Lesson 10:Saving the Mexican Wolves

Saving theMexican Wolvesby Sasha GriffinPHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover © Robert Winslow/Animals Animals. (bkgd) © Robert Shantz/Alamy. Title Page© Robert Winslow/Animals Animals. 2-18 (bkgd) © Robert Shantz/Alamy. 2 © Robert Winslow/Animals Animals.4 © Thomas & Pat Leeson/Photo Researchers, Inc. 8 MPI/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. 15 © Lawrence Migdale/PIX.17 © Robert Winslow/Animals Animals.Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing CompanyAll rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the priorwritten permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Requestsfor permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers,Attn: Permissions, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777.Printed in ChinaISBN-13: 978-0-547-01656-6ISBN-10: 0-547-01656-51 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0940 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishersretains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited.Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, intoelectronic format.

IntroductionFor hundreds of years, the howls of the Mexican gray wolfpierced the starry nights of the American Southwest. Packs ofthese wolves roamed the high woodlands of what is now Arizona,New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. Members of a pack huntedtogether, raised their young, and helped to maintain the delicatebalance of nature. Just 150 years after Europeans settled theSouthwest, the Mexican wolf was on the brink of extinction. Bythat time, it had disappeared entirely from the United States.Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, today severalpacks of wolves roam a small section of their former habitat onceagain. But now they must share this space with people. Themodern world has brought highways, homes, ranches, andlivestock such as sheep and cattle to this once-wild region.Living near humans is not easy for wolves.The Mexican wolf’s story is a complicated one. It is a storyin which the needs of wolves and the needs of people are sometimespitted against each other. It’s a storythat makes people wonder whetherit is even possible for wolvesand humans to coexist.To understand thisstory, we must firstunderstand the rareMexican wolf.2

Did you know? Wolves can run upto 35 miles per hour in short burstswhen they are chasing their prey.The Mexican Gray WolfThe Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is a mammalin the vertebrate group. These wolves are sometimes calledlobos. (Lobo is the Spanish word for “wolf.”) The Mexican wolf isa subspecies of the gray wolf. It is the most endangered of allgray wolves in North America.Like all wolves, the Mexican wolf is related to both dogs andcoyotes. A mature lobo is approximately the size of a Germanshepherd. It measures four to five feet long and weighs 60 to 80pounds. The Mexican wolf is the smallest kind of gray wolf,although it is still larger than a coyote. The fur of the Mexicanwolf—a mixture of tan, gray, rust, and black—resembles that of acoyote.Wolves have very keen senses of hearing, smell, and vision.These characteristics help wolves locate and hunt their prey,even at night. Because wolves are carnivores, their teeth areadapted to the job of catching, killing, and eating prey. Mexicanwolves can eat up to 20 pounds of meat at one time, so theyonly need to eat a couple of times a week. This helps themsurvive when prey is scarce. Mexican wolves’ natural prey islarge, hoofed mammals, such as deer and elk. Lobos will also eatwild pigs called javelina and other small mammals, such as rabbits.3

Mexican wolves live in family groups called packs. A packconsists of an adult pair (which usually mates for life), theirpups, and sometimes the pair’s older offspring. Each packhas its own territory, which can range from 100 to more than500 square miles. Wolves mark the boundaries of their territorywith scent to keep other wolf packs away.The members of a wolf pack communicate with each otherby barking, growling, and whimpering, as well as with bodypostures and movements. Dogs use many of the same behaviorswhen they try to communicate with people. The howling ofwolves is an eerie, mysterious sound. Wolves howl to locate oneanother or as a means of gathering together. Howling is oftenheard before a hunt. During a hunt, the pack works together tolocate, chase down, and kill their prey.Like dogs, wolves express themselves througha variety of body postures.4

Mexican wolves once roamed throughout parts of thesouthwestern United States and Mexico. Their habitat consistedof mountain woodlands and forests, as well as grasslands andshrublands. Though Mexican wolves are carnivores, plant life isimportant for their survival. That’s because plants provide foodfor deer and elk, the wolves’ primary prey. If the plant populationcannot support herds of deer and elk, the wolves may nothave enough to eat.The Mexican wolf is an example of an apex predator. Anapex predator has no natural enemies. It is at the top of the foodchain. Despite its position as top predator, the Mexican wolf isaffected by the other plants and animals in its ecosystem becauseeverything in an ecosystem is connected. In the case of theMexican wolf, survival depends upon a sufficient quantity ofdeer, elk, and other mammals on which they can feed. Theseherbivores live off the available supply of edible plants. If adrought causes the plants to die, the population of herbivoreswill decrease. This affects the wolves.This wolf’sposture says,“I’m going toattack now!”5

