“Mexican wolves typically weight 50-80 pounds and measure about 5 ½ feet long from nose to tail and stand 28 to 32 inches at the shoulder. They have a distinctive … colored coat of buff, gray, rust, and black, often with distinguishing facial patterns. Solid black or white variations do not exist as with other North American gray wolves.” Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Mexican wolves are intermediate in size between a gray wolf and a coyote. A gray wolf is larger, weighing 80 to 110 pounds and standing 26 to 36 inches at the shoulder. A coyote is smaller than a Mexican wolf, weighing 20 to 35 pounds and standing 18 to 24 inches at the shoulder.” Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“The Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the historic range of the Mexican wolf “included the mountainous regions from central Mexico, through southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southwestern Texas.” Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A captive population of Mexican wolves is maintained at more than 60 zoological facilities throughout the United States and Mexico.” The Fish and Wildlife Service reports that there are at least 350 wolves in such facilities and that the facilities are at capacity.” Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“In the ‘wild’? The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has provided the following link to a schedule of its estimate of the minimum number of Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico, not including wolves in captive facilities.  The Service estimated that there were 286 wolves in Arizona and New Mexico as of December 31, 2024.  The Service advises that the 2024 data will not become official, however, until it completes the 2024 Annual Report sometime this summer. Of the 286, the Service estimates that 124 were in AZ and 162 were in NM. However, the 2024 population data is likely to change as the Service learns of new wolves that were surviving on December 31, 2024, prior to completing the report. https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-05/mexican-wolf-population-statistics-population-estimate-508_0.pdf

The Service has often conceded that its estimates are likely understated by at least ten percent. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2024 there were at least 318 Mexican wolves running loose in Arizona and New Mexico. It is estimated that, of the 318 Mexican wolves, approximately 60 percent are in New Mexico and, of those, approximately 90 percent or 172 are located in Catron County.

As of December 31, 2024, 286 Mexican wolves occupy about 2 million acres of the recovery area in New Mexico and Arizona. Yellowstone is about 2 million acres in size and has about 100 wolves. Washington State has about 230 wolves in at least 6 million acres of Eastern Washington. The density of the Mexican wolf population in Arizona and New Mexico is at least 3 times greater than other wolf populations that are federally delisted.