The Mexican gray wolf is a subspecies of the gray wolf, commonly referred to as “el lobo”.
Though they once numbered in the thousands, these wolves were wiped out in the U.S. by the mid-1970s, with just a handful existing in zoos. In 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, led by Jamie Rappaport Clark (now president of Defenders of Wildlife), released 11 Mexican gray wolves back into the wild in Arizona.
Although their numbers have grown slowly, they remain the most endangered subspecies of wolf in the world because of compromised genetics, human intolerance and reluctance to release more individuals and bonded pairs to the wild.
Defenders' Impact
As the population slowly recovers, Defenders continues to support scientists and policymakers to find the best path forward, including supporting adult releases and cross-fostering of pups. We also sponsored a Mexican biologist to come to the U.S. to gainexperience working with the recovery team to support wolves in Mexico.
Defenders works directly with ranchers and tribal members to implement proven techniques to keep wolves and livestock safe. These include using range riders to watch over livestock, moving livestock away from wolf dens, erecting special fencing and more.
Defenders supports range rider projects on the ground in high conflict areas to reduce conflict and foster coexistence. Defenders also supports a collaborative wildlife technician program which places trained graduate students in the field for sixmonths at a time to assist with monitoring of wolves and livestock and to implement proven non-lethal tools to reduce conflicts.
You can be a part of the solution for endangered species: support our efforts to protect the wild!
- What You Can Do
- Facts
Threats
Humans pose the greatest threat because of intolerance and misconceptions about Mexican gray wolves. The genetic diversity of Mexican gray wolvesalso needs careful monitoring and improvement because inbreeding is a serious threat in the wild.
Protection Status
Endangered Species Act |
Endangered |
What You Can Do
Speak up for wolves and the continued support of endangered species protections, like the Endangered Species Act.
Facts
Latin Name
Canis lupus baileyi
Size
60-80 pounds with males typically heavier and taller than females
Lifespan
Up to 15 years in captivity, but 6-8 years in the wild.
Range/Habitat
Mexican gray wolves once ranged widely from central Mexico throughout the southwestern U.S. including Utah, Colorado and Texas. Today, they can be found only in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Mexican gray wolves are also being reintroduced in Mexico. Theyprefer mountain forests, grasslands and scrublands.
Population
In 2019 there were 163 individual wolves in 42 packs of two or more animals in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico.
Behavior
Mexican gray wolves are very social animals. They live in packs, which are complex social structures that include the breeding adult pair (the alpha male and female) and their offspring. A hierarchy of dominant and subordinate animals within the pack help it to work as a unit.
Reproduction
Packs care for the pups until they mature at about 10 months of age.
Mating Season: Mid-February to mid-March
Gestation: 63 days
Litter size: 4-7 pups
Diet
Mexican gray wolves mostly eat ungulates (large hoofed mammals) like elk, white-tailed deer and mule deer. They are also known to eat smaller mammals like javelinas, rabbits, ground squirrels and mice.
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Image Credit
Ryan Moehring/FWS
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News
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FLAGSTAFF, Arizona
Mexican Gray Wolf Numbers Go Up, But Numbers Aren't the Whole Story and Populations Still Dangerously Low, Says Green Groups
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) released the results of its 2023 wild Mexican gray wolf population count today, revealing that the number of
Mexican Gray Wolf Blog Posts
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December 28, 2023
Happy 50th Anniversary to the Endangered Species Act!
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October 31, 2023
Local View: Forget everything you've heard about the 'big bad wolf'
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October 20, 2023
From the Field: Wolf Technician Diaries
Wildlife and Wild Places
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