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Biologists combing rugged mountains to count gray wolves

Jeff Roberson/AP

FILE - In this May 20, 2019, file photo, a Mexican gray wolf is seen at the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Mo. Dozens of environmental groups and scientists are asking U.S. wildlife managers to rethink how they plan to ensure the survival of Mexican gray wolves in the American Southwest. Following a loss in federal court, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working on crafting a new rule to guide management of the endangered predators in New Mexico and Arizona. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

By: Associated Press

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PINETOP, AZ — Biologists are combing the rugged mountains of the U.S. Southwest to find out how many Mexican gray wolves are roaming the wild.

The annual count in Arizona and New Mexico started in November and is expected to run through early February.

The population numbers of the endangered predators will be released in March. A reintroduction program began in 1998.

At least 163 wolves were counted during the last survey.

That marked a nearly 25% jump in the population from the previous year and put wildlife managers about halfway to declaring the species recovered.

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Biologists combing rugged mountains to count gray wolves

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