2009 Red Wolf SSP meeting

Sunday is the beginning of this year’s red wolf SSP meeting. This year it is in Tacoma, WA. At last year’s meeting in Chattanooga, we learned that our “brother” wolves would be moving on and that we would be getting two new wolves, a male and a female that we hoped would breed. The photo is of red wolf 1390. He was crated and driven to his new home last September.

This year’s meeting should be interesting, as they always are, but a few things are sticking out for me right now:

First, due to the economy, I am not sure how many participants will be there. I am hoping many institutions will send representatives, but I think the meeting will only have a small group of folks. (I am very fortunate to be able to attend!)

Second, there have been several wolf facility building or relocation projects that have been in the works, and funding may have come through on some. I am really interested to hear what the status is on these projects.

Finally, wolves typically don’t get moved from institutions after just one year. If you had asked me a few months ago I would have said I am really confident that our current wolves will stay with us again next year and hopefully be more successful during breeding season. The reason why I hesitate is that there is a chance that the mass that was removed from our female red wolf in June could have something to do with her ability to conceive. (Last week I dropped of blood samples with Dr. Breitschwerdt, a world expert on a subspecies of the bartonella bacteria that was discovered in the mass removed from wolf #1227). If it is learned that this female is unable to conceive, our male, who is genetically very valuable, will likely get a new mate so he can attempt to breed next year.

I’ll write and update you upon my return from the meeting, but if there are particular questions you have, leave them in the comment section and I will try and get the answers.

Leave a Reply