New Plan for Mexican Wolves

US Fish & Wildlife Service unleashed a draft new plan for the recovery of the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus Baillei) in the southwestern US. Since the subspecies was declared endangered in 1976, recovery plans have been mired in controversy.  Between 1978 and 1980 captive breeding began with three lineages introduced onto three ranches   By 1999 the captive wolf population reached 178 individuals.  They were released into the Apache National Forest and allowed to recolonize east-central Arizona and south-central New Mexico.  These wolves bread successfully, increasing their numbers, spreading into central Arizona and southern New Mexico.  Wolves were also released in Mexico.  As of February 2023 there are approximately 241 wild Mexican wolves living in the US.  The captive population is 380 spread across 60 facilities.  

Coronado Forest pack

However, the USFWS set a population cap of 325 wolves as part of its wolf management plan. The Service was ordered by a federal court to review its population cap.  Consequently, a new plan was drafted and released eliminating the population cap, but wolf advocates say the plan does not go far enough to insure the complete recovery and genetic diversity of the US population. Ignoring the effect of government policy on genetic diversity of a species in contrary to the spirit if not the letter of the Endangered Species Act. Ranching interests, of course, are concerned that removing the population cap will encourage larger wolf numbers that will have an adverse effect on livestock.  Wolves prey on large, wild ungulates.  Rocky Mountain elk make up 76-80% of their prey, but they will take livestock if given an opportunity.  Consequently, herders must take responsibility for protecting their herds especially if those animals graze year-round on public land.  Compensation is available for owners who loose livestock to confirmed wolf predation.

Federal officials hope to see their population goal of 320 wolves living in the wild by 2028. A criteria for downgrading their protected status to threatened is a stable, wild population over eight consecutive years averaging 320.  According to officials the new plan includes, for the first, time genetic health considerations which will result in a 90% likelihood of the species surviving in the wild into the next century.