Mexican Wolf

Canis lupus baileyei

Also known as "el lobo", the Mexican wolf is the smallest subspecies of the North American gray wolf. Wolves live in family groups called packs. The wolf parents are the leaders of the pack, called the alpha pair. The rest of the group includes thier sons and daughters and possibly a few other close relatives. The wolf family eats, sleeps, travels, plays, and hunts together as a team. By hunting cooperatively, wolves can bring down prey mych larger than themselves such as elk. While wolves may occasionally take down unprotected livestock, they much prefer wild prey. Once exterminated from the wild, Mexican wolves are being reintroduced into their former range in Arizona and New Mexico.

A wolf's howl can be heard more than five miles away.
A wolf's sense of smell is about 100 times better than a human's.
Dogs are descendents of wolves domesticated over thousands of years.

Fact File

Height: 4.5 to 5.5 ft
Weight: 60 to 80 lbs
Lifespan: 12 to 15 yrs in captivity
Habitat: Mountain and forest
Prey: Elk, deer, peccaries, rabbits, rodents, and carrion
Status: Species at Risk (Endangered—U.S. Endangered Species Act)

Mexican Wolves In Action

Myth Busted :

Unlike the big, bad wolf in stories like Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs, wolves are actually shy and avoid people.

Range:

Arizona and New Mexico

Wolf Woods Overnight

Prowl about for predators at the Zoo at night and learn about their importance during a Wolf Woods Nocturnal Adventures Overnight program.

Return to the Wild

Reintroduction efforts organized through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mexican Wolf Recovery Program are returning Mexican wolves to their former range in the Arizona and New Mexico. Zoos, including the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, are helping by housing and breeding the wolves to be released.