Basic Facts About Mexican Gray Wolves

The Mexican gray wolf is a subspecies of the grey wolf, and is the most endangered type of wolf in the world. Commonly referred to as "El lobo," the Mexican wolf is gray with light brown fur on its back. Its long legs and sleek body enable it to run fast.

©  Jim Clark / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Diet

Mexican wolves mostly eat ungulates (large hoofed
mammals) like elk, white-tailed deer, and mule deer. They are also known to eat smaller mammals like javelinas, rabbits, ground squirrels and mice.

Population

After being wiped out in the United States and with only a few animals remaining in Mexico, Mexican wolves were bred in captivity and reintroduced to the wild in Arizona beginning in 1998. There are only about 300 Mexican wolves in captivity. The goal of the reintroduction program was to restore at least 100 wolves to the wild by 2006; unfortunately, at the end of 2012 there were still only approximately 75 wolves.

Range

Mexican wolves once ranged widely from central Mexico  throughout  the southwestern US. Today, the Mexican wolf has been reintroduced to the Apache National Forest in southeastern Arizona and may move into the adjacent Gila National Forest in western New Mexico as the population expands. 

Behavior

Mexican wolves prefer to live in mountain forests, grasslands and shrublands, and are very social animals. They live in packs, which are complex social structures that include the breeding adult pair (the alpha male and female) and their offspring. A hierarchy of dominant and subordinate animals within the pack help it to work as a unit.

Reproduction

Mating Season: Mid February-mid March.
Gestation: 63 days.
Litter size: 4-7 pups.
Pups are born blind and defenseless. The pack cares for the pups until they mature at about 10 months of age.