Mexican Gray Wolf Population on a Rise in Southwestern Region

The Mexican gray wolf population in the Southwest has continued to soar recording a 10 percent annual growth highlighting the positive impact of management actions and reintroduction efforts.

The annual year-end population survey by the Mexican World Interagency Field Team (IFT) revealed that there are currently 83 wolves roaming in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico. The population strength indicates a 10 percent rise in the Mexican wolves' population when compared to the population that existed in 2012, which was 75.

"With a minimum of 83 wolves in the wild, the Mexican wolf population has nearly doubled in the past four years," said Benjamin Tuggle, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Southwest Regional Director. 

An aerial survey was conducted using small airplane and a helicopter. The count of the wolves was determined using radio telemetry. The aerial and ground survey together confirmed the presence of 46 wolves in New Mexico and 37 wolves in Arizona. Out of the 14 wolf packs, nearly 7 produced pups and five of the pairs meet the federal definition of breeding pair.

This population increase was due to the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program whose main aim is to get the wolves population back from the edge of extinction. The wolves currently in the recovery area are wild born, highlighting the development of setting up wild wolves' population from the captive breeding program that kick started with just seven wolves.

The release of the wolves from captivity in future may be required to tackle the genetic issues within the wild population.

"The continued growth of the Mexican wolf population demonstrates that our management actions and efforts to work with stakeholders are having a positive impact on the species. This is the third year of a greater than 10 percent increase in the wolf population, a success that is directly related to our science-based, on-the-ground management," said Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Larry Voyles. "Equally important to the population's growth is the fact that now 100 percent of the Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico are wild-born, which is a factor that we have always considered an important milestone along the way to recovery."

This number represents just the minimum number of wolves that were present in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area. Other non-collared wolves were not present in the recovery area at the time of the survey.

The 2013 count also showed 17 pups born in the wild that survived through the summer till the year-end count. This number is treated as the minimum as some may have escaped documentation.