Episode 162: Inside Dave Parsons’ Battle to Bring Back El Lobo and the Decades of Carnivore Advocacy That Followed

By: Jack Humphrey

November 28, 2025

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Dave is retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where from 1990-1999 he led the USFWS’s effort to reintroduce the endangered Mexican gray wolf to the American Southwest. His interests include the ecology and conservation of large carnivores, protection and conservation of biodiversity, and wildlands conservation at scales that fully support ecological and evolutionary processes.

Dave is the Carnivore Conservation Biologist and a member of the Board of Directors of The Rewilding Institute; a former member of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance; a founding member of the Science Advisory Board of Project Coyote; and a former graduate advisor in the Environmental Studies master’s degree program at Prescott College. Dave serves as a science and policy advisor for organizations and coalitions advocating for wolf recovery and landscape-scale conservation in the Southwest.

In Episode 162, Jack Humphrey talks with Dave Parsons, the pioneering biologist behind the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program, to reflect on 51 years of conservation work, political challenges, and the ongoing fight for ecologically meaningful wildlife populations. From the rocky beginnings of wolf reintroduction in the American Southwest to the broader struggles facing wolves and wildlands across the United States, Dave shares behind-the-scenes stories, hard-won lessons, and advice for the next generation of conservationists. The conversation also explores the emotional impact of wild places, the importance of public engagement, and the need for both inside and outside advocacy to protect our natural heritage.

Topics Covered:

• The origins and challenges of the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program
• Legal battles and political obstacles in wildlife conservation
• The role of science vs. politics in endangered species management
• Public engagement and the emotional power of wild experiences
• The status and struggles of wolf populations in the U.S.
• The importance of ecologically effective populations, not just survival
• Land use, public vs. private ownership, and rewilding efforts
• Lessons from international conservation (e.g., Mexico, Brazil, Argentina)
• The impact of administration changes on conservation progress
• Advice for aspiring conservationists and the value of integrity in agency work
• The ongoing need for collaboration between government and advocacy groups

Extra Credit

• Read: The Saga of the Mexican Gray Wolf (el Lobo)
• Read more of Dave’s articles here at Rewilding.org