Mexican Wolf - Kyleen Freeburg

THE MEXICAN GRAY WOLF

~Canis Lupus Baileyi~
Blogger: Kyleen Freeburg

http://www.firstpeople.us/scott-denny/wolves/fare-thee-well.html

Captive Mexican Gray Wolf and her pup. 

Description, Ecology, Breeding :

The Mexican Gray Wolf is the smallest, southern-most occurring, rarest, and most genetically distinct subspecies of gray wolf in North America. These wolves are pack animals and often have about 6-8 in their pack with a pair one alpha and the chosen female, who are the only breeders in their pack. The gestation time for these animals is 63 days, usually conceived in February and birthed in March. The pups usually are cared for by the pack until around 10 months. These pack animals hunt together for ungulates (hoofed animals) and smaller mammals.

These animals tend to be around 60-80 pounds and can get up to 6 feet long. These predators however have fallen victim to poaching and are now an endangered species that have a recovery plan in place to help the species thrive. 

Geography and Populations :

https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/ 

These "top dogs" used to roam freely from central Mexico to all of the Southern regions of the U.S. They thrive in forest lands, mountains and scrublands. However, forest land in Arizona was where these wolves began being introduced in 1998, it first started out with 11 wolves, and slowly the populations have grown. These wolves are the most endangered and least abundant. 

These wolves were hunted to near extinction in the US with a few populations in Mexico. There were about 300 wolves in captivity, with a goal of 100 wolves to be introduced into the wild by 2006.

Listing Information : 

As of now these wolves have been listed as endangered since 1976 under the Endangered Species Act. They are also listed as experimental populations (non, essential) since 1998. 

TIMELINE (partial) taken from US. Fish and Wildlife Services site:

1976	Mexican wolf listed as an endangered subspecies under the Endangered Species Act (note: the subspecies level listing was subsumed into a species level listing of the gray wolf in 1978).
1977-1980	5 wolves captured in Mexico to establish a captive breeding program.
1979	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service forms Mexican Wolf Recovery Team.
1982	Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan completed; contains goal of maintaining a captive breeding program and re-establishment of a viable, self-sustaining population of at least 100 wolves within their historical range.
1990	Wolf Action Group files lawsuit against U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alleging failure to implement the 1982 Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan.
1990	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hires a Mexican Wolf Recovery Coordinator to implement recovery of the species.
1996	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases Final EIS entitled: "Reintroduction of the Mexican Wolf within its Historic Range in the Southwestern United States."
1998	Captive breeding population of Mexican wolves reaches approximately 177 animals.
1998	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases the first 11 Mexican wolves into the wild in the BRWRA.
1998	At year's end, at least 4 Mexican wolves in 2 packs are in the wild.
1999	At year's end, at least 15 Mexican wolves in 5 packs are in the wild.
2000	At year's end, at least 22 wolves in 6 packs are in the wild.
2002	At year's end, at least 41 wolves in 8 packs are in the wild.
2003	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reclassifies the gray wolf into 3 Distinct Population Segments. Mexican wolves maintain classification as endangered or non-essential and became part of the Southwestern Distinct Population Segment.
2003	At year's end, at least 55 wolves in 9 packs are in the wild.
2004	Pursuant to the Final Rule, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and AMOC cooperators begin the Mexican Wolf Blue Range Reintroduction Project 5-Year Review; draft reports released to public for review and comment in December.
2004	At year's end, between 44 and 48 wolves in 14 packs are in the wild.
2005	Courts rule in favor of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the Arizona and New Mexico Coalition of Counties, et al., hybrid lawsuit; lawsuit dismissed.
2005	Court enjoins and vacates the 2003 Reclassification Rule; the ruling negates the 3 previously established DPS's including the Southwestern DPS. Recovery planning for the Mexican wolf is put on hold.
2005	Arizona and New Mexico Coalition of Counties, et al., file for appeal regarding the hybrid lawsuit.
2005	The AMOC completes the Mexican Wolf Blue Range Reintroduction Project 5-Year Review and submits to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for consideration. Included are a set of 37 recommendations for improving management of the Blue Range wolf reintroduction project, many of which would require a change to the Final Rule.
2005	At year's end, between 35 and 49 wolves in 12 packs are in the wild.
2006	The Center for Biological Diversity files lawsuit against the Service alleging the Service had been unreasonable in its delay in making a final decision to grant or deny a rulemaking petition to implement steps to stop the critically imperiled Mexican gray wolf from becoming extinct in the wild.
2013	Service proposes to remove the Gray Wolf from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and maintain protections for the Mexican wolf by listing it as an Endangered subspecies.
2014	Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team conducted the first cross fostering of Mexican Wolf pups in the wild.
2015	At year's end, at least 97 wolves in 21 packs are in the wild.

