Wolfwatcher's #LoboWeek Challenge

Missing from the landscape for more than 30 years, the howl of the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) can once again be heard in the mountains of the southwestern United States. The Mexican wolf, like many species protected by the Endangered Species Act, is getting a second chance to play its role in nature as a result of the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program. However, there are many challenges to recovery efforts that cause us to wonder about the future of this endangered wolf in the wild.

Between 1976 and 1980, the last five Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) in the wild were captured and relocated to facilities to begin a breeding program intended to produce a population that one day would be reintroduced to the wild. Since that time, the program has seen many up and downs, but today a small wild population of Mexican wolves exists thanks to the work of the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan. The MWSSP supports the reestablishment of the Mexican wolf in the wild through captive breeding, public education and research.

The Species Survival Plan (SSP) is a cooperative project between the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA and other entities such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Fish and Game Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and many others. A critical component of this team is the list of facilities which houses the captive population of the Mexican wolves from which the releasable animals are produced.

This month marks the 15th Anniversary that this critically endangered wolf is getting a second chance to play its role in nature.  To help show support for this magnificent creature at a critical time, we are encouraging our supporters to take an active interest in learning more about Mexican gray wolves and the efforts underway to restore them to their natural home during #LoboWeek – March 23rd-30th.

Take Wolfwatcher’s #LoboWeek Photo Challenge:

In addition to reading more about the lobo via posts on Wolfwatcher’s Facebook page and other sites, we invite you to visit one of the preeminent Mexican gray wolf SSP facilities around the nation.  During your visit, we know there will be plenty of opportunities to observe lobos and take some fabulous photos, too.

Wolfwatcher’s #LoboWeek Photo Challenge

• Send a photo of yourself and/or LOBO(S) taken during your visit during LoboWeek at one of the SSP facilities  or in the wild to  info@wolfwatcher.org .
• Be sure to tell us your name, your location, your contact information, and the name of the facility or ‘wild’ location you visited.
• We will display as many photos as we can on our Facebook page.
• The best 3 photo winners will be sent a Lobo T-shirt designed exclusively for #LoboWeek by Wolfwatcher’s Chris Cross, whose images have been created at the request of many natural history associations and can be found in national park stores across America.

(NOTE: All Wolfwatcher Board members and Advisory members are excluded from the contest. Only entries from the general public will be accepted.)

Lobo logo for shirt created by CD Cross.

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