Mexican gray wolf Slides, a Wolf Conservation Center-born pup who was fostered into the Hail Canyon pack in New Mexico in 2023, is embarking on another adventure – he’s dispersing!

Just a few weeks ago, Slides was still living with his adoptive family in the center of the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area but more recent updates show he’s making his way north. Could he be looking for love?

Dispersal Needed to Save Mexican Wolves

Wild Mexican gray wolves continue to face challenges on their path to recovery, but one of the most significant is a lack of genetic diversity. All Mexican wolves alive today descend from seven genetic “founders” and the mean kinship (average relatedness) of wild lobos is approximately that of full siblings. Captive to wild releases, such as the release of Slides, are one of many tools that can be used to bolster wild genetics. Of course, these releases only contribute to the genetics of the wild population when they result in the birth of pups, which is why this development is so exciting.

Slides’ dispersal is critical both for his future and that of his species – his potential pairing and breeding with a wild female would ensure the critical genetic exchange between wolves from different family groups. It’s most certainly also an exhilarating and terrifying experience for Slides; he’s seeing more of the world than he ever has, but he’s doing it on his own. These brave yet risky movements are needed, and should always be celebrated.

Background on Mexican Gray Wolves

The lobo, or Mexican gray wolf, is the smallest, most genetically distinct, and one of the rarest subspecies of the gray wolf. These native southwestern wolves were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1976 after being eradicated in the wild. Reintroduction efforts began in 1998 and there’s a known wild population of 257 individuals in the U.S.

The Wolf Conservation Center participates in the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program for Mexican gray wolves. To date, 15 Mexican gray wolves from the WCC have been given the opportunity to resume their rightful place on the wild landscape. We welcome a future where every wolf is given the same opportunity.