Mexican Gray Wolf Population on a Steady Rise to Recovery, Diversity Woes Worry Experts

The Mexican Wolf population has grown as a result of recovery efforts, but experts are concerned about species diversity.

Despite being eradicated from the American Southwest during the 20th century, recovery efforts have resulted in a dramatic resurgence of the Mexican wolf.

Steady Population Rise

In 1998, 11 wolves were returned to the wild in Arizona as part of a captive breeding program. Twenty-five years later, more than 200 wolves were living there, with at least 241 being counted in 2022.

According to data from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the population increased from 196 in 2021 by 23%.

Jim deVos, the Mexican wolf coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, told KTAR News 92.3 FM that the past year was encouraging for the wolf's continued recovery.

DeVos claims that there has been population growth for the past 10 years, so it is critical that the population boom not be viewed as a one-year anomaly simply since the rate was so high in comparison to other years. He said that in the previous decade and the beginning of the following decade, the recovery was attained.

Mexican Wolf Population

In New Mexico, there are 40 packs with two or more wolves, while Arizona has 19.

According to USFWS, the population has increased for seven years in a row, and the count of gray wolves has surpassed doubled since 2017.

Brady McGee, Coordinator for the USFWS Mexican Wolf Recovery, claims that in 2022, more packs, more breeding pairs, and a growing occupied range were recorded, demonstrating the species' recovery trajectory.

At least 121 pups were born in 2022, and at least 81 of them made it to the end of the year, which is a much higher percentage than the average of about 50%, deVos noted.

Diversity Woes

Conservation organizations applauded the development but cautioned against declaring the species managed to recover or nearly so.

Craig Miller, the Senior Southwest Representative for Defenders of Wildlife, pointed out in a press release that since there are so few founding animals, it is first important to ensure that the genetic makeup of the wild population has improved and that recovery is continuing in all habitats that are suitable for the subspecies.

According to a press release from Center for Biological Diversity, Michael Robinson, a senior conservation advocate for the center, nearly all southwestern wolves are as genetically related to one another as siblings, even though more Mexican gray wolves made it through 2022.

Litter size is a crucial indicator of genetic stagnation in a population, according to deVos, and this past year would be what agencies were looking for. He pointed out that despite the advancements, genetics will still be a problem for the species given its roots in closely related species.

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Cross-Fostering

Cross-fostering is a tactic used to help wild packs maintain genetic diversity.

According to USFWS, in 2022, two of the 11 foster pups from captivity that were relocated to wild dens were reported to have survived, bringing the total known number of fostered wolves to 14.

The Center for Biological Diversity requested that the USFWS release well-bonded captive families into the wild to expand the gene pool. Currently, there are about 380 wolves housed in 60 captive breeding facilities across the US and Mexico.

A letter of intent to keep working on Mexican wolf conservation was signed in July by representatives of the USFWS, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico, KTAR News reports.