Why were Mexican gray wolves released in Arizona beginning in 1998?

The release of Mexican gray wolves into eastern Arizona beginning in 1998 was a conservation effort aimed at reviving a subspecies that had been driven to the brink of extinction.12

During the 20th century, these wolves faced severe population depletion in the southwestern United States and Mexico due to human conflict. As natural prey like deer and elk declined and cattle populations grew, wolves began preying on livestock, leading to widespread eradication efforts. By the mid-20th century, the subspecies had largely disappeared from the United States. The reintroduction program was part of a joint initiative between the U.S. and Mexico to restore the species to its former range.21