My last post about red wolves ended on the topic of re-introduction into the wild. In 1987, four breeding pairs were released at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR), located in eastern North Carolina. This was a monumental step in the recovery program for the species; if these 8 individuals were successful at holding territories and reproducing, there was a good chance that a wild population of red wolves could be established once again. To improve the odds ofRead more
Posts tagged: #red wolf
Land purchase completes Alligator river preservation!
Just a quick note about a small story with big implications for some species that live at the Museum. The recent purchase of about 5000 acres along the Alligator River in eastern North Carolina means that the entire shoreline of this important habitat is now protected. Alligator River is the only river in North Carolina with this type of total protection. Since 1984 Federal, State and private organizations like the Nature Conservancy have pieced together over 250,000 acres to formRead more
Red Wolf Recovery: The Beginning
In my first post about red wolf history, I ended on the topic of red wolf-coyote hybrids and how they were identified from full-blooded red wolves. Since DNA testing was not available in the 1970’s, biologists used skull comparisons as a way of removing hybrids from the remaining red wolf population so that a breeding program could be started. The recovery program was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), but they needed a place to start theRead more
Red Wolf Award
Two weeks ago I received thanks from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) for the Museum’s involvement in the red wolf recovery program. In 2007 the Red Wolf Recovery Program won top honors from AZA: The North American Conservation Award is presented annually by AZA, and is described by AZA as: The Association of Zoos and Aquariums names conservation as its highest priority, and recognizes exceptional efforts by AZA Institution, Related Facility or Conservation Partner members toward regional habitatRead more
Red Wolf History
So far, we have written several posts about our red wolves here. While most of them have discussed our wolves’ health, we have also shown some video of great interactions with enrichment, as well as talking about their annual physicals. However, there is an abundance of information to be shared about this critically endangered species, and a good place to start is with their history. Red wolves (picture left) used to be one of the only large predators in theRead more
Difficult Decision: Red Wolf #1389
I last wrote about Red Wolf #1389 a few days before Christmas, exactly two months ago. He had torn ligaments in a leg, and had some other issues pop up, but he seemed to be hanging in there. (To read the complete post, click here). A lot has happened since then. He tore ligaments in another leg, and additional radiographs (x-rays) showed not only the tears, but also extensive arthritis. The last two months have been spent watching him, medicatingRead more