Gray Wolves and Mexican Wolves A Canid Comparison
In a previous blog, I mentioned how I thought I heard wolves up at my friend’s cabin in the White Mountains on the Mogollon Rim. Later, on a visit to my hometown of Peoria, Illinois, I went with a friend to the Prairie View Wildlife Park. This park features native animals, and the first enclosure had wolves. I saw three wolves of various colors: white, gray, and black.
I don’t remember the wolves in Arizona having such varied coat colors. Are they the same subspecies? Of course not!
Subspecies and Regional Differences
The wolves in the Illinois park are gray wolves (Canis lupus). In Arizona, the subspecies is the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi). Mexican wolves have specifically adapted to the hot, dry habitat found in the southwestern US and northern Mexico. They are an endangered species, and several reintroduction programs are actively in progress.
The appearance of the Mexican gray wolf is notably different from the Illinois gray wolf. Unfortunately, Mexican gray wolves don’t have solid black or white coats. Instead, their mix of gray, brown, and black is very attractive and provides effective camouflage. They also possess unique facial patterns that allow for the identification of individuals.
While Illinois doesn’t currently have a breeding wolf population, these canids are starting to work their way back into the state. Maybe someday, Illinois will have its own packs of breeding wolves.
A Wolfish Chorus
While watching the wolves at the park, I commented to my friend how much I enjoy hearing my neighborhood coyotes singing along with the police and fire sirens. A little while later, a siren went off near the Prairie View Wildlife Park. We couldn’t figure out what the siren was for since the park is out in the middle of nowhere and it wasn’t the day for the weekly tornado siren test. Despite our puzzlement, we were delighted to hear the wolves sing along, just as I predicted they would!
Someday, I hope to see Arizona’s beautiful Mexican wolves in the wild, at a respectful distance, of course.
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