Mexican Gray Wolf Essay

Introduction

Origin:

The focus of this management plan will be on a subspecies of the gray wolf, commonly known as the Mexican gray wolf and scientifically as Canis lupus baileyi (Wikipedia 2). Another name for the Mexican gray wolf is “the lobo” and this species originates from North America. In the United States, it is native to southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and western Texas. It is also native to the northern region of Mexico (Wikipedia 2).

Description:

Of the gray wolves in North America, the Mexican gray wolf is the smallest in size (Wikipedia 2). According to (Wikipedia 3), it is most similar to the Great Plains wolf, also known as Canis lupus nubilus. What distinguishes them is the size of their skull and color of their

They have a great sense of smell as well as acute hearing. Their vision is also very sensitive. Their legs are long and their bodies are sleek. These physical traits, along with the fact they are digitigrade (animals that run on their digits) animals, allows them to be fast runners (Mexicanaolvesorg).

Conservation Status:

Most of the native Mexican gray wolves originated and exist in the southwest region of the United States. In the beginning, when the United States was being colonized, European settlers began hunting the prey of Mexican gray wolves for sport as well as for market gain. After continuous years of hunting deer and elk, they eventually depleted the majority of Mexican wolves’ food source (Mexicanolvesorg).

The settlers brought with them many cattle and sheep which damaged the habitat due to overgrazing. Since the Mexican wolves had no more natural prey, they turned to cattle and sheep as their target prey and main food source

Biological Survey, the former name of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to exterminate the Mexican wolves. From 1915 to 1935, the U.S. Biological Survey reported that approximately 900 Mexican wolves were killed by hunting and poisoning. However, many of the wolves that were poisoned by laced carcasses were not reported so the number is most likely higher than 900 (Mexicanolvesorg).

This extermination method continued from 1940 to 1970. The last three wolves were killed in 1970. The U.S. government also sent experts to Mexico to teach them how to exterminate Mexican wolves. The methods worked because ever since 1980, no Mexican wolves have been seen in Mexico. The U.S. Biological Survey continued to exterminate wolves that attacked cattle and sheep at the farmers’ requests (Mexicanolvesorg).

Finally, in 1973, the United States government passed the Endangered Species Act. In 1976, the FWS labeled the Mexican gray wolf as an endangered species. Then, in 1977, the FWS began efforts to save the Mexican gray wolf from extinction. (FWS 9). Today, the gray wolf is the most endangered mammal in North America. The Mexican gray wolf is also the most endangered subspecies of the gray wolf in the world.