The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is the smallest and most genetically distinct subspecies of gray wolf in North America. Adults are about 4.5–5.5 ft long (snout to tail), weigh 50–80 lb, and have fur mixing buff, gray, red, and black. Wolves communicate via body language, scent marking, and vocalizations. Their main prey is elk (~ 74 % of diet), but they also take deer, javelina, rabbits, and smaller mammals.

Once widespread in the U.S. Southwest and Mexico, the Mexican wolf was nearly exterminated by predator control programs. By the 1970s, virtually none remained in the wild. In 1976, it was listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In 1982, a recovery goal was set: at least 100 wild wolves across 5,000 mi² of historical habitat.

In 1998, captive-bred wolves were reintroduced into southeastern Arizona (Apache National Forest) and western New Mexico (Blue Range area). That same year, the first Mexican wolf pup was born in the wild in over 50 years.

Poaching (illegal shooting) has been the leading cause of death in reintroduced wolves. Policy revisions in 2015 allowed wolves to roam beyond limited boundaries (but still imposed political limits, e.g. Interstate 40), though they cannot yet establish territories in areas like the Grand Canyon. Human–wolf conflict and concentration in small zones remain challenges.

Recovery depends on both captive breeding and wild reintroduction. Captive breeding helps boost numbers and preserve genetic diversity; reintroduction ensures real, free-roaming populations rather than just zoo specimens.

As of 2024–2025, counts show at least 286 Mexican wolves in the wild in the U.S. (124 in Arizona, 162 in New Mexico). There are also ~ 380 or more wolves maintained in captivity across over 60 facilities.

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