The Mexican Gray Wolf

Carrying a small basket loaded with freshly baked goodies, the little girl skipped along the path that led through the wolf-infested forest. She was unaware of the eyes, hidden by the menacing trees, that were concentrated on her red hood as it bobbed with her every skip. Why is a young girl alone in the forest? How does she manage to skip without spilling anything from her heavily loaded basket? Furthermore, which forest is she skipping through when there are no wolf-infested forests left in the United States? You may say, oh it's just a fairytale, why bother with petty details? True, it's a great fairytale, but think of the stereotypic image of the wolf that is presented to a child each time she or he hears the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The child is worried about Who is going to save Little Red Riding Hood? However, outside the fairytale, the question is Who is going to save the wolf?

The Reintroduction of the Mexican Gray Wolf

The Captive Breeding Program (CBP) began with the capture of five Mexican Gray Wolves in Durango and Chihuahua from 1977 to 1980. The wolves were sent to Arizona. Each wolf was genetically paired for breeding. This allowed the least amount of interbreeding and the most genetic diversity. The genetic matching was the job of the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Team that was formed in 1979. The goal of the captive-breeding program was to establish a self-sustaining population of at least 100 Mexican Gray Wolves in the original territories. The first litter born to the program occurred in 1978. A female wolf had been impregnated in the wild, but had given birth in captivity. Three years later, the first litter born through captive breeding occurred. Finally in 1983, the CBP was firmly established with a third litter. In 1995, two additional captive wolf populations were added to the program. By 1996, the captive population consisted of 150 animals held in 29 zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. In 1998, the captive population consisted of 175 wolves, not including eleven wolves that were released using the soft release method, in March of that year. Repeated reintroductions will occur over the next three to five years to replenish the population.

On March 29,1998, eleven Mexican Gray Wolves were set free on the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area , located on the New Mexico and Arizona border. The wolves have done well. They have reproduced more quickly than expected and the mortality rates for both adults and pups were lower than anticipated. The wolves that were bred in captivity adapted quickly. The wolves hunted, but the threat to livestock was at a minimum.

The wolves showed social bonds and a fear for humans. While only two wolf attacks recorded in North America have ever resulted in human death, it was estimated that the wolves would kill one in every 42 head of cattle and one in every 38 sheep. Livestock producers protested against reintroduction for these reasons. Between April and November, four wolves were shot illegally. While it is illegal to kill wolves, federal agents are allowed to kill them if there is too big a threat to livestock.

A group effort is underway to prevent further tragedies. Environmental groups, the federal government, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are working together to catch the shooters. If caught, the shooters are faced with six months in prison and a fine of $100,000. Investigators are treating the shooting as extensively as homicides. The federal government contributed $10,000 and environmental groups contributed $25,000 toward the $35,000 reward for information about the killings. The Fish and Wildlife Service has promised to reimburse ranchers for wolf damages, and they have confined two wolves that lurked near humans. These combined efforts should prevent future damage to the reintroduction attempts.