DeerMexicanWolfElkPlantsSunA food chain shows how energy moves from the sun to plants andthen to animals in an ecosystem. This diagram shows the food chainin the Mexican wolves’ ecosystem.As predators, wolves help keep other animal populationsunder control. Without wolves, the deer and elk populationswould grow too large. They would devour the plants in theirhabitat faster than the plants can grow. Other herbivores, suchas rabbits and mice, would suffer as a result. Every part of anecosystem—water, sunlight, vegetation, herbivores, and carnivores—worktogether to keep it in balance.Some people believe that wolves can completely kill off allthe deer or elk in their habitat, but that is not the case. Wolveskeep the population of deer and elk under control withouteliminating them. And because wolf packs tend to select weak,unhealthy animals to hunt, they help the herbivore populationremain strong and healthy. This varies from the way otherpredators such as bears or cougars hunt. These animals ambushboth healthy and unhealthy animals.6

The Clash of Wolves and PeopleThe Mexican wolf was an important member of its ecosystemfor hundreds of years. What happened to push wolves tothe edge of extinction? Part of the answer to this question liesin people’s relationship with wolves in general.For centuries people have feared and hated wolves. Folktalesand fables often portray wolves as ferocious and cunning killers.Many of these stories are misleading. For example, in “Little RedRiding Hood,” a wolf eats an old woman and hatches an evil planto gobble up a little girl. In truth, wolves do not eat people. Likemost wild animals, wolves try to avoid contact with humans. Yetsuch stories added to people’s fear of wolves.Common Sayings About WolvesMany common sayings also contributeto the wolf’s bad reputation.“To throw someone to the wolves” means toabandon someone to a terrible fate.“To keep the wolf from the door” meansto avoid hunger or poverty.“A wolf in sheep’s clothing” is someone whopretends to be a friend, but is really an enemy.7

New settlers in the wolves’ territory began trapping and killingthe animals.In the late 1800s, the railroads connecting the easternUnited States to the West were completed. This made it easierfor settlers to move to the Southwest. The settlers found plentyof deer and elk in their new home. They hunted these animalsfor food and sold the meat and hides, as well. For the first time,the lobos had to compete with large numbers of humans for theirfood. It became harder and harder for wolves to find enoughdeer and elk because so many were killed by people.At around this time, the first cattle ranches were establishedin the area. Wolves occasionally ate the settlers’ livestock whenthey couldn’t find their natural prey. This upset the ranchers,who began trapping, shooting, and poisoning the Mexican wolvesout of existence. People’s historical fear of wolves may also havecontributed to the large-scale killing off of the Mexican wolf.8

The government officially supported various programs toexterminate all gray wolves in the United States. It offeredbounties, or rewards, to people who killed wolves. Althoughthe Mexican wolf was once common in the Southwest, by the1950s just a handful of wolves were left in the wild. In 1970,the last wild lobo was killed in the United States.Not everyone was pleased with the wolves’ disappearance.In 1944, environmentalist Aldo Leopold wrote a famous essaytitled “Thinking Like a Mountain.” He had recently gone outhunting with several others and had taken part in the killing ofa mother Mexican wolf with cubs. In his essay, Leopoldexplained that before the hunt, he thought that “fewer wolvesmeant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunter’s paradise.”However, his experience with the Mexican wolf family causedhim to have a change of heart. Leopold said that he and theother hunters reached the mother wolf just in time to watch“the fierce green fire dying in her eyes.” In that moment,Leopold said he realized that wolves are as important to thewilderness as the wilderness is to the wolves.9

