Arizona Game and Fish Department

Mexican wolf.

A coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its management of Mexican gray wolf recovery efforts.

The coalition says that the Fish and Wildlife Service needs to set higher population targets, improve genetic diversity and expand habitat.

It welcomed the release of captive-born wolves into the gene pool, but said that the agency’s definition of success falls short.

Under the new guidelines, released pups must survive to a certain age, regardless of whether or not they reproduce.

The coalition argues that some of the pups would have to reproduce in order to contribute to the gene pool.