NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – After more than two years in captivity, a New Mexico wolf is now back in the wild. Asha the Mexican grey wolf has been at the center of a long running controversy. Asha attracted attention across the country, she is even the star of a book.
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In 2023, Asha made headlines for wandering beyond a Mexican wolf boundary set by the U.S. government to protect her endangered species. “We’ve been happy to advocate for a young female wolf following her instincts,” said Chris Smith Wildlife Program Director, WildEarth Guardians. “Especially the fact that her journeys have taken her into northern New Mexico, where wolves used to roam and I hope will roam again.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service captured Asha and kept her in captivity. Their reasoning was to keep her with her kind. But they faced back lash from animal advocacy groups who argued she should be allowed to live freely and follow her wild instincts. “They’re a critically imperiled species. They’re iconic here in New Mexico. That’s where UNM gets its mascot, the lobos, and they play a critical ecosystem role,” said Smith.
For years, groups have demanded for her release. The pressure increased after she gave birth to five pups in June. “My hope is that her pups reach, you know, a mature age and find mates and start new packs and so, her really valuable genetic material and her mate’s genetic material are dispersed throughout that population.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service confirmed her pups and her mate, Arcadia were released August 6. Ranchers have raised concerns about wolves threatening their livestock, but federal wildlife officials said they will step in to help if conflicts arise. Groups like WildEarth Guardians argue that research shows wolves are not a major cause of livestock losses. “We should be sympathetic, but wolves are not the huge impact to the livestock industry that they want you to believe.”
Wildlife Guardians said Asha’s release was pushed along by a letter demanding it from more 8,000 citizens and 36 conservation organizations.
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