Mexican gray wolves return to old habitat in Durango, Mexico

Eight endangered Mexican gray wolves were flown from New Mexico to Durango in March and are acclimating in large outdoor enclosures before planned release into nearby mountains and temperate forests. The transfers bring Mexico's total to about 38 wolves and follow decades of captive breeding and earlier reintroduction efforts.

Eight endangered Mexican gray wolves were transported from New Mexico to the Mexican state of Durango in March and are being held in large outdoor enclosures as they acclimate. The animals are two family packs descended from the captive breeding program begun in the 1970s. The transfers were coordinated by wildlife agencies in the U.S. and Mexico and follow earlier reintroductions in Chihuahua and Sonora. Officials report the move adds to ongoing efforts to restore the species to parts of its historic range. Known details: - Eight Mexican gray wolves were flown from New Mexico to Durango and are currently in outdoor acclimation enclosures. - The animals are two family packs that officials say will be released into nearby mountains and temperate forests in the coming weeks. - With these transfers, Mexican officials reported about 38 Mexican wolves in the country: eight in Durango and about 30 in Chihuahua. - State and federal counts in the U.S. recorded 319 Mexican gray wolves across Arizona and New Mexico last year, up from 286 the previous year. - All Mexican wolves alive today descend from a small captive breeding program begun in the 1970s; managers use captive breeding and cross-fostering to try to maintain genetic diversity. - Lawmakers in Arizona have introduced bills to downgrade or remove federal protections, and officials have cited livestock depredation as a concern. Summary: The transfers represent another phase in a decades-long recovery effort that began with a 1970s captive breeding program and U.S. reintroductions in 1998. Agencies plan to release the two Durango packs from their enclosures in the coming weeks, while political debate over protections and limited genetic diversity remain part of the longer-term context.