The two new self-proclaimed alphas find a suitable territory to start a family of their own. The main threat to wolf population is loss of habitat due to human settlement as well as legal and illegal hunting. Wolves are currently protected under the Endangered Species Act in the United States except Alaska. The red wolf gray wolf are listed as endangered in the lower 48 states except for Minnesota where the gray wolf is listed as threatened. Stable throughout Canada and Alaska.
Smaller populations exist in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Montana.
Reintroduction has been considered successful in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park. The Mexican wolf is the most endangered as it was the target of a deliberate trapping and poisoning campaign carried out in the early part of the 20th century by the federal government because they were considered pests. Even with captive breeding programs in place, the numbers are very low . Efforts are currently underway to restore Mexican gray wolves to public lands in Arizona and New Mexico but this is still under review . Red wolf reintroduction efforts in The Great Smoky Mountains was called to a halt in October of 1998 due to an insufficient prey base.