Wolf Conservation Center Press Releases

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…

Critically Endangered Red Wolves Arrive in New York in Effort to Save Species 

November 19, 2025 Comments Off on Critically Endangered Red Wolves Arrive in New York in Effort to Save Species 

On November 19, Red Wolf Martha, who was born at the Wolf Conservation Center (the Center) in 2018, and her mate Oka returned home to the Center (South Salem, NY) from the Museum of Life and Science (Durham, NC). Their homecoming also includes the newest members of their family: their pups Proton, Scuppernong, and Ember! This journey was made possible thanks to our friends at Pilots to the Rescue, who donated their time to ensure their ride was safe and stress-free. Two of the Center’s current residents, Red Wolves Caroline and Jacques, are relocating to the Museum of Life and Science. Their transfer is bittersweet, as it signals the end of their chapter with the Center but is the start of a new adventure in North Carolina. With fewer than 20 Red Wolves known to remain in the wild, these carefully orchestrated transfers ensure that every wolf contributes to the…

Mexican Wolf Genetic Diversity Declines for Fourth Straight Year

September 18, 2025 Comments Off on Mexican Wolf Genetic Diversity Declines for Fourth Straight Year

30 Wildlife Organizations Urge Reforms to Curb Losses, Restore Genes SILVER CITY, N.M.— Thirty conservation organizations today urged wildlife agencies to take science-based actions to protect Mexican gray wolves after a new analysis showed that the endangered species’ genetic diversity declined for the fourth year in a row. In a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the groups requested that government agencies release wolf families because the captive population has 37% more genetic diversity than the wild population. They also asked state and federal officials to stop removing genetically valuable wolves from the wild and allow Mexican gray wolves to mate with northern gray wolves, as they did for millennia. “Mexican wolves won’t recover unless agencies restore as much genetic diversity as can be salvaged from what’s already been squandered,” said Michael Robinson, a senior…

Captured Mexican Gray Wolf Asha Released With Mate, Pups in New Mexico

August 7, 2025 Comments Off on Captured Mexican Gray Wolf Asha Released With Mate, Pups in New Mexico

For Immediate Release, August 7, 2025 SILVER CITY, N.M. — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released into the wild an endangered Mexican gray wolf called Asha, along with…

Gray Wolf Kinari Makes her Ambassador Debut with Wolves Silas and Nikai

July 23, 2025 Comments Off on Gray Wolf Kinari Makes her Ambassador Debut with Wolves Silas and Nikai

The Wolf Conservation Center is thrilled to share some exciting news – gray wolf Kinari is now officially living in the enclosure with her older brothers, Silas and Nikai! The…

Eighty Conservation Organizations Call on Appropriations Committee to Oppose House FY26 Interior Funding Bill

July 21, 2025 Comments Off on Eighty Conservation Organizations Call on Appropriations Committee to Oppose House FY26 Interior Funding Bill

Ahead of tomorrow’s House Appropriations Committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, the Wolf Conservation Center joined 79 other environmental organizations in sending…

Letter Demands Release of Asha, Her Family

July 8, 2025 Comments Off on Letter Demands Release of Asha, Her Family

For immediate release: July 8, 2025 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Thirty-six conservation groups representing millions of members and supporters from across the United States today sent a formal letter to the U.S. Department of the…

Bill Would Remove Federal Protections From Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves

July 2, 2025 Comments Off on Bill Would Remove Federal Protections From Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves

TUCSON, Ariz.— U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) introduced legislation this week to remove the Mexican gray wolf from the endangered species list, which would effectively end recovery efforts for this unique, highly…

Students Name Mexican Gray Wolf Pups Slated For Release

June 25, 2025 Comments Off on Students Name Mexican Gray Wolf Pups Slated For Release

Entire Family of Wandering Wolf “Asha” To Be Freed Together in New Mexico Albuquerque, NM – Mexican gray wolf puppies born in captivity at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge received names…

Red Wolf Pups Born at Wolf Conservation Center Signify Hope for their Endangered Species      

May 22, 2025 Comments Off on Red Wolf Pups Born at Wolf Conservation Center Signify Hope for their Endangered Species      

Birth of six pups marks a hopeful step forward for one of the world’s most endangered canids. The Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) is thrilled to share that six Red Wolf…

Government Kills Another Endangered Mexican Wolf at the Behest of the Livestock Industry

April 28, 2025 Comments Off on Government Kills Another Endangered Mexican Wolf at the Behest of the Livestock Industry

Media contacts:  Chris Smith, WildEarth Guardians (505) 395-6177; csmith@wildearthguardians.org Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520)623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org Regan Downey, Wolf Conservation Center (914)763-2373; regan@nywolf.org  Brian Nowicki, Center for Biological Diversity (505)…

Government Accidentally Kills Mother Mexican Wolf in Arizona

April 21, 2025 Comments Off on Government Accidentally Kills Mother Mexican Wolf in Arizona

For immediate release: April 21, 2025 Media contacts:  Greta Anderson, Western Watersheds Project (520)623-1878; greta@westernwatersheds.org  Regan Downey, Wolf Conservation Center (914)763-2373; regan@nywolf.org  Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona)…

Is Cloning the Future of Red Wolf Conservation? No.

April 9, 2025 Comments Off on Is Cloning the Future of Red Wolf Conservation? No.

Recent news of Colossal Biosciences Inc. cloning of wolves was hard to ignore this week. As the Senior Research Scientist at the Wolf Conservation Center, I have spent my professional…

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,…