First, the killers of five wolves that have been shot or are missing must be tracked down. Illegal stocking of exotic trout into streams scheduled for reintroduction of the endangered native Gila trout. Deliberate attempts to dewater the Rio Grande to kill the the Rio Grande silvery minnow. Of equal importance is ending the internal harassment of federal wildlife officials attempting to implement the Endangered Species Act and other wildlife protection laws. Three Forest Service wildlife biologists have recently quit the agency saying it is beholden to the timber and livestock industries.
Some biologists are under virtual house arrest for simply trying to do their jobs.
There is broad support for endangered species recovery in the Southwest. Polls consistently document the support for Mexican wolf reintroduction, even in rural areas. However, a small group has consistently opposed wolf reintroduction and has repeatedly threatened violence. In one case, a rancher brought his livestock adjacent to the reintroduction site for no other reason than to provoke confrontation. Unable to win public support, a violent few have resorted to terrorism.