Endangered Mexican wolf tracked roaming north of I-40, what to do if you see it

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.

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.

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.