▁and ▁phys i ographic ▁data . ▁The ▁areas ▁described ▁co inci de ▁with ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁the ▁Mad re an ▁p ine - o ak ▁wood lands , ▁a ▁habitat ▁which ▁supports ▁Cou es ’ ▁white - ta iled ▁de er ▁( O doc o ile us ▁vir gin ian us ▁cou esi ) ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁Mexican ▁w olf ' s ▁main ▁pre y . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁there ▁are ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 4 3 ▁Mexican ▁wol ves ▁living ▁wild ▁in ▁Mexico , ▁Arizona , ▁and ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁There ▁are ▁ 2 4 0 ▁in ▁capt ive ▁bre eding ▁programs ▁in ▁the ▁USA ▁and ▁Mexico . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Mexican ▁w olf ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁high ▁regard ▁in ▁Pre - Col umb ian ▁Mexico , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁war ▁and ▁the ▁Sun . ▁In ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Te ot ih u ac an , ▁it ▁was ▁common ▁practice ▁to ▁cross bre ed ▁Mexican ▁wol ves ▁with ▁dogs ▁to ▁produce ▁temper amental , ▁but ▁loyal , ▁animal ▁guard ians . ▁Wol ves ▁were ▁also ▁sacrific ed ▁in ▁religious ▁rit uals , ▁which ▁involved ▁quarter ing ▁the ▁animals ▁and ▁keeping ▁their ▁heads ▁as ▁att ire ▁for ▁pri ests ▁and ▁war riors . ▁The ▁remaining ▁body ▁parts ▁were ▁depos ited ▁in ▁under ground ▁fun er ary ▁ch amb ers ▁with ▁a ▁w ester ly ▁orientation , ▁which ▁symbol ized ▁reb irth , ▁the ▁Sun , ▁the ▁under world ▁and ▁the ▁can id ▁god ▁X