Critically endangered male red wolf now at WNC Nature Center in hopes of reproducing
By Brittany Whitehead
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — A critically endangered red wolf was flown to Asheville on Nov. 20 and now resides at the WNC Nature Center.
Male red wolf “Ben” was born at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York in 2018, and since then lived there with his mother, father and siblings.
He came to the WNC Nature Center to join red wolves Karma and Garnet there, who arrived at the nature center in 2018 but did not successfully reproduce during their time there.
Because red wolves are critically endangered, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan program recommended that a new breeding pair of red wolves be transferred to the WNC Nature Center.
Garnet, a male, was transferred to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, in September. Karma, a female, will be leaving the WNC Nature Center in the spring 2022 to be transferred elsewhere. Until she leaves, however, Ben will be placed with Karma for companionship.
“Ben is a favorite at the Wolf Conservation Center,” said Rebecca Bose, curator at WCC in New York. “We’re excited to be able to fly him down here first class where he will meet his new mate, start a new life, and hopefully have some puppies of his own!”
Ben’s transition will take place over the coming months as he acclimates and after he successfully quarantines.
In October, US Fish and Wildlife estimated that there are only 15 to 17 red wolves living in the wild in Eastern North Carolina. And there are 241 red wolves living under human care in places like the WNC Nature Center. The WNC Nature Center has been involved with the American Red Wolf Recovery Program since 1990, when it began exhibiting red wolves for the first time.
Between 1996 and 2014, 13 pups have been born at the Nature Center.
While there is a long road ahead for the species’ ultimate recovery, Oldread is cautiously optimistic about the Nature Center’s role. “We’re proud to be part of the Species Survival Plan program for red wolves, and we’re hopeful that our new red wolves will be able to reproduce successfully in the future to have offspring that could potentially be released in the wild and help grow the population.”
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