Celebrating 25 Years of Mexican Gray Wolves Back in the Wild

2023 marks the 25th Anniversary of the reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves (lobos) into the wild in the American southwest. Predator eradication efforts nearly wiped them out, but through a carefully managed captive breeding effort and reintroduction program, lobos have been restored to parts of their former range in the southwestern US and Mexico. 

These rare southwestern native wolves have overcome many challenges in the race against extinction, including reaching a record of at least 241 wolves in Arizona and New Mexico by the end of 2022, but our work is not done to help them thrive and roam freely in the wild places where they belong. 

Join us and all of our conservation partners in celebrating lobos and learning what you can do to safeguard their future. 

Past Events and Resources

The Saga of El Lobo: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Return of the Lobo to the American Southwest

• March 16, 2023 at 12:30 pm MDT on Zoom
• Hosted by Project Coyote and The Rewilding Institute
• Join David Parsons, the original coordinator of Mexican gray wolf recovery for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for a historical account of the reintroduction of the first lobos into the southwest and the challenges faced over the last 25 years, including the two main threats to the population: limited genetic diversity and excessive human-caused mortality.
• Missed the webinar? Check out Notes from the Field from David Parsons for a personal account of the history of lobo reintroduction and what the future may hold for wild lobos and watch the recording here.

The Silver Anniversary: 25 Years Coexisting with Mexican Gray Wolves

• March 22, 2023 at 12 pm MDT on Zoom
• Hosted by Defenders of Wildlife
• This special event will celebrate the recovery of this iconic species. Join Defenders for a showcase of the successes and challenges along the path to restoration for Mexican gray wolves, as well as how we can coexist to help lobos survive and thrive.
• Missed the webinar? Watch the recording here.
• You can also check out these videos to learn more about Defenders of Wildlife and their work with lobos: The Past, The Present, The Future 

The Silver Anniversary: Celebrating 25 Years of Mexican Gray Wolves Back in the Wild

• March 25, 2023 from 10 am to 2 pm MST in the Stone House at the Phoenix Zoo
• Hosted by Defenders of Wildlife, the Center for Biological Diversity, Wolf Conservation Center, Wild Arizona, and Lobos of the Southwest
• Join Craig Miller from Defenders of Wildlife and Michael Robinson from the Center for Biological Diversity for special film screenings, a panel discussion about Mexican gray wolf recovery, and a guided trip to view the Mexican gray wolves at the Phoenix Zoo.
• Includes free admission to the Phoenix Zoo with proof of event registration. Registered guests must arrive by 10 am MST to receive complimentary Zoo tickets. 
• Registration is required, and seating is limited so be sure to register early! 
• Registration is closed, but please check out some of our other upcoming events!

The Story of Leadership and the Wisdom of the Wolf

• March 28, 2023 at 7 pm MST (Arizona) at the Shrine of the Ages Auditorium at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park
• Hosted by Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project
• The event is free with park admission.
• Join Sunny Dooley, a Diné/Navajo storyteller, for an evening of traditional storytelling that positively portrays the wolf and their leadership in nature to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first releases of Mexican gray wolves back into the wild in the southwest.
• Learn more here. The Story of Leadership and the Wisdom of the Wolf has passed, so stay tuned for more upcoming events!

Back to the Wolves: Exploring the Ethics of Captivity for Conservation

• March 29, 2023 at 3 pm MDT on Zoom
• Hosted by Wolf Conservation Center and Raincoast Conservation Foundation
• Join Regan Downey, Director of Education at the Wolf Conservation Center, for a special #LoboWeek session exploring the ethics of carefully managed breeding and reintroduction programs for Mexican gray wolf recovery in the US. The episode will also provide an opportunity to meet some of the wolves currently at the Wolf Conservation Center.
• Register for Wolf School here.
• Missed the event? You can catch up with all the Wolf School videos here.

25th Anniversary of Lobo Reintroduction: Celebration Film Screening of Almost Ancestors

• March 30, 2023 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm MDT at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building
• Hosted by New Mexico Wild, UNM Wild, and Lobos of the Southwest
• Join Sally Paez from New Mexico Wild, Dave Parsons from Project Coyote and The Rewilding Institute, Bryan Bird from Defenders of Wildlife, and Michael Robinson from the Center for Biological Diversity for talk about Mexican gray wolf recovery and a special screening of the groundbreaking short film Almost Ancestors. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Brišind and presented in the Hopi language with English subtitles, “Almost Ancestors” tells the parallel stories of displacement experienced by indigenous peoples and endangered Mexican gray wolves (lobos).
• Learn more here. The event has passed, so stay tuned for more upcoming events!

25 Years Back in the Wild: Mexican Wolf Genetics and the Losses Caused by Politicized Management

• April 12, 2023 from 12 pm to 1:30 pm MST (Arizona)/1 pm to 2:30 pm MDT on Zoom
• Hosted by the Center for Biological Diversity and Lobos of the Southwest
• Join Philip Hedrick, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Arizona State University, and Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity for a webinar focused on Mexican wolf genetics and the challenges to recovery created by ignoring the best available science.
• Missed the webinar? Check out a recording here!

25 Years of Lobos Back in the Wild: Celebrate The Silver Anniversary in Silver City!

• April 13, 2023 from 5 pm to 8 pm MDT at the Little Toad Creek Brewery in Silver City, New Mexico (200 N Bullard St. Silver City, NM 88061)
• Hosted by the Center for Biological Diversity, Upper Gila Watershed Alliance, and Lobos of the Southwest
• Join Michael Robinson from the Center for Biological Diversity and lobo advocates Jean and Peter Ossorio for a presentation about the past, present, and future of lobo recovery.
• Enjoy upbeat folk music by The Gypsy Carpenters and The Big Ditch Crickets!

Can’t attend an event? You can celebrate with us on social media using hashtags and tagging us and our partners:

#LoboWeek 

#25yearswild 

#silveranniversary

Tell us why you love lobos and why you care about their future. Tag us @Mexicangraywolves on Facebook, @MexicanWolves on Twitter, and @lobosofthesouthwest on Instagram! 

To help out with this, check out the social media resources provided by our friends at the Wolf Conservation Center.