(Photo by Jim Clark - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Mexican gray wolf.

New Mexico is threatening to sue the federal government after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quietly revealed its intention to release more Mexican gray wolves into the wild.

Lawyers from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish filed a notice of intent to sue over the proposed releases. The department said it cannot stand by and allow the federal agency to ignore laws and regulations. The department noted the Endangered Species Act requires cooperation with states when working to recover threatened and endangered species.

The Game Commission last year denied permission to release wolves, but federal wildlife managers countered that they had a responsibility to help the endangered species recover, and said releases were part of that effort.

There are currently fewer than 100 wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona, according to a recent annual survey.