The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently conducting a five-year status review of the Mexican gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act to evaluate its current “endangered” designation. The USFWS is soliciting commercial and scientific data on the Mexican gray wolf’s biology, habitat conditions, conservation measures, and threat status, in addition to any other pertinent information.
The review was initiated March 13, 2023, and USFWS is requesting all information be submitted no later than April 12, 2023.
Since 1976, the Mexican gray wolf has been listed as endangered under ESA. However, recent data on the wolf’s recovery indicates major signs of improvement. As of February 28, 241 wolves were reported to be living in Arizona and New Mexico, the first time the species’ numbers have surpassed 200 since the reintroduction effort began in 1998.
Additionally, in 2022, the Mexican gray wolf experienced its lowest mortality rate since 2017. Finally, data compiled by the USFWS indicates that the species’ habitat has expanded by 45 percent since 2020, the population estimate is up 23 percent over last year’s count, and up for the seventh consecutive year in a row.
In addition to the minimum wild population, there are approximately 380 Mexican wolves currently maintained in more than 60 facilities throughout the United States and Mexico through the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan.
“This milestone has been 25 years in the making,” said Brady McGee, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mexican Wolf Recovery Coordinator. “To go from zero wild Mexican wolves at the start to 241 today is truly remarkable. In 2022, we recorded more packs, more breeding pairs, and a growing occupied range, proving we are on the path to recovery. These achievements are a testament to partner-driven conservation in the west.”
Mexican gray wolves are a subspecies of wolf, Canis lupus baileyi. They are listed separately from the gray wolf as an endangered subspecies under the Endangered Species Act.
North of New Mexico, Colorado is planning to begin restoring gray wolves by the end of the year. Conservationist groups, and one of the state’s wildlife commissioners (who also has worked as a lawyer for multiple wildlife welfare groups) for multiple are pushing to include the Mexican gray wolf.
Organizations such as the Public Lands Council ask that the Mexican gray wolf be removed from the list, and management returned to the states.