This isn’t the first time F2754 has ventured beyond its established territory. In the past, it reached the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Taos, New Mexico, before being captured and released back into the wild in Arizona. The wolf’s persistence in exploring new territories has garnered attention from both conservationists and local ranchers.
Environmentalists view this journey as a testament to the natural inclination of wolves to roam and thrive outside of designated boundaries. It challenges the notion that Mexican gray wolves can only exist within certain, often arbitrary, areas in New Mexico and Arizona.
Legal challenges are currently pending in federal court, focusing on the rules governing wolf recovery. One critical issue of the federal regulation mandating the removal of all Mexican wolves north of Interstate 40, even in cases where the wolves cause no harm.
Defenders of Wildlife
Environmental groups have argued that this provision ignores scientific evidence and may hinder the subspecies’ recovery efforts.
