Wolf Conservation Center Blog
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are proud to spotlight the incredible women who power our mission each and every day. At the Wolf Conservation Center, our work to protect and preserve wolves would not be possible without the dedication, expertise, and compassion of the women on our team. From animal care and research to education, advocacy, communications, and development, women play a vital role in every aspect of our organization. We are deeply grateful for the knowledge, leadership, and heart that our team brings to this work every day. To the women who care for the wolves, who analyze the data, who educate the public, who build partnerships, and who champion our mission: thank you. Your work matters. Your voices matter. And because of you, wolves have a stronger future. This month and every month, we celebrate you. Leila Wetmore, CEO Leila has been an environmental activist and…
The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the New Mexico Game and Fish Department announced today that the number of Mexican gray wolves living across Arizona and New Mexico has increased from 286 in 2024 to 319 in 2025 (an increase of 33 wolves). There is an interesting “Catch 22” that comes along with this seemingly positive news that is associated with a problem with the current management protocols of the species. Genetic Diversity Waning As the Mexican gray wolf population grows in the wild, and efforts to introduce genetic diversity stagnate, it will become more challenging to improve the declining genetic diversity of the endangered species. In 2025, the mean kinship of the wild population, or measure of relatedness, was 0.2404; full siblings have a mean kinship of 0.25. The resumption of captive-to-wild releases of family groups, in addition to the pup fostering technique currently employed by the Mexican…
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A newly revealed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service document allows Catron County ranchers to kill any one endangered Mexican gray wolf who happens to be in the area of two grazing allotments near Quemado, New Mexico. The permit doesn’t identify which wolf the ranchers can shoot, nor does it specify livestock lost to wolves preceding this kill authorization. Several wolf families are in the area, including a likely pregnant, genetically valuable female wolf of the Elk Horn pack who was named Nora by the Endangered Wolf Center in Missouri before she was released into the Arizona wild as a pup in 2020. Nora is one of the 21% of genetically valuable captive-born pups known to have survived such releases without their birthparents. “The permit allows the permittees to kill any wolf they see on private or federal land, in retribution for alleged and undisclosed livestock losses. This…
Obama Blocks Bush’s Last Minute Wolf Delisting
With a new administration in charge, federal regulators Wednesday promised a second look at a recent decision to drop gray wolves in the Great Lakes and Northern Rocky Mountains from…
Gray Wolves Delisted (Again)
The U.S. Department of Interior announced today that the western Great Lakes wolf population as well as most of the northern Rocky Mountain wolves will be removed from Endangered Species…
The Dog Days of Summer at the WCC
Meet some of the Wolf Conservation Center’s lesser known canines: “The Staff Pack”. Kenn Bell from “The Dog Files” (thedogfiles.com) shows us how a handful of dogs can make life…
2008 – A tough year for Yellowstone wolves
Early Morning Wolf-Watching in the Lamar Valley Yellowstone National Park The wolf population dropped by 27% last year in Yellowstone National Park. While wildlife biologists say the decline is a…
The debate continues…
Some unlikely groups might sue to put a stop to the newest attempt to delist the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf. Read more. Wolf debate lingers into new year By Chris…
Ice Capades
Lately the Center has experienced some relatively bad weather. In the last week we’ve been hit by snowstorms, windstorms and ice storms. It’s pretty much winter as usual in the…
Happy New Year!
Have a joyous and healthy New Year!
When Opportunity Knocks…
Kaila in October …
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us, including Kai the resident German Shepherd, at the Wolf Conservation Center.
Winter Rules
Spring may be the time “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love,” but for wolves, the wintertime is when their hormones turn toward making pups. Wolves are…
Where the Wild Things Are…
Obviously getting to see the wolves is the highlight of a visit to the Center, but every time I head up to the Center I’m looking forward to being surprised…
Updates!
Here’s some recent news about previous topics: BuffaloThe buffalo donated to us after Thanksgiving was cut up and distributed among various SSP wolves and the ambassador wolves. The ambassadors’ reactions…