Read about efforts to restore Mexican gray wolves by the White Mountain Apache Tribe, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Paseo del Lobo relay hike on the Defenders of Wildlife blog.

by Craig Miller, Southwest Representative

One of the most interesting aspects of my job as Southwest Representative for Defenders of Wildlife is our collaborative work with the White Mountain Apache Tribe, focused on helping endangered Mexican gray wolves return to the landscape. What I’ve learned from working closely with tribal biologists, elders and Apache cowboys is that a much deeper connection between Apache people and the land is what drives their efforts to restore Mexican wolves, as well as Apache trout, Mexican spotted owls and the mountains, forests, lakes and streams that make up their home. In Apache, the word Shii ne’ means both mind and land — they are one and the same. To traditional Apaches, restoring wolves and taking care of the land is about much more than just preventing extinction or achieving sustainable use of resources. It is about restoring and maintaining harmony between mind and land.

These tribal lands are in the perfect place to help support Mexican wolf recovery by providing a vital link between two recovery areas.

by: Daniel Sayre, National Wolfwatcher Coalition's Southwest Regional Director

Land and wildlife, intertwined and inseparable. A discussion of Mexican gray recovery cannot be complete without the understanding that the preservation of habitat is the key to the recovery of the species. How we manage land and its resources, how we manage species, and how we manage competing interests will ultimately decide the fate of wolves.

Volunteers needed to hike, bike, join trail support teams, or help with special events!

Volunteers will be expected to serve as a positive spokesperson for Mexican wolf recovery, sharing your photographs and video experiences of the trail!

We will provide participants with a detailed map of their section, overview maps of the area, GPS unit with the trail track loaded, a first aid kit, satellite phone (for emergency uses), a digital camera, and hand-held video camera.  We will meet hikers or bikers at the trail head each morning at 9 am (unless another start time is pre-arranged and confirmed) and volunteers will meet you at the end of the trail section each afternoon for a shuttle back to your personal vehicle at the trail head.

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