Red Wolf Gives Birth to Five Pups in a Wildlife Refuge, Brings Hope to Their Critically Endangered Species

In Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina, five red wolf pups composed of three females and two males were born in early April. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Recovery Program (RWRP), this extremely rare litter of red wolf is the second to be born in five years.

In 2022, a litter of pups were born from the mother wolf known as 2225 and father wolf known as 2323, the first documented wild births since 2017. The pups from the first litter stayed with their parents and are expected to help in raising their new siblings.

Conservationists were confident that a sixth pup can be added to the family because of the success of the parents in raising the first litter and the support given by the older pups. Because of this, they decided to introduce a captive-bred male pup few weeks after the second litter was born. This new pup which was born at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Washington state was gladly adopted by the parent wolves.

The family is now composed of 13 individuals which is considered as the largest known group of red wolf in the wild. Representative of RWRP expressed that the new litter brings joy and celebration since every generation of red wolf yields a new hope in recovering their species.

Saving the Red Wolf Population

Zoos across North America are currently home to 270 captive red wolves. Conservationists introduce them into the wild by releasing the adult wolves or by encouraging adoption of pups into the wild packs. This action is an important step in increasing the genetic diversity of wolves in the wild. It also prevents inbreeding which endangers their survival due to certain genetic conditions.

Red wolves (Canis rufus) used to live exclusively in North Carolina, but they once travelled across southeast and south-central U.S. in packs. However, human activities, such as hunting and destruction of wolf habitat, have driven the population of red wolves. Hybridization with coyotes has also added to the problem.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, red wolves are listed as critically endangered. Only 20 to 30 of them are presently found in the wild, excluding the new pups.

Scientists consider cloning as a future solution in increasing the population of red wolves. In September 2022, an Arctic wolf pup was successfully cloned by a group of scientists in China after being born to a surrogate mother.

Threat to U.S. Wildlife

Red wolves are not the only wildlife species in the U.S., struggling to survive in our modern times. Conservation group NatureServe reports that 40% of animals and 34% of plant species in the U.S. are facing the threat of extinction. It also reveals that 41% of ecosystems in the country could collapse in the future.

Snails are animals that are most at risk, followed by freshwater mussels, crayfish, and shrimps. The vulnerability of freshwater species is caused by a rise in waterway pollution. In the broader groups of major animals, amphibians are on the top of the list, followed by fish, reptiles, and mammals.