The Mexican Gray Wolf is El Lobo

The Mexican Gray Wolf is the smallest wolf in North America. El lobo is mostly gray with light brown fur on its back. They are usually only 1.2–1.5 meters (4-5 ft) long and about 75-80 centimeters (31 inches) high. That is about the same size as a German Shepherd dog. Their weight ranges from 60-100 pounds. Like other wolves, they have a wide head and broad neck. Their ears are usually a bit longer and the tail a bit shorter.

In the past, the Mexican Gray Wolf prowled the desert from central Mexico to the Southwestern United States. When human hunters reduced the numbers of deer and elk in the wild, the wolves started attacking domestic livestock for food. Men started intense campaigns to kill them all using guns and poison. By the 1950s, they were almost entirely extinct. In 1976, they were declared an endangered species and have remained so ever since. Today, less than 300 survive.

In 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began introducing the Mexican Gray Wolf into the wild
in the Blue Range area of Arizona. The objective was to have 100 wolves living in the Apache and Gila National Forests by 2008. A population count in the winter of 2006–2007 estimated there are 50-60 wolves still living in the recovery area in several packs. There are also several breeding facilities with a total of less than 200 wolves.

Wolves are very social animals. They are the largest members of the dog family which also includes coyotes, foxes, and domestic dogs. All the types of wolves that you know belong to the same species. A wolf pack is like an extended family. The alpha male and female rule the pack, which usually includes the current litter of pups and the young ones from a previous litter. Most leave by age two and form their own pack. Usually only the alpha pair has pups. Mating season is usually in late winter. Two months later, the female gives birth
to a litter of 4-7 pups. Wolves often have a lifetime attachment to their mates. They can live for up to fifteen years.

Wolves are great communicators. They make a variety of howls, yips, growls, and barks. They also use body postures, facial expressions, and movements to communicate. Wolves can hear each other howling from as far as 10 miles away. It has absolutely nothing to do with cycles of the moon. Packs rarely encounter each other because they use howling and scents to mark their territories.

To be good hunters, wolves must be able to trot up to 30 miles in one night searching for prey. They have to know when to lead, to follow, to chase, or stop. They can sprint 40 miles per hour. They will attack animals up to four times their size. Even with all these skills, wolves are not usually victorious. Depending on the pack’s size and experience, most wolves are successful about 1 in 5 tries for deer, 1 in 18 tries for elk, and 1 in 25 tries for bison. About 80% of their diet comes from large animals and 20% from smaller ones.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 requires the U.S. government to identify species threatened with extinction and to provide the habitat they need to survive. Gray wolves are protected under this law. The goal is to protect and preserve these magnificent creatures for our children and for our grandchildren.

For more information and help this effort, visit the Defenders of Wildlife web site. Help save the Mexican Gray Wolf and other beautiful animals for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.

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