Learn about Mexican wolf recovery from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, follow updates from the recovery program, and share accurate information about the subspecies. If you live or spend time in Mexican wolf range, learn about responsible wildlife viewing and practical ways to reduce conflicts between wolves, livestock, and communities.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Mexican Wolf Recovery Program
Mexican Wolf Recovery & Genetic Management
Current efforts to recover the endangered Mexican wolf while maintaining a healthy, genetically diverse wild population.
The Mexican wolf is an endangered subspecies of gray wolf that was nearly eliminated from the wild in the Southwest by the 1970s. Recovery efforts began with a binational captive-breeding program, followed by the reintroduction of Mexican wolves to Arizona and New Mexico in 1998. Today, recovery work combines population monitoring, genetic management, captive breeding, releases and pup fostering, research, and efforts to reduce conflicts with livestock. The current recovery strategy calls for two resilient, genetically diverse populations across the subspecies’ historical range in the United States and Mexico. In the United States, the wild population has exceeded several interim recovery targets, while continued genetic management and recovery work remain important to the long-term strategy.
Why It Matters
The Mexican wolf remains an endangered subspecies with recovery closely tied to population size, genetic diversity, habitat, and coexistence with people. Maintaining genetic diversity is especially important because the wild population was rebuilt from a small number of founding animals. Continued monitoring and genetic management help wildlife biologists track the population and support its long-term recovery.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
SOURCE
STATUS
Active
DEADLINE
LAST UPDATED
September 16, 2026
CATEGORY
Conservation Action