An endangered Mexican gray wolf known for her wandering spirit has been released back into the wild along with her mate and five pups, ending a controversial captivity that lasted a year and a half.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released Asha, an adult female wolf, onto the 244-square-mile Ladder Ranch adjacent to the Aldo Leopold Wilderness in Gila National Forest. She was accompanied by her captive-born mate Arcadia and their pups Kachina, Aspen, Sage, Kai and Aala. The family has been designated as the Quartz pack.
Asha gained national attention, including coverage in National Geographic, for twice roaming north of Interstate 40 in New Mexico before being captured. Current regulations prohibit Mexican gray wolves from traveling beyond this northern boundary.
The release came six weeks later than originally scheduled and only after significant public pressure. More than 8,000 citizens sent emails and 36 conservation organizations wrote to the Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of the Interior demanding the wolves’ immediate release.
“Asha should never have been punished with a year and a half in captivity for merely wandering north of I-40, but we’re grateful to the agencies for doing the right thing now and setting this family free,” said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project.
According to a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity, the delayed release meant the captive-born pups missed crucial learning opportunities during June and early July, when elk calves are abundant and young wolves typically learn hunting skills from their parents.
Conservation advocates argue that Asha’s story highlights broader issues with current wolf management policies. Until Colorado’s reintroduction of northern gray wolves in December 2023, Mexican gray wolves were the only endangered species required by regulation to remain within politically determined boundaries.
“Asha reminds us what it means to be wild; she followed her instincts, not a map,” said Claire Musser, executive director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. “For Mexican gray wolves to truly thrive, they must be treated as active agents in their own recovery.”
