New Mexico
Open space and wildlife officials offer tips for responsible hiking
You may be getting outside to hike in the open spaces around Albuquerque but officials want you to adhere to a few tips and guidance to protect the wildlife out there.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — With summer now on the horizon, many people are looking to go hiking in the bosque.
“I think we’re really lucky here, in the city of Albuquerque, to have our open space lands that are protected and open to the public for recreation, to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors,” said Dustin Chavez-Davis, open space project coordinator.
The open space lands near the Rio Grande are a popular place for outdoor recreation but that comes with responsibility. That starts with prevention, such as reporting issues with encampments or illegal fires.
Officials say they’re doing their part to keep these spaces clean.
“The open space division has a regular maintenance schedule. So, we’re out here picking up trash at the trails. We’re keeping our parking lots clean and making sure there are no issues with fallen branches on the trails,” Davis said.
Another thing to watch out for is wildlife.
“The best general guideline is keep a respectful distance. If the animal is noticing you, that’s a sign that you are too close. You’ll want to make sure that they are comfortable and doing their thing,” an official with the New Mexico Wildlife Center said
Porcupines are among the animals you need to look out for. Officials with the New Mexico Wildlife Center recently released two of them after nearly a year in rehabilitation.
“The first one was admitted in May as a week-old orphan that was attacked by a dog and buried in a hole by the dog, so it came to us with severe wounds,” another official said.
Because of this, officials encourage you to always put your pets on a leash.
New Mexico leaders are backing a bipartisan bill after 12 confirmed U.S. screwworm cases, including one case in a Lea County dog.
SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico leaders are backing a bipartisan bill after 12 confirmed U.S. screwworm cases, including one case in a Lea County dog.
New Mexico State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Holeck said the parasite has spread to New Mexico, though officials say they have not found any human cases.
“This is also not a political issue this is a nationwide issue that we all need to address because it affects all warm blooded animals including humans,” Holeck said.
U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez support the Protect America’s Herds Act.
The bill would create a grant program to train people to identify, treat, prevent and report screwworm. It would also support more livestock inspections and education for ranchers.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez said she heard concerns from tribal leaders about the cost of protecting cattle herds.
“I spoke with one of our tribal leaders today and they have cattle operation and they’re worried, and they’re talking about how much more money they’re having to pay to go make sure they check on their herds and there are extra costs,” Leger Fernandez said.
Funding would prioritize states and tribal communities most at risk for screwworm outbreaks.
State health officials said screwworm is not a food safety issue. They also said ranchers should stay alert but not alarmed.
New Mexico isn’t done with Meta yet. After the second phase of a landmark trial, the state is asking a judge to make the company pay almost $1 billion to address harm done to young people in New Mexico, SourceNM reports. In a court filing, attorneys with the New Mexico Department of Justice argue that Meta’s addictive design features and recommendation algorithms “substantially contributed to the increase and severity” of problems including depression and eating disorders. The state wants a judge to order Meta to pay $953 million into a fund for public education and behavioral health programs, reports Fox News.
- After the first phase of the trial in March, a jury found the company endangered children and misled the public about its platforms’ safety. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in damages, $5,000 for each violation.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has argued Meta executives prioritized profit over minors’ safety, ignored internal warnings, and misrepresented what they knew about harms to young users. In the second phase, First Judicial District Court Chief Judge Bryan Biedscheid heard arguments on whether the company’s actions created a public nuisance, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Final filings in that phase of the trial were submitted Friday. Beyond potential financial penalties, Biedscheid will also rule on the state’s request for Meta to make changes including stricter age controls and “safer algorithms” that “do not prioritize engagement over well being.”
Meta says New Mexico is overreaching, warning that the proposed mandates are “impractical and ill-considered” and “would risk leaving teens less safe, infringe on parental rights, and stifle free expression.” Meta argues that New Mexico hasn’t proven that its platforms affect mental health outcomes. In court filings, Meta has claimed that the state is seeking $3.7 billion, not $953 million, but Chief Deputy Attorney General James Grayson says the higher figure is an expert’s estimate of the cost to fund all child mental health interventions in the state. “We’re not trying to hold Meta responsible for mental health harms in general in New Mexico, only for what social media has cost,” Grayson tells the New Mexican.
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