The Endangered Species ActThe Endangered Species Act was signedin 1973. This law protects plants and animalsthat are in danger of becoming extinct. It alsoprotects the habitats in which these specieslive. More than 1,800 plants and animals arelisted as endangered.A small group of dedicated people decided to try to bringthe Mexican wolf back to its original habitat. Fortunately, asmall group of wild wolves was still living in a remote region ofMexico. After the Mexican wolf was listed as an endangeredspecies in 1976, five of those wolves were trapped and broughtto the United States. The wolves, along with some others thathad already been captured, were bred in captivity. Now scientistsbelieve that without this breeding program, the Mexicanwolf would probably have become extinct.The captive breeding program was only the first step. TheEndangered Species Act also calls for the recovery of endangeredspecies. This means that not only must the population besaved from extinction—it also must be returned to its naturalhabitat. But after people had nearly wiped out these animals,would they be willing to see the Mexican wolf reintroduced?How could wolves and humans possibly exist together?10

The Wolves Make a ComebackOne of the purposes of the captive breeding program was toproduce a group of Mexican wolves that could be reintroducedinto the wild. But reintroducing a predator is very complicated.Many questions must be considered. How will the lobos affectthe other plants and animals in the ecosystem? How will theyaffect the people and livestock that now live in the region? Canwolves raised in captivity survive and breed in the wild?The people who led the wolf recovery program were convincedof one thing. Captive-bred Mexican wolves could notjust be turned loose in the Southwest. There needed to be anoverall plan.The Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan was approved by the U.S.and Mexico in 1982. The plan’s main goal was to reestablish atleast 100 Mexican wolves within part of their original range.Another goal was to make sure that the wolves did not createproblems for people and livestock.Did you know? Some dogs andwolf-dog crossbreeds are moredangerous to people than wild wolves.11

Proposed Wolf Recovery Areas in the SouthwestArizonaBlue RangeAreaAlbuquerquePhoenixTucsonWhite SandsMissile RangeNewMexicoLubbockTexasDallasBig BendNational ParkMEXICOHistoric Range ofthe Mexican WolfProposedReintroduction SiteProposed as AdditionalReintroduction Site by Defenders of WildlifeMany of the region’s residents were worried about thereturn of the wolves. Some people were concerned that thewolves would be dangerous to them and their pets. Rancherswere afraid that wild wolves would kill their cattle and sheep.Yet many others supported the wolf recovery plan.A number of government agencies joined together tooversee the Mexican Wolf Recovery Project. Officials listenedto the many opinions about reintroducing the lobos. The groupcreated rules that would hopefully protect people, livestock, andthe wolves.12

The group also had to find just the right place to releasethe wolves. This particular place would need to be large enoughfor the wolves to roam, yet not too near people and livestock.Finally it was decided that the wolves would be released onnational forest land in Arizona and New Mexico. This regionwas named the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area.In 1998, 22 years after the wild wolves were brought to theUnited States from Mexico, officials decided it was time torelease some wolves back into the wild. Eleven captive Mexicanwolves were brought to the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area.The wolves were not turned loose immediately. They were keptin large pens for several weeks. This helped them get used totheir new environment. Wildlife workers watched over thewolves during this period.The workers planned to keep track of the wolves after theirrelease, as well. A team of scientists, conservationists, and otherswould use a variety of methods to detect the wolves’ movementswhile remaining unobserved themselves. Wolves are naturallycontent to keep away from people, and it was important thatthey stay that way.In March of 1998, the first eleven wolves were released.Unfortunately, five of the wolves were shot within the year.Residents and ranchers still felt that they and their animalswere in danger.13

More captive-bred wolves were released. The wolves beganhaving pups in the wild. Yet they continued to run into problems.The biggest threat to wolves continued to be people.Some Mexican wolves wandered onto highways and were hit bycars. Others were shot. At least one was killed by a mountainlion. Some of them wandered out of the Blue Range WolfRecovery Area and had to be recaptured.Conservation groups and others continued working tokeep the reintroduced lobos safe. They began paying ranchersfor cattle or sheep that were killed by wolves. And since wolveswill sometimes eat animals that are already dead, ranchers wereencouraged to remove livestock carcasses so that wolveswouldn’t be attracted to them.Sometimes wolves were shot because people mistook themfor coyotes. Coyotes are common in the Southwest, and they doharm livestock. That’s why educating the public is an importantpart of the reintroduction effort. People need to learn thedifferences between coyotes and Mexican wolves. Educationcan also help people understand wolves’ place in the ecosystem.Because wolves are an apex predator, they can actually keepcoyotes away from an area. Knowing this may persuade peopleto protect the wolves.14

