Follow the Pack Update

Snow makes tracking easier (December 16)

Biologists looking for Mexican wolves without radio collars find their job easier when there is snow on the ground. It’s easier to see where a wolf crossed a snow-covered field than it is to find a line of wolf tracks across a grassy meadow. (See a photo of Mexican wolf tracks in the snow on the Wolf Spot page on this website.)

Scientists with the wolf project also hope for good snow cover when they count Mexican wolves from the air in mid-January each year. Wolves show up better against a snowy white background than they do against dry grass, rocks, or soil. Their gray, rust, black, and cream-colored fur acts as camouflage, making them harder to see when there is no snow.