Mexican Gray Wolf: What You Need To Know

The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is one of North America's most endangered mammals, with a wild population of only 113 individuals as of February 2017. Historically found across the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, the subspecies was nearly eliminated by the livestock industry and government agents. Current recovery efforts are hampered by poor genetic diversity, as all existing wild wolves descend from just seven captive ancestors. Earthjustice argues that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2017 Recovery Plan is flawed because it limits wolves to inadequate habitats, fails to provide sufficient wild releases, and ignores scientific recommendations to establish three interconnected populations totaling at least 750 individuals across Arizona, New Mexico, the Grand Canyon, and southern Colorado.

• As of February 2017, the sole wild population of Mexican gray wolves consisted of only 113 individuals, making it one of the most endangered mammals in North America.
• The wild population suffers from severe genetic limitations because every living wild Mexican gray wolf is a descendant of only seven captive wolves used in a 1998 reintroduction program.
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Recovery Plan issued on November 29, 2017, is criticized for ignoring science, failing to provide enough wild releases, and relying too heavily on unpromising habitats in Mexico.
• Scientific experts recommend that for the subspecies to survive, it requires at least three interconnected populations totaling at least 750 individuals, located in central Arizona, New Mexico, the Grand Canyon region, and the southern Rockies of southern Colorado.
• The Mexican gray wolf is managed as an 'experimental population,' which allows the government to permit the killing or harassment of the species (known as 'take') that would otherwise be prohibited under the Endangered Species Act.
• While Mexican gray wolves occasionally kill livestock, the impact is minimal; in 2012, wolf depredation accounted for only 0.1% of all cattle in the designated recovery area.
• The extirpation of wolves in the Rocky Mountains previously caused a 'trophic cascade' in Yellowstone, where an overpopulation of elk led to the overconsumption of native vegetation; the return of wolves restored the ecosystem by controlling elk behavior and populations.

APA

Earthjustice (2016). Mexican Gray Wolf: What You Need To Know. https://earthjustice.org/feature/mexican-gray-wolf-what-you-need-to-know

Chicago

Earthjustice. Mexican Gray Wolf: What You Need To Know. 2016. https://earthjustice.org/feature/mexican-gray-wolf-what-you-need-to-know.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Mexican Gray Wolf: What You Need To Know |date=26 April 2016 |url=https://earthjustice.org/feature/mexican-gray-wolf-what-you-need-to-know |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2016mexican, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Mexican Gray Wolf: What You Need To Know}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2016}, month = apr, url = {https://earthjustice.org/feature/mexican-gray-wolf-what-you-need-to-know}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }