio Grande on May 16 and May 17. This marks the third year that the NMWF has partnered with the school. See video of the trips here: River Video