Cattle growers warn of growing New Mexico wolf population

Recent Mexican Wolf Numbers Warrant a Change in Direction

New Mexico Cattle Growers Association

Press Release March 4, 2025

On Monday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its Mexican wolf count as of December 31, 2024. The Service estimates that there are at least 286 Mexican wolves running wild in Arizona and New Mexico. That’s in addition to close to 350 wolves held in captivity.

The Service has said in the past that its estimate of wolves on the ground is probably understated by at least 10 percent.  If so, the real number is closer to 315 wolves. Of those wolves, experience indicates that at least sixty percent of the wolves are in New Mexico. Of that number, approximately 90 percent are in Catron County.

According to New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association President-Elect Tom Paterson, a Catron County cattle rancher, “these numbers are not a surprise to the people who live and work in wolf country. These wolves are killing cattle. My latest wolf kill was a yearling steer, two weeks ago, 200 yards from my house.  But that is not all. These wolves are becoming so habituated that they are stalking our school in Reserve, wandering our streets, killing pets off our citizens’ front porches near Quemado and killing our children’s horses.”

The Service’s objective for the number of wolves on ground is 320 wolves.  If the average is at least 320 wolves over four years, the Service will downlist the Mexican wolf to threatened status. If the average is at least 320 wolves on average over 8 years and if Mexico establishes a population of 200 wolves on average over 4 years, the Service will delist the Mexican wolf and turn management over to the States.

Paterson says that there are many questions the Service needs to answer:

“Given that there are now almost 320 wolves on the landscape, how does the Service plan to change its management to reduce the threat and losses from these wolves?

“More specifically, is the Service going to begin releasing location information so ranchers will know where the wolves are so we can protect our livestock and find our dead cattle? “

“Is the Service going to revoke its recently adopted evidentiary standards for Mexican wolf depredations and go back to the standards that had been in place for 20 years before the Service made it harder last fall to confirm such depredations?”

“Given all the threats to people and domesticated animals that these wolves present, is the Service willing to finally start issuing lethal removal orders for specific wolves?”

“Over the past few years, wolf recovery program costs have been running at approximately $4 million per year. What is the Service’s estimate of future wolf recovery program costs?”

“Finally, is the Service protecting crosses between wolves and coyotes or wolves and dogs? It’s abundantly clear that some percentage of these so-called wolves really aren’t and that taxpayers are subsidizing it.”

Paterson concluded, “these are questions that deserve thoughtful answers from the Service. Honest answers should warrant a change in direction.”