MEXICAN
WOLF
TRUTH
IMPACT
REAL DATA, REAL STORIES, REAL IMPACT
THE MEXICAN WOLF WAS REINTRODUCED IN 1998
286+ WOLVES
ROAM
NM & AZ
The Mexican Wolf (shown middle) is a skilled and strategic hunter, relying on teamwork, endurance, and sharp senses to take down prey. Living in packs, these wolves coordinate their efforts to pursue its prey. Their keen sense of smell and hearing helps them track prey over long distances. Though smaller than other gray wolves, Mexican wolves use persistence and group tactics to exhaust and capture their quarry. They also adapt to available food sources, sometimes hunting smaller mammals when large game is scarce. Their intelligence and cooperation make them effective, adaptable predators.
1,106+
LIVESTOCK
KILLS IN
AZ & NM
80%+ OF WOLVES ARE IN CATRON COUNTY
REAL STORIES
HISTORY
• The Mexican wolf was reintroduced in 1998 by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.
• The original recovery goal was to reach 100 wolves in the wild.
• In 2017, the FWS issued a revised recovery plan, setting a new long-term goal of 320 wolves in the U.S. population, with that number sustained over 8 years
• The plan links U.S. wolf management to population progress in Mexico, complicating state efforts to manage wolves based on local conditions and needs.
• The recovery plan includes cross-fostering of captive-born pups and direct releases, with Catron County, NM receiving a disproportionate share of these placements—leading to some of the highest wolf concentrations in the region.
• Though the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) participates in the Interagency Field Team, it does not have primary control over wolf management while the species remains federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.
• For New Mexico to gain full authority and implement locally informed wildlife management, the Mexican gray wolf must be de-listed from its current federal endangered status.
• In 2024, SOP 11.1 went into effect, changing how depredations are evaluated and making it significantly harder for ranchers to receive compensation for livestock losses.
• Additionally, SOP 26.1 prohibits sharing real-time wolf location data with livestock producers, hindering their ability to monitor threats and protect herds.
• While the wolf population has grown rapidly, the tools, transparency, and support available to impacted communities have not kept pace, leaving rural areas to shoulder the burden.
CURRENT STATS 2024
2024 minimum wolf population:
• Total: 286 wolves
• 162 in New Mexico
• 124 in Arizona
Catron County is the most heavily impacted area, with approximately 80%-90% of NM wolves
2024 minimum wolf pack count:
• Total: 60 wolf packs
• 37 Wolf Packs in NM (62%)
• 23 Wolf Packs in AZ (38%)
2024 marked the 9th consecutive year of population growth, with an 11% year-over-year increase.
Depredation reports in 2024:
• NM 77 and AZ 23 confirmed livestock kills
• NM 29 and AZ 12 probable kills
• Estimated hundreds more unconfirmed—research shows that for every confirmed kill, five go unconfirmed or unfound (due to scavenging or terrain).
Catron County ranching losses in 2024:
• Confirmed and probable kills by wolves on livestock estimated loss of $233,200
Peer-reviewed research supports that for every head of cattle confirmed and probably killed by a wolf, there are 5.1 head of cattle that are missing and presumed killed by Mexican wolves for an additional loss of $1,190,200 in Catron County.
Federal wolf tracking is severely limited:
• Only a portion of wolves are collared, and real-time location data is restricted from ranchers due to SOP 26.1.