Mexican wolf numbers have increased, but there's a long way to go to get them off the endangered species list/USFWS
The Mexican wolf population in the Southwest rose by nearly 25 percent in 2019, bringing the wild population to 163 individuals in Arizona and New Mexico, including some in the general vicinity of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
Smaller cousins of North American gray wolves, Mexican wolves long have been endangered. The predators historically ranged "throughout mountainous regions from central Mexico, through southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southwestern Texas," according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "More recent information obtained from examining historical wolf specimens however, suggests that Mexican wolves may have roamed farther north. The Mexican wolf was common throughout its core range through the mid-1800s."
Within that range fall Saguaro National Park, Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and Gila Cliff Dwellings, while Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is thought to be on the fringe of the range. The Mexican wolf is said to prefer mountain woodlands, such as those found in the Rincon District of Saguaro and the high country of Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains national parks.
Gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico is surrounding by the mountainous and heavily forested Gila National Forest, and lies within the rugged Gila Wilderness, the nation's first wilderness area.
According to the 2019 survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 163 wolves were divided into 42 packs of two or more animals.
Mexican wolves are roaming the Gila National Forest Near Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in New Mexico. The red star marks the approximate location of the national monument. The hexigons mark were wolves were spotted in early March 2020.
“While it is encouraging to see an increase in wolves, there is still work to be done to establish a self-sustaining Mexican gray wolf population," said Bryan Bird, Southwest program director for Defenders of Wildlife. "Recovery efforts face challenges including limited genetic diversity and high rates of illegal killing, but ensuring that wolves and people can coexist is an essential part of long-term success. The Mexican gray wolf is an integral part of Southwestern ecosystems and we must do everything we can to ensure the species is given the protections they need to survive.”
According to Defenders, the Mexican gray wolf is one of the most endangered mammals in North America, with a single population occupying the Blue Range of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. This population is beset by numerous threats, including widespread illegal killing as well as inbreeding caused by inadequate releases of more genetically diverse wolves from a captive population, the conservation group said.
The best available science indicates that recovery of the Mexican gray wolf requires at least three connected populations totaling approximately 750 individuals, a carefully managed reintroduction effort that prioritizes improving the genetic health of the animals and the establishment of at least two additional population centers in the Southern Rockies and in the Grand Canyon regions, said Defenders.
Comments
Thanks for your note on Mexican wolf recovery. I followed your link to the "best available science" and it took me to a press release and nothing related to published science; it was a press release that had personal opinion and not science. I recommend that anyone interested in science look at the 2017 Recovery Plan that was developed with many Mexican wolf experts from state and federal wildlife agencies, academics from both Mexico and the United States, and underwent review unlike a press release. While I agree with with Mr. Bird that there is a long way to go, let's recognize that there has been a lot done. Efforts to reduce illegal kills seem to be helping recovery as illegal kills were reduced this past year. It is also important to point out that genetic management is underway and 12 genetically-important pups were released into the wild in 2019. It also fails to note that the Mexican wolf population has increased in 9 of the last 10 years and is over 300% of what it was in 2009. It is important to work together for there is more work to do but let's celebrate conservation success when it occurs. Jim deVos
While I celebrate the progress made, I agree that we should support the growth in numbers and the well-being of the Mexican Grey Wolves in their mountain habitats here in AZ.
Okay, after being listed under the ESA for over forty years, extirpation in the wild in the mid-1990s, and a subsequent reintroduction program going back over twenty years; "the 2019 survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" found an estimated "163 wolves... divided into 42 packs of two or more animals." And, now some guy from that notoriously dizzy and often corrupt state government in Arizona wants to argue with a "press release" that advocated "at least three connected populations totaling approximately 750 individuals" and says we should instead "celebrate conservation success when it occurs" because the estimated population of these mini-wolves has risen to "over 300% of what it was in 2009." Really?
Personally, I'm all for celebrations; but, I believe we all need to know that this was a gene pool that was taken to extremely low numbers about a hundred years ago. Despite plenty of warnings from the conservation community over the past more than fifty years, this species' gene pool has been allowed to languish at that extremely diminished level for all this time. That's a lot of prolonged and damaging gene pool loss. So, although I'm happy to hear that "genetic management is underway and 12 genetically-important pups were released into the wild in 2019," these animals truly are not that hard to breed, even under strict genetic management, and that number should be higher. And, the fact that the estimated population of these mini-wolves has risen "over 300%" in the past decade just points out that we're dealing with a population based on a limited number of progenitors, while raising the question of why we didn't get to this point sooner and before so much gene pool bottlenecking occurred.
