|
| It was not long ago that the Mexican wolf was
on the very edge of becoming extinct. Only a hand full of these
wolves survived in the wild. They needed help and they needed it
quickly. |
|
|
Help arrived!
No, it was not the ugly crew of wolf lovers on the left.
These guys never existed. But, this is BoomerWolf's land and we let
anyone in.
The Mexican wolf was listed as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in 1976. This means that
steps have to be taken to bring the Mexican wolf
back! |
A few facts about the Mexican wolf:
| "I just love those crazy ears. They kind of
flop around. You should notice how they are rounded at the
top." |
 |
| Size |
The Mexican wolf is the
smallest of the wolves in North America.
weight: 60
to 90 pounds
Length: 4
to 5 feet
Height: 26
to 32 inches at the shoulder |
| Name |
Mexican Wolf - Canis Lupus Baileyi
Also called the "Lobo Wolf" |
| Color |
Gray, brown,
rust and tan with light underparts. |
| Habitat |
Forests,
grasslands, and shrublands of north-central Mexico, southeastern
Arizona, southwest Texas, and Southern New Mexico. |
| Food |
Mexican
wolves usually eat the following critters:
- Javelina (wild pigs)
- Rabbits (some are named "Jack." I have no idea
why someone would name a rabbit "Jack."
- Deer
- Small mammals
| |
| Puppies |
Mexican
wolves breed between mid-February and mid-March. It takes 63 days
after mating for the puppies to be born. A normal litter size is 4
to 6 puppies. |
| History |
The Mexican
wolf is also known as the "LOBO WOLF." It is the smallest subspecies
of gray wolf found in North America.
The Mexican wolf once
roamed from central Mexico up into the southwestern United States.
The Mexican wolf did
very well until the DREADED 1800's. This was the beginning of the
end for this wonderful animal.
Throughout the 1800's
and into the 1900's, the Mexican wolf was killed off by ranchers and
farmers.
HELP IS ON
THE WAY! |
| Return of the Wolf |
Once the
Mexican wolf was listed as an endangered species, the United States
and Mexico created a recovery plan. To make this work, wild Mexican
wolves had to be caught.
Only 5 wolves were
found. Four males and one pregnant female. These five wolves
represented the hope for the Mexican wolf.
These wolves were caught
in Durango, and Chihuahua, Mexico and transferred to the
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
|
A Chihuahua is a little tiny dog that
does not look anything like a Mexican wolf.
Okay, okay, so it is not this small.
But, it is a small
dog. |
Back to the
wolves...
The first litter of
Mexican wolves were born in 1978 at the Arizona-Sonora Desert
Museum.
By April 1, 1992 the
number of Mexican wolves stood at a whopping 42! No April fooling
here. |
| The Big Event |
On March 29,
1998, 11 Mexican wolves were released into the wild in Arizona. The
area they were released into is called the "BLUE RANGE WOLF RECOVERY
AREA."
Let us all
welcome back the Mexican
wolf. |
| Here are some places
where captive Mexican wolves are being kept in the United States.
Call and see if can view these wonderful animals. the more you know
about them, the more you will want to protect
them. |
- Alameda Park Zoo - Alamogordo,
NM
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum -
Tucson, AZ
- Belle Isle Zoo - Royal Oak,
MI
- Binder Park Zoo - Battle Creek,
MI
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Colorado
Springs, CO
- Columbus Zoological Gardens -
Powell, OH
- Dakota Zoo - Bismark,
ND
- El Paso Zoo - El Paso,
TX
- Fort Worth Zoo - Fort Worth,
TX
- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center -
Glen Rose, TX
|
- The Living Desert - Palm
Springs
- The Living Desert State Park -
Carlsbad, NM
- Minnesota Zoo - Apple Valley,
MN
- New York Zoological Society -
Bronx, NY
- Phoenix Zoo - Phoenix,
AZ
- Rio Grande Zoo - Albuquerque,
NM
- Sedgewick County Zoo - Wichita,
KS
- Wild Canid Survival and Research
Center - Eureka, MO
- Wolf Haven - Tenino,
WA
|
Some super links about Mexican
wolves:
|
