Environmental group accuses wildlife feds of keeping Mexican Wolf information secret

Environmentalists on Tuesday accused federal wildlife managers of keeping secret some of the details behind decisions that led to the capture of a female Mexican gray wolf whose pack was blamed for several cattle killings in southwestern New Mexico. 

The criticism comes after a public records request by WildEarth Guardians netted hundreds of pages of blacked-out documents. Nearly 80 percent of the 870 pages released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services were redacted.  

Wildlife Services noted in a letter to the environmental group that some of the information requested was exempt under the Freedom of Information Act because it included employee opinions and recommendations and other draft documents. 

WildEarth Guardians is planning to appeal and is calling for a congressional investigation of the agency’s handling of the records request.

Environmental group accuses wildlife feds of keeping Mexican Wolf information secret