Month: December 2019

For 20 years, and with your help every step of the way, the Wolf Conservation Center has fought to protect wolves and restore them to their rightful places in our landscapes, in our hearts, and in our culture. This season, we are giving thanks to you for following along on our journey. We believe every…

When President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) into law forty-six years ago today, he said, “Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.”  The ESA was passed because Americans believed that protecting our wildlife was an obligation to…

Are coyotes threatening deer populations? It’s a hotly debated topic, but studies indicate coyotes do not perform the same ecological role as wolves, meaning their impact on ungulate populations varies. Though coyotes are known to eat deer, they often consume them by scavenging on carcasses. When hunting, coyotes are actually far more often consuming small…

A reminder of the important role wolves, and other large predators, play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. As Mother Nature’s wildlife managers, wolves regulate prey populations to enable many other species of plants and animals to flourish. Initiating these trickle-down effects can improve ecosystem function and resilience, as evidenced by the return of wolves to Yellowstone…

The holiday season is supposed to be about peace, joy, and compassion for all living beings, but before leaving the capital for the holidays on Friday, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced legislation to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across the continental United States. Co-sponsored by Republican Senators Steve Daines of Montana,…

The Wolf Conservation Center family just got a little bit bigger (and heavier)! Last week, Mexican gray wolf Valentia (also known as Valli or F1538) arrived at the WCC from a US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) facility in New Mexico. Weighing in at 76 lbs, the voluptuous beauty is officially the largest female Mexican…

Dear Friends, The Wolf Conservation Center participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for two critically endangered wolf species, the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus). The Mexican gray wolf and the red wolf are among the rarest mammals in North America; both species were at one time extinct…

Around the world, populations of iconic predators – mammals such as gray wolves, jaguars, tigers, African lions, and brown bears, along with sharks – are declining. While those species are suffering for a variety of reasons, one of the main sources of mortality is human in origin. Scientists and policy-makers have concluded that promoting human tolerance is…

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) announced in the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program Monthly Update that a critically endangered Mexican gray wolf – an uncollared wolf – was found dead in New Mexico last month. The incident is under investigation.   There have been a total of eleven documented wolf mortalities from January 1, 2019 to November…

Two Red Wolf Brothers Chosen for Wild Trace Back to the Wolf Conservation Center The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has announced their intent to transfer two critically endangered red wolf males from St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge to North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. These two brothers can trace their roots to…