Mexican wolf biologists remain vigilant for cross-fostering opportunity

Technique promises to improve genetics of wild population

PHOENIX — The Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) is observing from a distance the potential denning behavior of Mexican wolf packs in the wild looking for a cross-fostering opportunity. Cross-fostering is a technique to move very young pups from one litter into a different, similar-age wild litter with the hope that the receiving pack will raise them as their own. Cross-fostering is undertaken to introduce genetically-desirable pups into the litter of an experienced female and wild-proven pack.

Last year, two pups were successfully cross-fostered from a wild, but inexperienced female, into the den of the proven Dark Canyon pack in New Mexico – a first for the Mexican wolf recovery program. A key to cross-fostering is timing. Donor pups and the litter of a receiving female must be whelped within days of each other.
This year, that requires close coordination between captive rearing facilities in the binational Species Survival Plan rearing facilities and packs in the wild. Read more

Things are shaping up nicely at the Maple River State Game Area Wetlands Unit this spring!

The last two springs have brought excessive amounts of rain, which caused the Maple River to remain at flood stage well into the late spring/early summer. The Maple River State Game Area Wetlands Unit, located north of St. Johns on U.S. 127, is a designated flood storage area.

“Things are looking pretty good so far this spring. It was pretty dry until we received about 3 inches of rain in early April,” said Chad Fedewa, DNR wildlife biologist for Gratiot, Clinton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties. “That heavy rain flooded some of our crop units, but the river has already receded enough that we should be able to start pumping out water soon.” Read more

Spring is here, which brings warmer temperatures, longer days and wildlife emerging from their winter homes. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds residents that black bears are among those animals that are now awake and have left their dens.

At this time of the year, wildlife officials receive many calls about bear sightings and bears damaging bird feeders, trash cans and grills.

“Bears are hungry,” said DNR bear specialist Kevin Swanson. “They are looking for food after spending months in their dens. While we might not think of bird feeders and trash cans as food sources, a hungry bear certainly may.”

Bird seed especially is attractive to bears because of its high fat content and easy accessibility. Once bird feeders are discovered, bears will keep coming back until the seed is gone or the feeders have been removed. Read more

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds wildlife watchers that spring birding tours – coming up Saturday, May 2 and 9 – are a fun way to celebrate the warmer weather and explore the state’s Wetland Wonders.

Birding tour highlights may include diving and dabbling ducks in full breeding plumage, trumpeter and tundra swans, osprey, bald eagles, sandhill cranes and many more. The tours will be led by DNR wildlife biologists and technicians and will include a sneak-peek driving tour into refuge areas that normally are closed.

Michigan’s Wetland Wonders are the seven premier managed waterfowl areas in southern Michigan: Fennville Farm Unit at the Allegan State Game Area, Fish Point State Wildlife Area, St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area on Harsens Island, Muskegon County Wastewater Facility, Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area, Pointe Mouillee State Game Area and Shiawassee River State Game Area.

Spring birding tours are set for the following dates, times and locations:
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