Once common in Mexico and parts of the United States, the Mexican gray wolf hasn’t been seen in the wilds of Mexico since 1980. It has also been on the list of threatened and endangered species in the United States for decades. The Mexican wolf’s decline came as a result of intensive predator removal efforts between the late-1800s and mid-1900s. 

Mexican gray wolves were saved from extinction when the last few animals were brought into captivity by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These initial founder animals reproduced successfully to enable the current reintroduction program in Arizona, which has resulted in a wild population of 19 Mexican gray wolves.