ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a motion to dismiss a New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association lawsuit challenging the U.S. Forest Service’s removal of illegal feral cattle from the Gila Wilderness, the nation’s first designated wilderness and one of the Southwest’s largest ecologically intact tracts of public land.

“The Forest Service did right by the Gila Wilderness, its endangered plants and animals, and the public by finally ending decades of damage from feral cattle,” said Taylor McKinnon, Southwest director at the Center. “Now that the job’s finished, the industry’s lawsuit has no leg to stand on. Our motion calls for the lawsuit to be thrown out.”

The Center had intervened to support the Forest Service in the industry lawsuit seeking to block the Gila National Forest’s cow removal plan. The case is now before the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a district court upheld the plan in January.

Citing improving habitat and no cattle sightings since the most recent removals in 2023, the Forest Service announced in November that the work was complete.

For years feral, unbranded cattle destroyed fish and wildlife habitat, overgrazed native vegetation, trampled stream banks and polluted streams with feces in the Gila Wilderness. The area is critical habitat for endangered and threatened species including Mexican spotted owls, Southwestern willow flycatchers, narrow-headed garter snakes, Gila chub, loach minnow and spikedace.

The feral cows were unowned, unbranded, unauthorized animals that had been reproducing independently of any ranching operation. They charged hikers and threatened public safety. There are no ranches or active grazing allotments near areas where the feral cattle were found.

The Forest Service’s plan, which involved lethal removal when non-lethal means were untenable or too dangerous, drew the ire of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association. The livestock industry slaughtered 5,900 cattle in New Mexico last year.

Gila National Forest officials received more than 5,000 public comments that supported removing feral cattle from the wilderness, including using lethal means. The Forest Service retains legal authority to remove unauthorized livestock from federal lands under its management.