U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Wolves in North America

By the middle of the 20th century, few addition, wolves have returned to wolves existed in the Lower 48 States. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Only several hundred gray wolves in Wisconsin, and these populations total Minnesota and an isolated population about 450 animals. on Michigan’s Isle Royale remained, with a few red wolves and an Because wolf populations are nearing occasional Mexican gray wolf reported. recovery goals for the area around the Both the Mexican gray wolf and the red Great Lakes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife wolf were eventually completely Service has proposed changing the eliminated in the wild, and prior to status of wolves in that region. recent reintroduction efforts, existed only in captivity. Wolves in the Rocky Mountains Probably the most well-known wolf Gray wolves in the Lower 48 States now recovery effort was the reintroduction number about 3,000, with more than of wolves to Yellowstone National Park 2,400 of them estimated in Minnesota. and central Idaho in 1995 and 1996. Currently all wolves in the Lower 48 After an absence of more than 50 years, States, with the exception of gray wolves returned when the U.S. Fish and wolves in Minnesota, are listed as Wildlife Service brought wild-trapped endangered under the Endangered Canadian gray wolves to the park and Species Act. Minnesota wolves are to the Frank Church River of No Return efore the arrival of European listed as threatened. Wilderness Area in Idaho. The goal Bsettlers, wolves ranged widely was to speed up the recovery progress across the continent, from coast to Recovery plans have been developed of wolves in the Rocky Mountain coast and from Canada to Mexico. Two for wolves in various parts of the region, where wolves had been elimi- species are found in North America, the country, with the goal of ultimately nated in the late 1920s. gray wolf, with its various subspecies, removing the wolf from the list of and the red wolf. Historically, gray endangered and threatened species. Wolves were released as family groups wolves were found throughout most of The recovery plans identify the in Yellowstone and individually in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, population levels and distribution that central Idaho. The program has been with red wolves primarily inhabiting the would be necessary for the species to extremely successful, with wolves in southeastern United States. be considered recovered. When both areas forming packs and recovery criteria are reached, the reproducing. There are now an Wolves play an important role as Service then reviews the population estimated 118 wolves in Yellowstone, predator in the ecosystems they status to determine if reclassification or and about 141 wolves in central Idaho. inhabit. They feed primarily on large delisting is appropriate. Recovery Coupled with natural recovery mammals, such as deer and elk, criteria differ from population to occurring in northwestern Montana removing sick and injured animals from population depending on the threats to (where there are approximately 63 the populations. They are highly the species, the connectivity of the wolves), the reintroduction program has social, living in packs and hunting and population to other wolf populations, boosted wolf recovery progress in the raising young cooperatively. and local ecological circumstances. Rocky Mountain region.

As the country was settled, native prey Gray wolves in the eastern Naturally occurring wolves in the species dropped and numbers of United States Rocky Mountain region are listed as domestic animals increased. The belief Gray wolves in the eastern part of the endangered, but in the Yellowstone and by settlers that wolves endangered United States were virtually eliminated central Idaho reintroduction areas, livestock prompted efforts to eradicate from the landscape, with the exception wolves are designated as “non- wolves throughout their range. In the of animals in northern Minnesota and essential, experimental” populations. United States, large-scale predator those on Isle Royale. Protection under This gives managers and local residents control programs were carried out, with the Endangered Species Act has greater flexibility in dealing with wolf wolves hunted and killed nearly to allowed this population to grow, and it issues than would be possible if the extinction. is now estimated at 2,445 animals. In animals remained fully endangered. Mexican gray wolves and Mexico are contributing to Mexican gray wolves, called Mexican recovery efforts. Wolves that are Number of Gray Wolves wolves or lobos, were once common candidates for reintroduction undergo a In the Continental U.S. Western Great Lakes States through western Texas, southern New “pre-acclimation” period at Sevilleta Michigan 216* Mexico, central Arizona, and northern National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico Minnesota 2,445 Mexico. By the early 1900s, however, and other remote facilities. This helps Wisconsin 243 growing numbers of livestock in the foster behavior and characteristics that *does not include 29 wolves on Isle Royale region and fewer and fewer natural prey enhance their ability to survive in the Western States Yellowstone 118 species resulted in increasing numbers wild. Northwest Montana 63 of livestock losses to wolves. Intensive Central Idaho 141 control efforts were largely successful In 1998, 13 captive-reared Mexican gray in eradicating Mexican wolves by the wolves were released in eastern Arizona/New Mexico middle of this century. Since then a Arizona. The Service plans to release a (Mexican Wolf) 22 (4/00) few wolves were caught and killed; the total of 13 more during 1999. last confirmed wild Mexican wolf was Twenty-two Mexican wolves were reported in the United States in 1970 free-ranging in the wild as of April, and in Mexico in 1980. 2000. Nine wolves have been Captive breeding efforts were translocated into New Mexico. successful, and red wolves have Mexican wolves were listed as Additional releases are planned over returned to the wild. The first endangered in 1976, and a joint the next two to four years to reach the reintroduction was made in 1987 at recovery effort with Mexico began. goal of a wild population of 100 animals. Alligator River National Wildlife Using animals captured in Mexico in As with wolves reintroduced in Refuge in North Carolina. In 1991 and 1977, a captive breeding population was Yellowstone and central Idaho, these 1992, initial efforts were made to established. These animals are the Mexican wolves are designated reestablish red wolves in the Southern foundation of the recovery effort for “non-essential, experimental” to allow Appalachians in Great Smoky Mexican wolves. A total of 40 captive more flexibility in management. Mountain National Park. breeding facilities in the United States The recovery goal for Mexican wolves There are now approximately 300 red is to maintain the captive breeding wolves in existence, about 80 of these animals in the wild. The remainder are For more information about the program while establishing a part of captive breeding efforts at 36 status of wolves, contact one of self-sustaining wild population of at facilities and three island propagation the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service least 100 animals in the species’ historic projects. Recovery goals for the red offices listed below or the range. wolf call for a total 550 animals, Service’s homepage at including at least 220 in the wild. www.fws.gov. Wolves in Alaska and Canada Gray wolves in Alaska and Canada have Eastern United States never reached the point that protection U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act is Bishop Henry Whipple Building necessary. In Alaska, the state 1 Federal Drive manages wolves, which number 6,000 to Ft. Snelling, MN 55111-4056 8,000 animals. Similarly, Canada’s 50,000 gray wolves are managed by Rocky Mountain region provincial governments and are not U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considered endangered or threatened. 100 North Park, Room 320 Helena, Montana 59601 Red Wolves Red wolves once ranged throughout Mexican Wolves the southeastern United States. As U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with gray wolves, fear of conflict P.O. Box 1306 between red wolves and human Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 activities resulted in eradication efforts. As red wolf numbers declined, the Red Wolves remaining animals in the wild were U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed to zoos and other facilities to 160 Zillicoa Street save the species. By 1980, the red wolf Asheville, North Carolina 87103 existed only in captivity, with a founder population of 14 animals.

4/2000 Printed on recycled paper