Ben Edmonds, reviewing for Rolling Stone in June 1971, felt that the band and singer Ian Hunter had moved on from the Bob Dylan comparisons of the first two albums, and had added a country music influence, to produce an album with "more than enough solid music" to warrant some attention in America.

[1] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album four stars out of five and stated:Since they had little success and seemed to be going off the tracks, Mott the Hoople was encouraged to produce their third album with anyone that wasn't Guy Stevens.

Eventually, they chose themselves, creating a record that is bright and punchy, standing in direct contrast to Mad Shadows' enveloping fog.

They wound up with Wildlife, a record that still seems a little transitional, yet is considerably more confident, unified, and enjoyable.

[3]In 2018, as part of a boxed set of Island era material, "Whiskey Women" was issued under its original title of "Brain Haulage".