State Representative Gail Griffin (R-19) demanded that the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) be removed from the Endangered Species List in a recent op-ed for the Eastern Arizona Courier, pointing to the toll on Arizona ranchers' livestock the animal has taken.
"As a representative of the great state of Arizona, I stand with our rural ranchers, families, and communities who are under siege by the Mexican wolf," State Rep. Griffin began, adding, "Often portrayed as a victim of human development and expansion, the Mexican wolf is a vicious predator that threatens our rural industries and way of life, stalking our livestock, children, and pets."
Rep. Griffin claims that the species has "hybridized with domestic dogs and coyotes" and "is not a pure breed," further stating that they have lost their fear of humans, which is "leading to dangerous encounters that put public safety at risk."
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Twenty-six cows and horses have been killed by the wolves in 2025, the Sierra Vista Representative further claimed, which is evidence of how "There are simply not enough natural sources of prey to sustain the wolf at current levels, forcing them to rely on other sources for food."
"Ninety percent of the historical range is in Mexico," Griffin continued. "Arizona ranchers shouldn't be responsible for carrying the burden."
Moreover, she suggested that the effort to restore the numbers and habitat of the Mexican wolf "is no longer about restoring populations to natural levels but rather is about money and control."
"Since "Cattle Free by '93," radical environmentalists have actively sought to push ranchers off the land, moving beyond mere forced coexistence to weaponizing our sympathy for the lonely wolf to turn this purely "experimental" and "non-essential" program into a multi-million-dollar anti-ranching industry, hurting American families and livelihoods in the process," said Griffin, pointing out the costs of the program, with each wolf costing anywhere between $500,000 to $1 million, even though the number of wild specimens "has exceeded the number that nature can naturally provide."
"To protect our communities and our way of life, we must stand up against this unfounded and unjust system," Griffin concluded. "Together, we can ensure that the voices of rural Arizona are heard and that our rights, communities, and livelihoods are protected."
