A battle is being waged in the wilderness of Arizona and New Mexico to save one of North America’s most endangered predators: the Mexican gray wolf, also known as “El Lobo.”
Once numbering in the thousands, these elusive and intelligent creatures were nearly wiped out by the mid-1970s due to hunting, trapping, and habitat loss.¹
Conservationists and wildlife officials are working tirelessly to save the Mexican gray wolf from extinction, but the road to recovery is fraught with challenges and controversy.
A Subspecies on the Edge
The Mexican gray wolf is the most genetically distinct subspecies of the gray wolf, adapted to the arid ecosystems of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.(ref)
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Smaller than their northern cousins, Mexican gray wolves once roamed freely across the region, playing a vital role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
However, by the time the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, only a handful of individuals remained in the wild.(ref)
In a desperate attempt to save the subspecies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service captured the last remaining wild Mexican gray wolves and began a captive breeding program.
The goal was to reintroduce the wolves to their native habitat, but the process has been slow and met with resistance from some local communities and ranchers who fear the wolves will prey on their livestock.(ref)
Reintroduction & Recovery Efforts
In 1998, the first eleven captive-bred Mexican gray wolves were released into the Apache National Forest in eastern Arizona.
Since then, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has continued to release wolves into the wild, with the current population estimated at around 186 individuals in Arizona and New Mexico as of 2020. While this may seem like a success story, the road to recovery has been anything but smooth.
One of the biggest challenges facing the Mexican gray wolf recovery program is the lack of genetic diversity within the population. The captive breeding program has struggled to maintain the subspecies’ genetic health with only seven founding members.
Inbreeding and low genetic diversity can lead to reduced fitness and increased susceptibility to disease, making the wolves more vulnerable to the challenges they face in the wild.
Conflict & Controversy
The reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves has been met with fierce opposition from some local communities and ranching interests.(ref)
Many ranchers view the wolves as a threat to their livestock and livelihoods, and some have taken matters into their own hands by illegally killing the wolves.
This has led to a contentious relationship between conservationists and those who oppose the recovery efforts.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has implemented several measures to address these concerns and reduce conflicts between wolves and livestock. These include compensating for confirmed wolf depredations, funding range rider programs to monitor and protect livestock, and working with ranchers to implement non-lethal deterrents such as fladry and guard dogs.
Despite these efforts, the controversy surrounding the Mexican gray wolf recovery program shows no signs of abating.
The Future of El Lobo
The subspecies’ future remains uncertain as the Mexican gray wolf continues its slow but steady recovery.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set a goal of establishing a self-sustaining population of at least 320 wolves in the wild. Reaching this target will require ongoing efforts to bolster genetic diversity, reduce human-caused mortality, and expand the wolves’ range.
For conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts, the story of the Mexican gray wolf is one of hope and resilience in the face of incredible odds. But for the wolves, the fight for survival is far from over.
As we move forward, it will be up to all of us—conservationists, ranchers, policymakers, and the public—to find a way to coexist with these magnificent creatures and ensure that the howl of El Lobo continues to echo through the mountains and deserts of the Southwest for generations to come.
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.