Why The Feds Shot An Endangered Species In Arizona

Arizona is one of America's most naturally beautiful states. Despite being perceived as simply a desert state, there is so much biodiversity between our borders.

One of the most special things about the state is the differing animal species that roam our land. The state does their upmost to protect them, but sometimes they fall short.

A Lone Wolf

In early April 2025, tragedy struck. Brady McGee, the Mexican Wolf Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was warned of an uncollared wolf roaming near the Bear Canyon Pack, a group of protected wolves in Greenlee County. McGee authorized the USDA Wildlife Service to exterminate the lone wolf.

McGee made sure to be specific that a breeding female was in the area with a broken radio collar, and she was not to be touched. She was an endangered Mexican Gray Wolf that was expecting a litter of puppies, a move that likely could have helped the species.

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She never got her chance.

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"Mistakenly Lethally Removed"

Shortly after the orders were given, a two sentence memo was sent out by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, simply reading:

During efforts to fulfill this removal order, AF1823 was mistakenly lethally removed on April 14, 2025. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined to close this removal order.

Advocacy groups are outraged, obviously. This was not only a protected species, but an endangered one with a vital role to play. Why the feds took lethal action when they knew there may be some margin for error? We may never know. This death may heavily impact the rest of the pack, and perhaps the survival of the species as a whole...

[AZ Family][U.S. Fish and Wildlife]