I gues I'd just like to see representatives of that shameless state government in Arizona quit spending time on self-congratulation, quit trying to shift blame onto other peoples' "press releases," and just focus on getting this job done.
I came to this page specifically to find out more information on the Mexican Gray Wolf and upon reading this essay/ report I found it quite informative and surprising. My husband and I recently went to the Gila National Forest this past Labor Day weekend and stayed near the Mongolan Indian Cliff Dwellings. Upon arriving to the forest we read on a post that there was a reintroducing of the Mexican Gray Wolves to the area and if you should encounter them to leave them be as they are working on saving the poplulation and for your safety. We did not expect to encounter any wolves that camping trip, but did hope to see whatever wild life we could safely admire from a distance. Well let me tell you. On Saturday night while making our dinner (tacos), I heard some walking behind me. Mind you it was evening and the sun had just turned in and it gets dark quickly. I first mentioned it and we thought "hmm maybe it was something else." Well, I heard branches breaking below some kind of feet behind me once again. So we quickly got our flashlights and upon shining into the dark abis of the forest behind us we saw some eyes staring back at us. We were in awe when we realized it was a pack of wolves. Hard to tell how many there were because of the dark. I personally counted at least 4-5, and that's just what we were able to see with the naked eye. Although they did not seem threatening at the time, it was still intimidating to know they were lurking behind us without us even knowing. They continued moving on as we kept an eye on them with our flashlights. Now I don't know how dangerous it may have been if I hadn't heard them because they were maybe at least 15 yards away. Now, after reading how endangered they are I will charish the chance we got to see and experience them. I only wish we could have had a better view than what we had in the pitch dark with only flash lights. The only question I have is: How do I know they were actual Mexican Gray Wolves and not another breed? We only assumed because of the sign we read upon arriving shortly to our campsite. The only other reason I know they could be Mexican Gray Wolves is because they were attracted to our tacos ;p haha (no wolves were harmed in the telling of this joke).
If you were camping near Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, then you were at Upper Scorpion on the West Fork of the Gila, the only canines close to wolf size that deep in are coyotes and Mexican wolves. Coyotes, which can survive anything anywhere, definitely do not normally travel in groups of anywhere close to four or five or more. Except for coyotes, which again range from hard to impossible to exterminate, wolves, including Mexican wolves, will tolerate no other canines close to wolf size in their territories and they absolutely hate dogs. So, you saw a relatively healthy sized pack of Mexican wolves.
You are correct; they smelled that cooking taco meat, probably along with warm cheese ...a pretty much irresistable mix for a canine. Mexican wolves are smaller than other wolves; but, they make up for it with intensity. I have had a lot of close experience with both Mexican wolves, their larger northern cousins, and a wide variety of large and famously hard to handle protection dogs, bite suits and all. I do not fear direct attacks by any of them, except perhaps the dogs.
However, if you camp in that area again and know that a pack that large, probably a mixed age group, is still around, you might think, at least I would, about planning your day to get your meat and cheese products cooked, eaten, and cleaned up before it gets "pitch dark" and you're working "with only flash lights" as you say. While I truly doubt you would ever have to deal with a direct pack attack, you could have some of the younger ones find it hard to resist trying to rush you for the meat and cheese and you might mistake that for an attempted attack on your person. If I were you, I might study how northern forests and parks advise people to camp in bear country and try to start following those practices, maybe even carrying bear spray. There's no sense getting the wolves into trouble if you can so easily just adjust your own behavior while visiting their home.
I recently spent several days at both the Lower and Upper Scorpion campgrounds at the Gila Wilderness Cliff Dwellings. It was an utterly amazing experience being in that area, and then going even further into the Gila Wilderness. At dawn on my last day camping in the area, I was treated to a single wolf howling fairly close to the Cliff Dwellings for about 30 minutes. It was so magical and wonderful, it is an experience I know I will cherish my whole life. Many, many, thanks and gratitude for all of those many people who have championed the return of the Mexican wolf. I never felt threatened but out of an abundance of caution FOR THE WILD ANIMALS IN THAT AREA, INCLUDING THE MEXICAN WOLF, I highly recommend people follow "bear" precautions with food so that no animal is put down because a human refused to be a good neighbor and take care of their food stuffs. Thank you again for all of you who have take an interest in the Mexican wolf. My life is richer because of the work you have done.
Any numbers on wolf predation on elk and deer?