The Mexican wolf is one of the most beautiful specimens that inhabit the country. His wild look, his characteristic coat and his demeanor make him a mammal loved by all. Unfortunately, it is currently one of the species in danger of extinction, a fact that highlights the consequences of climate change, among other important issues.

El lobo gris mexicano

The Mexican wolf is actually a subspecies of the gray wolf, also native to the Americas. Specifically, there are 30 subspecies of wolf in the northern part of the continent, this being the smallest of them all.

Thanks to these physical characteristics, the Mexican wolf can be distinguished by its thinness, presenting a slender, elongated complexion and even has a tail longer than its own body, making its slender shape more evident. This physical description could be roughly compared to that of a medium-sized dog.

This carnivorous mammal lives in different territories of the American geography. It can be found in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and even in Chihuahua.

Mexican wolf in danger of extinction

En México hay 4 categorías diferentes para identificar el estado de las especies de seres vivos: la categoría E significa que esa especie se ha catalogado como ”probablamente extinta en el medio silvestre”, la P sería ”endangered”, A would be a ”threatened” species and PR are species ”subject to special protection”.

Although the Mexican gray wolf has moved from category E to P as of 2019, sadly it is a somewhat bittersweet development for the scientific community. It has been the proposals carried out by CONANP (National Commission of Natural Protected Areas) for the conservation of the Mexican gray wolf species that have achieved this small but great improvement.

Thanks to the information shared by the Mexican government, we know what the initiatives of the Program for the Conservation of Species at Risk (PROCER) have consisted of, which are, among others, the following: release of specimens, births, monitoring of wildlife…

Mexican sea lion

This animal species shares its name with the Mexican wolf, but apart from that, there are few similarities between them. The sea lion, commonly known as the California sea lion or Zalophus Californianus, is a mammal that inhabits Baja California.

The difference between males and females is basically their size, the former being much larger. This animal is usually very friendly, and can even be seen in crowded areas near the coast.

In addition, it is considered a sentinel species: this type of animal is capable of retaining contaminants in its skin and using them to detect possible or future risks. Thanks to this, they are of great help in natural areas, providing relevant and vital information to preserve them.