Mexican gray wolf wanders north of I-40 -- but it's not Asha
Mar. 28—A Mexican gray wolf has wandered 20 miles north of Interstate 40, the boundary for the area where the U.S. government is trying to recover the endangered species.
The female wolf, F2996, escaped from a crate west of Show Low, Arizona, after being captured by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an annual wolf population count and has moved across Arizona and New Mexico.
The Mexican gray wolf population has gradually increased after years of recovery efforts, going up 11% in the most recently released wolf count. There are at least 286 wolves in New Mexico and Arizona, according to the annual wolf count published at the beginning of the month.
"We are monitoring her movements to see if she returns to her pack," said a statement from the agency.
There are no plans to capture the wolf at this time, even though it has moved outside the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area. Environmental advocacy groups that have long criticized the boundaries of the recovery area celebrated the agency's decision not to capture the wolf.
"True recovery of the endangered Mexican wolf will require allowing them to expand their range," Kirk Robinson, executive director of Western Wildlife Conservancy, said in a statement. "Insisting on an artificial boundary that wolves must not cross makes no sense."
Ranchers have previously raised concerns about the experimental wolf population. A County Livestock Loss Authority was created by the Catron, Sierra and Socorro county governments to help compensate livestock producers in the experimental population area that lose cattle because of wolf depredations.
Mexican wolves outside the experimental population area are protected as endangered species under federal law. Livestock owners and the public cannot haze or harass Mexican gray wolves north of I-40 without violating the Endangered Species Act, unless the wolf poses an active threat to human safety. Killing or harming the endangered species can result in a fine and criminal charges.
Another female wolf, dubbed Asha but officially called F2754, made headlines after twice traveling to northern New Mexico in 2023. At first F2754 was relocated to southern Arizona, and then she was temporarily placed in captivity near Socorro. She remains in captivity in the pre-release facility in New Mexico. Breeding behavior has been observed in F2754, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, so the next decisions about that wolf will depend on if she has pups.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife has a public map showing recent wolf locations available online. The map updates every two weeks and buffers the wolves' exact locations to protect them.
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