The White Mountain Apache—Friends of the WolfOne group that has played an important role in the lobos’recovery is the White Mountain Apache tribe in Arizona. Theirreservation is next to the national forest where the wolves werefirst released. Before the settlers came, wolves and the Apachecoexisted. Many traditional Apache stories and songs tell of theimportance of animals such as the wolf.When the Mexican wolf was first reintroduced, the WhiteMountain Apache tribal council had to make some decisions.What should happen to reintroduced wolves that wandered ontothe reservation? Should the wolves be removed? Or, should theybe allowed to form packs on tribal land?Like other ranchers, Apache ranchers were concerned thatthe wolves would kill their cattle. Apache hunting guides worriedthat their clients would have to compete with the wolvesfor deer and elk. Yet along with the needs of its people, the tribeconsidered the needs of the wolves.The WhiteMountain Apachetribe now lives onthe Fort ApacheReservation insoutheasternArizona.15

The tribal council signed an agreement to let reintroducedMexican wolves roam on reservation land. This agreement hashelped the recovery effort in important ways. It allowed thewolves’ habitat to expand as their population grew. Wolves thatwere born in the wild have formed new packs that live onreservation land. The tribe also allowed a captive-bred pair ofwolves to be released on reservation land. Now this pair’s wildbornpups are grown and have pups of their own.A tribal wolf biologist monitors the wolves using radiocollars and other means. She also works with ranchers andguides to try to prevent wolf attacks on livestock. She talks toschoolchildren about the Mexican wolf’s return.The White Mountain Apache tribe has joined with theother agencies to oversee the lobo’s recovery. Both conservationgroups and the government have praised the tribe for their rolein reintroducing the Mexican wolf. Many see the WhiteMountain Apache as a role model for helping to reintroduceendangered species back into the wild.16

A mother wolf protects her cubs andteaches them appropriate behavior.The story of the Mexican wolf is not a fairy tale pittinggood against evil. It is a complicated story of conflicting needs.It is made even more complicated by people’s misunderstandingof wolves. The controversy continues even today. Ranchers,residents, and conservationists still don’t agree on what shouldbecome of the Mexican wolf. Yet as the White Mountain Apachehave shown, solutions can be found that meet the needs of bothpeople and wolves.Continued public education can help prevent the deaths ofmore wolves. It can show people that wolves have an importantplace in the ecosystem. It is not too late for the story of theMexican wolf to have a happy ending.17

Mexican Wolves and People1870s1890s1950sSettlers establish ranches in Arizona and New Mexico.Government begins offering bounties to kill wolves.Only a handful of Mexican wolves are left in the wild.1970 The last confirmed Mexican wolf in the U.S. is killed.1973 The Endangered Species Act is signed.1976 The Mexican wolf is listed as an endangered species.1977– The last wild Mexican wolves are caught in Mexico1980 and put in a captive breeding program.1982 The Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan is approved.1998 The first eleven Mexican wolves are released into thewild; five of them are shot.2002 The White Mountain Apache tribe agrees to allowwolves on reservation lands.2003 The first pack of wolves is released onto thereservation of the White Mountain Apache tribe.2006 An estimated 59 Mexican wolves live within the BlueRange Wolf Recovery Area.18

RespondingTARGET SKILL Main Ideas and Details Whatare the main ideas in Saving the Mexican Wolves?What details support the main ideas? Copy andcomplete the web below.Supporting Detail:?Supporting Detail:?Main Idea:?Supporting Detail:?Supporting Detail:Wolves are apexpredators.Write About ItText to World Do you think efforts to restore theMexican wolf population in the wild should continue?Why or why not? Write several paragraphs in whichyou state your opinion and give reasons to supportyour ideas.19

TARGET VOCABULARYavailablecontentmentdetectingferociouskeenmatureparticularresembleunobservedvaryEXPAND YOUR VOCABULARYapexcaptivitycarcassescoexistexterminateposturesTARGET SKILL Main Ideas and Details Identify atopic’s important ideas and supporting details.TARGET STRATEGY Monitor/Clarify As you read,notice what isn’t making sense. Find ways to figure outthe parts that are confusing.GENRE Informational Text gives facts and examplesabout a topic.20

Level: VDRA: 50Genre:Informational TextStrategy:Monitor/ClarifySkill:Main Ideas and DetailsWord Count: 3,0045.2.10HOUGHTON MIFFLINOnline Leveled BooksISBN-13:978-0-547-01656-6ISBN-10:0-547-01656-51031493