Latest news with #F2996
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Endangered wolf found dead after wandering near Mount Taylor
Apr. 1—An endangered Mexican gray wolf that wandered outside the wolf recovery area was found dead Sunday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed, and the cause of death is under investigation. The female wolf, F2996, had wandered north of Interstate 40 outside the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area and been located near Mount Taylor in New Mexico after escaping a crate near Show Low, Arizona, during the annual wolf population count. On Friday, Fish and Wildlife announced that it would not try to relocate the wolf, which had wandered broadly through Arizona and New Mexico. The agency was monitoring the wolf's movements to see if she returned to her pack. The decision was celebrated by environmental advocacy groups, which have pushed for the species to be allowed to expand their territory. "Mexican wolves like Ella have shown time and again that the wildlands north of Interstate 40 are desirable wolf habitat," said Taylor McKinnon, Southwest director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Ella is the name advocacy groups use for F2996. "Her death is a tragedy and its cause and circumstances need to be investigated and shared with the public." The endangered wolf population has slowly increased after years of recovery efforts, going up 11% in the 2025 wolf count, and at least 286 wolves live in New Mexico and Arizona. The last wild Mexican wolf death was reported in November, when a female wolf, F2979, was found dead northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona. That wolf was also outside the experimental population area, although wildlife agencies were trying to capture and relocate her, along with the wolf she was traveling with. In 2023, U.S. Fish and Wildlife reported 31 Mexican wolf deaths in Arizona and New Mexico. Of those, 11 died from illegal shooting or trapping, nine had natural deaths, four died from vehicle collisions, four died from capture-related mortalities or legal shootings or trappings, and three died from unknown causes. Mexican gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Killing or harming an endangered species can result in a hefty fine or jail time. A reward of up to $105,000 from conservationists and agencies is available for information that leads to the conviction of anyone who violates the Endangered Species Act and unlawfully kills a Mexican wolf.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Endangered Mexican wolf tracked roaming north of I-40, what to do if you see it
*Related video: Threatened vs. Endangered Species – how is it decided? CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – A female Mexican wolf has been tracked roaming north of Interstate 40, outside of the Experimental Population Area, according to officials from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). As of Thursday, March 27, she was approximately 20 miles north of I-40 near Mount Taylor. Because Mexican gray wolves are listed and protected as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), landowners and members of the public cannot harm, trap, or kill them unless the wolf actively poses a threat to human safety. Violating the ESA can result in a civil penalty of up to $25,000 or a criminal penalty of up to $50,000 and one year in prison. If you see a Mexican wolf, leave it alone, and contact the Department of Game and Fish hotline at 1-800-432-4263. Conservationists worry Mexican grey wolves could be threatened by cuts to recovery programs USFWS has jurisdiction over the wolf and is actively monitoring her location. The service issued the following statement regarding the wolf: 'Female wolf 2996 was captured in January as part of annual aerial count and capture operations. During efforts to release her, F2996 managed to escape her crate and self-released west of Show Low, Arizona. Since then, F2996 has made large dispersal movements across Arizona and New Mexico. She is currently approximately 20 miles north of I-40 and continues to make large movements. We are monitoring her movements to see if she returns to her pack. There are no plans to capture F2996 at this time.' USFWS Mexican wolves are Northern America's smallest and rarest subspecies of gray wolf. They were nearly eliminated from the wild by the 1970s due to conflicts with livestock. After being listed as endangered in 1976, captive breeding of the wolves began in the late 1970s. The reintroduction of those wolves began in 1998, and the efforts are ongoing. Three new minerals discovered in southern NM recognized by international group The latest numbers from the 2024 population survey show that there are at least 286 Mexican wolves in the wild between Arizona and New Mexico, marking the ninth consecutive year of population growth; an estimated 162 of those wolves tend to reside in New Mexico. Interstate 40 marks the upper boundary of the experimental area for Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico, according to the following USFWS 2015 Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area map. To find out more about Mexican wolf conservation efforts, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
