ANIMAL: Mexican Gray Wolf Canis baileyi Type of Animal: Canine Habitat: Mountain woodlands, forests, desert, scrubland, grassland, shrubland, prairie, mountainous areas Location(s): Historically found in most of SW US down to N & C Mexico. Now found in Gila Headwaters of Arizona-New Mexico border & small parts of Chihuahua & Sonora in Sierra Madre Occidental. Appearance: Coat gray/dark gray on top, rusty-light brown-whitish on side, light face/legs, black-tipped bushy tail, long legs, sleek body, pointy ears, fairly small narrow skull, black nose Food/Diet: Bison, deer, elk, pronghorn, goats, sheep, rabbits, hares, foxes, coyotes, bear cubs, domestic llamas/alpacas, badgers, rodents, shrews, moles, birds, eggs, frogs, cattle, equines, pigs, carrion, berries, fruit, vegetables, dogs, cats, refuse, fish, bobcats, reptiles, peccaries, insects, vegetation Status in Wild: Critically Endangered Conservation: Breeding in zoos, breeding centers, & wildlife parks. Reintroductions of captive-bred animals into areas of former/current range. Was extinct in wild from late 1970s until 1998. Lifestyle: Packs consist of alpha pair w/ 1-3 sets of offspring, each w/ 3-8 pups (older offspring act as subordinates). Sometimes, 1-3 extra subordinates (siblings of alphas-males being brothers of alpha male, females sisters of alpha female). Packs formed from emigrating wolf or group meeting opposite-sex wolf (or wolves) & they establish territory. Additional Info: Called: Male: Dog Female: Bitch Young: Pup Group: Pack Weight: Male: 80-90 lbs Female: 50-70 lbs Young: 8 lbs Gestation: 2 months Life Span: 10 years in wild, 12-15 years in captivity Height: Male: 2.7 ft Female: 2.08 ft Body Length: Male: 5-5.5 ft Female: 4.5 ft Tail Length: 1.16-1.42 ft Adults occasionally preyed on by golden eagles. Coyotes prey on pups. Packs very territorial w/ fights between neighboring packs sometimes resulting in deaths. Most common ways to mark territory are urine/scent marking & howling. Sexually mature at 10 months old. Increasing in wild but still critically endangered due to persecution as livestock/pet killer, hunting for sport/fur, habitat loss, disease, killing out of fear, human encroachment, & road collisions. Fortunately, they’re not prone to hybridizing w/ coyotes. Sometimes called lobo (Spanish for wolf). More of these wolves in captivity than in wild-believed to be approximately 240 in captivity (all in U.S., Canada, & Mexico) & 160 in the wild. Juveniles leave pack at 2-3 years old though some stay around for long. Breed from mid-February to mid-March. Fun Fact(s): Held in high regard in Pre-Columbian Mexico, where it was considered symbol of war & Sun. Also commonly sacrificed in religious rituals, w/ body quartered & heads kept as attire for priests/warriors. In Teotihuacan, wolves often crossbred w/ dogs producing loyal guardians.
