By Susan Montoya Bryan "The Associated Press"

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Federal officials said Friday there are more Mexican gray wolves in the wild in the Southwest than there have been in each of the past five years, giving a glimmer of hope to a program that has been struggling to return the endangered animals to their historic range.

The annual survey results were released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after months of tracking the animals on the ground and from the air during helicopter and plane surveys done last month.

The fun side of wildlife news ...............

The Canadian Press

WIARTON, Ont. — Two out of three of Canada's furry forecasters are calling for an early spring.

Ontario's Wiarton Willie and Nova Scotia's prognosticating rodent Shubenacadie Sam didn't see their shadows when they emerged on Thursday morning.

But Manitoba's lesser known woodchuck, Winnipeg Willow, is siding with Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, who is calling for six more weeks of winter.

Folklore has it that if a groundhog sees his shadow on Groundhog Day he'll flee to his burrow, heralding six more weeks of winter, and if he doesn't, it means spring's around the corner.

calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120202/groundhog-day-winter-forecast-120202/20120202/

Elaine Thompson / AP

This dead sea lion with bullet wounds was found on a West Seattle beach on Jan. 23.

A group best known for fighting off whalers has joined federal investigators looking into the recent killings of sea lions near Seattle, offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible.