Wolf Conservation Center Press Releases

Trump Administration Allows Ranchers to Kill Endangered Mexican Wolf  

February 24, 2026 Comments Off on Trump Administration Allows Ranchers to Kill Endangered Mexican Wolf  

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A newly revealed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service document allows Catron County ranchers to kill any one endangered Mexican gray wolf who happens to be in the area of two grazing allotments near Quemado, New Mexico. The permit doesn’t identify which wolf the ranchers can shoot, nor does it specify livestock lost to wolves preceding this kill authorization.  Several wolf families are in the area, including a likely pregnant, genetically valuable female wolf of the Elk Horn pack who was named Nora by the Endangered Wolf Center in Missouri before she was released into the Arizona wild as a pup in 2020. Nora is one of the 21% of genetically valuable captive-born pups known to have survived such releases without their birthparents.  “The permit allows the permittees to kill any wolf they see on private or federal land, in retribution for alleged and undisclosed livestock losses. This…

Wolf Conservation Center Study Finds Coastal Coyotes Preserve Red Wolf Ancestry Through Survival and Adaptation

February 11, 2026 Comments Off on Wolf Conservation Center Study Finds Coastal Coyotes Preserve Red Wolf Ancestry Through Survival and Adaptation

Distinct body form and high survival of coastal coyotes along the Texas-Louisiana border region allow coyotes harboring red wolf ancestry to persist decades after the red wolf’s extirpation from the region.  South Salem, NY — A new study led by the Wolf Conservation Center Integrative Ecology and Coexistence Lab and published in Ecosphere reveals how red wolf ancestry has persisted for more than four decades after the red wolf was declared extirpated from the wild. The research shows that a combination of distinctive physical traits adapted to coastal wetlands and high survival has allowed coyotes to harbor, maintain, and pass on red wolf genetics. The study focused on hybrid-like coyotes referred to as “Gulf Coast canids,” living in coastal wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico that retained significant red wolf ancestry. Researchers found that these coastal coyotes form a stable, locally adapted wetland ecotype shaped by historical red wolf introgression…

Taylor, the Boundary-Defying Wolf, Found Dead on Interstate 40 in New Mexico

January 21, 2026 Comments Off on Taylor, the Boundary-Defying Wolf, Found Dead on Interstate 40 in New Mexico

For immediate release: January 21, 2026 Albuquerque, N.M. – Taylor, the Mexican gray wolf made famous for establishing a home range last year near Mount Taylor, and returning there twice after having been removed despite a federal rule banning wolves north of Interstate 40, was found dead over the weekend on the  interstate near Grants, New Mexico.  “This is such an unfortunate outcome for Taylor, who showed us so much about how wolves choose their own habitats, regardless of the lines that humans draw on maps,” said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project. “But it’s also a positive development that the agencies were letting him stay outside of the artificial boundary for so long and giving him the opportunity to be wild on Mt. Taylor. His life firmly demonstrated the suitability of wolf habitat in these mountains, and we can only hope that he’s not the last wolf choosing…

Wandering Wolf “Ella” Found Deceased in New Mexico

March 31, 2025 Comments Off on Wandering Wolf “Ella” Found Deceased in New Mexico

Media contacts: Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520) 623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians (505) 395-6177, csmith@wildearthguardians.org Sally Paez, New Mexico Wild (505) 350-0664, sally@nmwild.org Nico Lorenzen, Wild Arizona (520) 289-0147, nico@wildarizona.org Claire Musser,…

Mexican Gray Wolf Numbers are Up, but Trump Administration Budget Cuts Could Threaten Recovery

March 3, 2025 Comments Off on Mexican Gray Wolf Numbers are Up, but Trump Administration Budget Cuts Could Threaten Recovery

Mexican gray wolf population count increases, but lobos are still threatened by low gene diversity and high illegal killing Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians, csmith@wildearthguardians.orgClaire Musser, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, claire@gcwolfrecovery.orgMichael Robinson,…

Latest Report on Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Shows Ongoing Problems

December 20, 2024 Comments Off on Latest Report on Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Shows Ongoing Problems

For immediate release December 20, 2024 Media contacts:  Cyndi Tuell, Western Watersheds Project, (520) 272-2454, cyndi@westernwatersheds.org Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians, (505) 395-6177, csmith@wildearthguardians.org  Claire Musser, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project…

Conservation groups demand justice after Mexican wolf near Flagstaff found dead

November 15, 2024 Comments Off on Conservation groups demand justice after Mexican wolf near Flagstaff found dead

Media contacts:  Cyndi Tuell, Western Watersheds Project, 520-272-2454, cyndi@westernwatersheds.org Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter, 602-999-5790, sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org  Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, 801-300-2414, TMcKinnon@biologicaldiversity.org  Claire Musser, Grand…

Government Goes After Flagstaff Wolf Family

October 3, 2024 Comments Off on Government Goes After Flagstaff Wolf Family

For Immediate Release: October 3, 2024 Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520) 623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org Regan Downey, Wolf Conservation Center (914) 763-2373; regan@nywolf.org Claire Musser, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project (928)…

Asha denied freedom for failure to breed

July 25, 2024 Comments Off on Asha denied freedom for failure to breed

The young female Mexican wolf captured the imagination of New Mexicans with her travels For Immediate Release, July 25, 2024 Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians, (505) 395-6177, csmith@wildearthguardians.org Claire Musser, Grand…

New Billboard in New Mexico Promotes $105K Reward for Information About Illegal Mexican Gray Wolf Killing

May 1, 2024 Comments Off on New Billboard in New Mexico Promotes $105K Reward for Information About Illegal Mexican Gray Wolf Killing

Media contacts:Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project, 520-623-1878 greta@westernwatersheds.orgRegan Downey, Wolf Conservation Center, 914-763-2373 regan@nywolf.org TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M.– Today, a new billboard was installed along Interstate 25 north of Truth…

Mexican Gray Wolves Numbers Go Up, But Don’t Tell The Whole Story

March 5, 2024 Comments Off on Mexican Gray Wolves Numbers Go Up, But Don’t Tell The Whole Story

For Immediate Release March 5, 2024 Contacts: Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520) 623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org  Claire Musser, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project (928) 202-1325 claire@gcwolfrecovery.org  Regan Downey, Wolf Conservation Center…

Join the Pack! Great Wolf Lodge and Wolf Conservation Center Team Up for Wolves

January 4, 2024 Comments Off on Join the Pack! Great Wolf Lodge and Wolf Conservation Center Team Up for Wolves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Contact:  Caleb Alexander  Media and Communications Manager, Wolf Conservation Center  Email: caleb@nywolf.org  New York, Jan. 2nd, 2024 – The Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) is excited to announce…

Asha’s visit to northern New Mexico offers hope for recovery;  Groups applaud agencies for letting Mexican gray wolf roam north of Interstate 40

November 29, 2023 Comments Off on Asha’s visit to northern New Mexico offers hope for recovery;  Groups applaud agencies for letting Mexican gray wolf roam north of Interstate 40

For immediate release November 29, 2023 Media contacts:Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520)623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians, (505) 395-6177, csmith@wildearthguardians.org Claire Musser, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, (928) 202-1325 claire@gcwolfrecovery.org Mary Katherine…

Conservation Groups Formally Ask for Mexican Gray Wolf ‘Asha’ To Remain Free

November 7, 2023 Comments Off on Conservation Groups Formally Ask for Mexican Gray Wolf ‘Asha’ To Remain Free

For immediate release: November 7, 2023 Media contacts:  Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520)623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org Claire Musser, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project (928)202 1325 claire@gcwolfrecovery.org  Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians, 505-395-6177,…

Wildlife advocates urge agencies to let roaming wolf “Asha” go where she needs

November 2, 2023 Comments Off on Wildlife advocates urge agencies to let roaming wolf “Asha” go where she needs

Media contacts:  Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians, 505-395-6177 csmith@wildearthguardians.orgMichael Robinson, Center for Biological Diversity, 575-313-7017 michaelr@biologicaldiversity.orgGreta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project, 520-623-1878 greta@westernwatersheds.orgSally Paez, New Mexico Wild, 505-350-0664 sally@nmwild.orgRegan Downey, Wolf Conservation…