WOLF HABITUATION AND ATTACKS
Habituation refers to a Mexican wolf developing a lack of fear of humans due to repeated non-traumatic or non-lethal encounters between the wolf and humans.
How does habituation happen?
Continual non-lethal contact with wolves, such as from range riding or feeding, encourages habituation. Wolves observe humans in close proximity, yet nothing traumatic happens to them, even when they have killed and eaten livestock.
Are there recorded instances of Mexican wolves attacking or threatening to attack?
There are multiple instances of wolves approaching and even surrounding people on foot or horseback. There are instances of wolves chasing horseback riders. As wolves become more habituated to humans, the instances appear to be becoming more frequent.
Have wolves attacked or killed people?
There are at least 32 cases of wolves attacking humans in North America during the last 30 years. Three attacks resulted in death. None of these attacks was by rabid or captive wolves. All were either predatory or agonistic (territorial).
The Fish and Wildlife Service insists that “[t]here has never been a confirmed Mexican wolf attack on a person in the wild.” Pay attention to the Service’s careful use of the words—“confirmed” and “in the wild.” Have there been unconfirmed attacks? Have they occurred in the wolf facilities? The smaller coyote has physically attacked a child, so why wouldn’t the larger species?
What is the typical killing strategy for Mexican wolves?
All wolves, including Mexican wolves, are coursing apex predators. That means that they attack their prey by running it down. They aren’t ambush predators like bears and lions. Wolves use their endurance and cooperation to pull their prey down from the rear. Once their prey is down, they begin to eat the animal alive. Their prey dies by consumption. In other words, death is from the shock and blood loss caused by being eaten alive. The entire process from the initial pull down until death may take hours.
DO WOLVES KILL?
Kill Pets?
Yes. There are documented cases of Mexican wolves killing pets in Catron County, even off front porches of homes. Source: Testimony during April 3, 2025 Catron County Commission special meeting.
Kill Elk?
Yes. One early reason wolves were introduced to Catron County was to control elk. While wolves do kill elk, their impact on managing elk populations remains unclear. Elk carcasses are common in the area.
Kill Horses?
Yes. Since November 2024, Wildlife Service investigators have confirmed that Mexican wolves killed at least two horses in the Reserve vicinity. Source: County Livestock Loss Administrator. April 15, 2025.
Kill Cattle?
Yes. Despite stricter 2023 evidence standards, Wildlife Services confirmed Mexican wolves killed at least 77 livestock in New Mexico in 2024. The chart includes confirmed and probable injuries.
AZ & NM WOLF DEPREDATIONS
FOR EVERY CONFIRMED, THERE ARE 5.1 HEAD THAT ARE NOT FOUND.
Not Found Estimated Livestock Losses:
Peer reviewed literature estimates that for every confirmed kill, there are another 5.1 head that are not found in the large, rugged pastures we have in southwestern New Mexico. Multiplying 6.1 by 77 equals 470 missing animals. Sources: County Livestock Loss Administrator; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, “Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Revision to the Regulations for the Nonessential Experimental Population of the Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi), Final (November 2014) at Ch. 4 page 33, Table 4-3. Development of Medium Estimate: Ratios of Estimated Total Livestock Losses to Confirmed Kills.
COST OF CATRON COUNTY & LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS
What damages do Mexican wolves cause livestock producers?
Mexican wolves cause direct and indirect damage to livestock producers. The direct damages include the market value of the animals that were confirmed as Mexican wolf depredations (deaths and injuries). Indirect damages include losses due to decreased conception rates, decreased weaning weights, cattle killed by Mexican wolves but never found and the costs ranchers incur from avoiding active conflict with Mexican wolves. There are also costs ranchers pay to respond to prospective conflict with Mexican wolves.
What is the estimate of the value of the certain of these losses in Catron County alone?
An estimate of the value of the certain of these losses in Catron County alone is understated because not all losses are reported. For those that are, the losses were as follows
Direct Damages:
Confirmed Kills: Using an average market valuation as of the fourth quarter of 2024 for the 77 reported head of cattle (bulls, cows, yearlings, calves) confirmed as Mexican wolf depredations, the market value of those livestock based on the market value of a cow was $169,400.
Probable Kills: Using the same valuation methodology, the market value of the reported 29 head of probable kills was $63,800.
Total: The total value based on reported confirmed and probable kills was $233,200
Indirect Damages:
There is no payment program to compensate livestock producers for all indirect damages from Mexican wolves
Damages from decreased conception rates and weaning weights due to Mexican wolves: The County Livestock Loss Authority attempts to compensate livestock producers in New Mexico who apply for losses due to decreased conception rates and decreased weaning weights. The New Mexico Department of Agriculture estimates that those losses alone are approximately $124 per head of livestock exposed to Mexican wolves.
Damages from Missing Cattle due to presumed Mexican wolf depredations: If livestock producers were compensated for only the reported confirmed and probable depredations (106 head) and the 5.1 head of cattle that are missing and presumed killed by Mexican wolves (541 head), the market value of those 647 head of cattle in 2024 was approximately $1,423,400. Source: County Livestock Loss Administrator.
Damages from Active Conflict Avoidance: There is no compensation for such costs for labor, feed, fuel, transportation, alternative pastures to deal with active Mexican wolf conflict avoidance.
Prospective Conflict Avoidance: These are damages from adopting practices to reduce the prospect of damages from Mexican wolves.
How much money does the federal government spend each year compensating livestock producers for Mexican wolf depredations?
For fiscal year 2024, the federal government authorized $191,000 in a Livestock Demonstration Grant to cover damages from Mexican wolves, of which $111,000 is for confirmed depredations and $80,000 is for conflict avoidance. Ten percent of the total is allocated to pay for administration. During fiscal 2024, the federal government paid 15 livestock producers in Catron County under the Livestock Indemnity Program for cattle missing due to Mexican wolves. We have requested the amount and are told it will be forthcoming. Sources: County Livestock Loss Administrator, April 15, 2025; USDA Farm Services Administration.
How much money does Catron County spend each year to respond to (dropdown) + Mexican wolf complaints?
During 2024, Catron County spent $103,518.36. Were it able to fully staff to respond promptly to Mexican wolf complaints, Catron County estimates it would need $797,059.80. Source: Catron County, New Mexico.
How much money does the federal or state government direct to counties each year to protect their people, pets and livestock from Mexican wolves?
Nothing