On March 29, 1998, 11 captive-reared Mexican gray wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) were released to the wild for the first time in the Blue Range Recovery Area of Arizona and New Mexico. Missing from the landscape for more than 30 years, the howl of the rarest and most unique subspecies of gray wolf was once again greeted by the mountains of the southwest. This March marks the 26th anniversary of this historic event, a significant milestone for the lobo and wildlife conservation. In recognition of the anniversary, the WCC is among the large group of partners participating in #LoboWeek, an international movement to educate people about the Mexican wolf or "lobo" and our efforts to successfully restore this critically endangered wolf to its ancestral home in the wild.
JOIN THE LOBOWEEK MOVEMENT!
Starting March 24th, we're enlisting Wildlife Organizations, Zoos, Advocacy Groups, Businesses, and individuals like you to come together with one common purpose - to raise awareness for the most genetically distinct subspecies of gray wolf in North America, the Mexican gray wolf.
#LoboWeek is harnessing the power of social media to broaden our reach and create a national moment. All week (March 24 - March 30) #LoboWeek partners are dedicating time to the lobo on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and other social media; offering information, fun facts, special events, contests, and more.
HOW TO BECOME A PARTNER
It's up to you how you choose to celebrate, but by following the simple steps below, our united efforts can help #LoboWeek continue to raise awareness for Mexican gray wolves!
Please follow the steps below and also email contact@nywolf.org so we can track how large our #LoboWeek pack is growing!
Webinar - CSI: Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area
Join the Wolf Conservation Center and Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project, on March 27, 2024 at 7 pm ET for an in-depth look at the impact of secretive federal agencies on Mexican gray wolf recovery.
Greta will talk about the yearslong efforts to retrieve, understand, and expose the inadequacies (and fallacies) of livestock depredation reports by USDA's Wildlife Services. This effort led to reform in the agencies and a subsequent decline in reports of Mexican gray wolf predation on livestock, leading also to fewer wolf removals for conflict with livestock.
Greta's presentation will walk the public through examples of these investigations, the causes and consequences of faulty reporting, and the ongoing efforts to ensure Mexican gray wolves aren't being unfairly blamed for livestock deaths.
*Content warning: the presentation will include graphic images of wounded and killed livestock*
LOBOWEEK (MARCH 24 - MARCH 30) SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Social Media: COMING SOON
- Step One: Update your Social Media profile and/or cover photo to reflect something related to lobos.
- Step Two: Overlay the #LoboWeek badge (it has a transparent background) on your cover photo. CLICK HERE to download the badge.
Or download pre-made #LoboWeek Facebook/Twitter photos (with badge) HERE. Download Instagram photos (with badge) HERE. - Step Three: Share an informational graphic about Mexican gray wolves. CLICK HERE to view the graphics.
- Step Four: A commitment to help raise awareness for the lobo by posting, sharing, and educating on your media page!
Hashtag:
- Connect on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc... by using #LoboWeek on all lobo related tweets
- Retweeting/sharing partner’s tweets is a great way to show that our mission to educate people is a united effort.
Enrichment for Kids:
- Read about Hope, the North American superhero! At only a few days old, Mexican gray wolf Hope Haas was cross-fostered into the Saffel Pack, a wild wolf family in Arizona. She's now a living, breathing part of the wild landscape! CLICK HERE to download the poster.
- Mail a postcard to your representative in Congress asking them to protect the Endangered Species Act. CLICK HERE to download the postcard images. Suggested talking points can be downloaded HERE.
- Become a WCC-certified Junior Mexican Gray Wolf Biologist and learn more about Mexican gray wolves in the process! Download the free activity HERE.
- Explore the wild world of Mexican gray wolf behavior with the help of the WCC's live-streaming webcams and free behavior activity guide. Learn more HERE.
- Create your own lobo-themed bookmark! Download the free craft HERE.