The Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project works for the recovery of the Mexican gray wolf. To do this we:
EDUCATE our communities by sharing our knowledge of the importance of wolves in healthy ecosystems, through public events and presentations in local schools
MOTIVATE the public to learn about, care for, and respect wolves and their habitats
ACTIVATE our neighbors and supporters to address government agencies in support of wolf recovery
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MEXICAN WOLF?
For more than 10,000 years the Grand Canyon region was home to wolves. But during the 1900s, wolves were eliminated from the western landscape, and by 1970, no wild Mexican wolves remained in the United States.
In 1976, the Mexican wolf was placed on the endangered species list. To prevent extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established a captive breeding program hoping to return the wolves to parts of their historic range. In 1998, eleven Mexican wolves were released from captivity into the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area in eastern Arizona.
Over 20 years have passed since they were first returned to the wild, yet the Mexican wolf is still the rarest of all gray wolves.
For a secure future, the Mexican wolf needs more room to roam and establish new packs. The large open landscapes of the Grand Canyon region can provide that room and will be an important part of their full recovery from near extinction.
The Grand Canyon region is perfect habitat for wolves because:
The region has millions of acres of public land.
Grand Canyon National Park, where animals are protected, is part of the region.
There is an abundance of elk and deer as a food source for wolves.
The region is connected to where wolves now live in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area. If allowed, wolves will disperse naturally to the Grand Canyon region.
There are few roads.
We all depend on natural ecosystems. Each plant and animal is important. Join us and together we will restore the balance.