Late in April and early in May, the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro had a special reason to celebrate as it welcomed the arrival of two litters of red wolves, the world’s most endangered wolf species. The zoo announced that a total of nine pups were born, three to parents Marsh and Roan and six to Denali and May.
These litters were born as part of the American Red Wolf SAFE Program, which aims to save animals from extinction. Since all the puppies are potential candidates for release into the wild, they are being housed in a private area to minimize their exposure to humans and increase their chances of survival in their natural habitat.
The zoo shared footage of the litter of six puppies undergoing a 24-hour checkup to ensure their health and hydration. During the checkup, they are examined for heart murmurs and a cleft palate to ensure they can nurse properly. Each pup is also weighed and identified by its distinctive white blaze chest patch, and its sex is determined. The veterinary staff regularly monitors the litters every two weeks to ensure their well-being.
Red wolves, scientifically known as Canis rufus, were once found across the southeastern and south-central regions of the United States. However, their populations suffered a significant decline in the mid-20th century due to factors such as predator-control programs, habitat loss, and hybridization with coyotes. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are currently only 20 to 30 mature adult red wolves remaining in the wild, and their numbers continue to decrease.
The FWS states that approximately 15 to 17 red wolves roam their native habitats in eastern North Carolina as a nonessential experimental population, while around 235 red wolves are maintained in 49 Red Wolf SAFE facilities throughout the United States. The birth of these pups at the North Carolina Zoo represents a valuable contribution to the preservation of this critically endangered species.