Cause of Listing and Threats to Existence : 

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2016/05/13/5-endangered-gray-wolf

-pups-born-brookfield-zoo-2-sent-wild

The Mexican Wolves as mentioned before were hunted to near distinction. Illegal poaching is and was as huge threat for these animals. In the late 1800's- early 1900's groups of hunters were formed and were part of the predator eradication programs. This factor combined with the small and diminishing populations of the wolves caused huge genetic defects from inbreeding. 

Description of Recovery Plan : 

       Focal area for Mexican wolf recovery strategy, 

including the MWEPA in the United 638, States, and 

the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico.

The recovery strategy is built upon the concepts of resiliency, redundancy, and representation

Steps: (According to The Fishing and Wildlife Services)

1. Geographic Distribution-

"In the United States, we will implement the recovery strategy for the Mexican wolf in the area 593 designated as the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area. In Mexico, federal agencies are focusing Mexican wolf recovery efforts in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental in Sonora, Durango, and Chihuahua."

2. Population Abundance-
"To achieve recovery, Mexican wolf populations in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population
Area and northern Sierra Madre Occidental will need 
to increase in abundance from their current size
to an abundance that confers a low probability of extinction."

3. Genetic Abundance-
"To ensure the maintenance of gene diversity of Mexican wolves in the wild, Mexican wolves will  be released from captivity to each population and translocated between wild populations as needed. "

4. Monitoring and Adaptive Management-
"We will conduct ongoing annual monitoring to track Mexican wolf population performance and will adjust management techniques and approaches as needed in response to population performance."

5. Collaborative Recovery Implementation- 
"We will continue to work with partners to identify and implement effective recovery actions necessary to recover the Mexican wolf and address conflicts related to Mexican wolf recovery in local communities. "


What Can You Do?

• Defenders.com puts together a list of things every person can do to help save Mexican Wolves. 
• Take Action
• Speak Up for Wildlife
• Stay Informed
• Become a Defender of Wildlife 
• Adopt a Wolf (donations)
• Lobos of the Southwest accepts donations that help the recovery process of these wolves. 
• https://mexicanwolves.org/index.php/news/1216/51/Join-the-pack-today-and-help-save-the-lobo
• mexicanwolffund.org/ is a fund that anyone can learn more about and support that assists with restoring and coexhisting the wolves with humans 
• Get involved
• Get Educated 
• Stand up for the pack

Other Resources :

Informational Youtube videos:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_kxZvXsnDU 
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfMg24z1lsY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mJb_X42QR0

More Details: 

More details on current and future locations of these animals, general information, listing details, and much more can be found on the Fishing and Wildlife Services site linked below.

https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf 

Sources:

https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/chronology.cfm

https://mexicanwolves.org/index.php/news/1350/51/Take-Action-to-Save-Endangered-Mexican-Gray-Wolves

https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/natural_history.cfm

http://www.defenders.org/mexican-gray-wolf/basic-facts

https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?sId=3916

https://www.google.com/search?

biw=1000&bih=866&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=huMEWpbDE8KIjwOuvLqQDQ&q=Mexican+gray+wolf++packs&oq=Mexican+gray+wolf++packs&gs_l=psy-ab.3...5736302.5737076.0.5737215.6.6.0.0.0.0.99.420.5.5.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..1.4.339...0j0i30k1.0.D7I3t_kb0V0#imgrc=47DqFllgndvMHM:

https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/MWRP.cfm

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2016/05/13/5-endangered-gray-wolf-pups-born-brookfield-zoo-2-sent-wild

http://www.mexicanwolffund.org/