THE MEXICAN GRAY WOLF

The gray wolf (Canis lupus). It has various subspecies, one of which is
commonly known as the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

CHARACTERISTICS:
 They can inhabit more arid places than other subspecies
 It measures about 1 to 1.5 meters long and has a height at the withers
of between 60 and 80 cm. As for the weight, it is between 20-30 kg,
so it is the smallest wolf of those that exist in North America
 Males are larger than females.
 The head is elongated, the muzzle thick, the ears large and rounded
at the tips.
 The limbs are long and the legs well developed.

DWELL:
This animal is a subspecies that was initially restricted to certain areas of
Mexico and the United States. In the first case, it was distributed from the
south to the center of Mexico, with great abundance in the Sierra Madre
Occidental and Oriental, and also in the central volcanic region. In the case
of the United States, it occupied southwestern Texas, southern New
Mexico, and southwestern Arizona. The Mexican gray wolf could develop
in various types of habitats, from mountain forests to the desert areas of
Chihuahua and Sonora.

FEEDING:
The Mexican gray wolf, like all other wolf subspecies, is a carnivorous
animal and its diet is based mainly on animals such as elk, white-tailed
deer, wild boars, hares and, in general, small mammals available in the
habitat. It could also include carrion and human waste in its diet.

CUSTOMS OF THE MEXICAN GRAY WOLVES:

The Mexican gray wolf tends to have nocturnal habits. This subspecies
hunts in packs, which it develops in a very skilful way. In addition, its
surprising howl made the Mexican gray wolf an animal revered by the
settlers who made up the tribes of the territory where it lived.
On the other hand, we find that it is not a migratory animal
The herds establish an area that they delimit as their territory, through
which they move constantly.

REPRODUCTION:
The reproduction of the Mexican gray wolf occurs between February and
March. only the alpha pair of the pack reproduces, staying together until
they die. The family group is constituted, in general, with 4-9 individuals.
The gestation period lasts between 63 to 65 days, after which between 4
and 7 pups are born, blind, deaf and totally dependent on their parents.

CAUSES OF ITS DANGER OF EXTINCTION:

The main cause that led the Mexican gray wolf to be in the state of
"endangered" is due to indiscriminate hunting and poisoning to kill them in
the area.

HOW CAN WE HELP THE MEXICAN GRAY

WOLF TO AVOID ITS EXTINCTION? –
MEASURES
Currently there are about 520 specimens of the Mexican gray wolf,
• Above all, the population must be educated and made to understand how
important it is to preserve the species.
• Establish hunting laws that protect the Mexican gray wolf,
• Conservation of the wolf's habitat, to prevent its destruction and
fragmentation.
• Follow a recovery in captivity with the conditions that the wolf needs to
live.

FUN FACT ABOUT THE MEXICAN GRAY

WOLF
 The pups, when they grow up, must leave the pack, to become lone
wolves or, if they find a partner, form a new pack.
 Alpha wolves are not the most aggressive, but, on the contrary, they
tend to be the friendliest
 The howls of the wolf, vary in duration and frequency depending on
the time of year
 The wolf is located in the food pyramid, which is why it is of great
importance in the ecosystem, to control the population of large
herbivores.