Current:Home > StocksAwwww! Four endangered American red wolf pups ‘thriving’ since birth at Missouri wildlife reserve-InfoLens
Awwww! Four endangered American red wolf pups ‘thriving’ since birth at Missouri wildlife reserve
View Date:2024-12-23 14:11:31
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The world’s most endangered wolf species got a big boost at a Missouri wildlife reserve — four little puppies born this spring.
The April 26 birth of a female American red wolf pup named Otter was followed by a litter of three other pups — Molly and her brothers Finn and Obi — on May 4, the St. Louis Zoo announced Monday. All four were born at the zoo’s Sears Lehmann Jr. Wildlife Reserve, which sits about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. Zoo officials said all four are healthy and thriving.
The cuteness overload, however, won’t be open to the public. Visitors aren’t allowed so that the wolves learn natural behaviors and survival skills without much human interaction in case they can eventually be released into the wild, zoo officials said.
Otter was born to 8-year-old Lava and 9-year-old Tyke. The triplets were born to first-time parents Ladybird, age 3, and 8-year-old Wilber.
“When you consider how few red wolves remain, each birth is an achievement,” Sabarras George, director of the St. Louis Zoo WildCare Park, said in a news release.
The red wolf is the only large carnivore solely native to the United States. It’s smaller than a gray wolf, but larger than a coyote, according to the National Wildlife Federation. It differs in appearance from the gray wolf with reddish fur often found around its head, ears and legs.
The red wolf once ranged from central Pennsylvania to southeastern Texas. Populations were decimated by the early 20th century due to predator control programs and loss of habitat, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
Red wolves were declared extinct in the wild in 1980, but the Fish and Wildlife Service captured the remaining 14 and started a captive breeding program. The National Wildlife Federation said it became the first animal to be successfully reintroduced after being declared extinct in the wild. Today, the wild red wolves live in North Carolina’s Albemarle Peninsula.
Still, the numbers are small. About 20 live in the wild. Another 290 red wolves live in human care, including 17 at the St. Louis Zoo reserve.
In September, the Fish and Wildlife Service released an updated recovery plan that calls for spending nearly $328 million over the next half-century to get the red wolf off the endangered species list. The agency said at the time that the American red wolf can only survive with “significant additional management intervention.”
“Hunting, habitat loss and human misconceptions about wolves have all played a role in the plight of the red wolf today,” said Regina Mossotti, the zoo’s vice president of animal care. “But every new birth offers hope for future reintroduction efforts for this vital national treasure.”
Zoo officials said the pups will stay with their parents at least two years. After that, they may be sent to other institutions that are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ American Red Wolf Saving Animals From Extinction Program to start their own packs. They could also be released into the wild through the Fish and Wildlife Service, the zoo said.
veryGood! (92)
Related
- Research reveals China has built prototype nuclear reactor to power aircraft carrier
- How Marie Antoinette Shows the Royal's Makeup Practices: From Lead Poisoning to a Pigeon Face Wash
- On Chernobyl anniversary, Zelenskyy slams Russia for using nuclear power plants to blackmail Ukraine and the world
- Third convoy of American evacuees arrives safely at Port Sudan
- Why Suits' Gabriel Macht Needed Time Away From Harvey Specter After Finale
- See Vanessa Bryant and Daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri Honor Late Kobe Bryant at Handprint Unveiling
- Family Feud Contestant Arrested and Charged With Murdering Estranged Wife
- Can the SEC stand up to the richest man on the planet?
- Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
- China public holidays bring a post-COVID travel boom, and a boost for its shaky economic recovery
Ranking
- Food prices worried most voters, but Trump’s plans likely won’t lower their grocery bills
- Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: Take 50% Off Dermalogica, Clarins, Lancôme, and Ofra Cosmetics
- Facebook shrugs off fears it's losing users
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Shirtless Calvin Klein Ad Will Make You Blush
- Prosecutor failed to show that Musk’s $1M-a-day sweepstakes was an illegal lottery, judge says
- U.S. takes new steps to reduce migrant arrivals when Title 42 border rule ends in May
- Clubhouse says it won't be attending SXSW 2022 because of Texas' trans rights
- DeLorean is back (to the future) with an electric car, and some caveats
Recommendation
-
Amazon Black Friday 2024 sales event will start Nov. 21: See some of the deals
-
Russia blocks access to Facebook
-
The Patagonia vest endures in San Francisco tech circles, despite ridicule
-
King Charles' coronation crowns and regalia: Details on the Crown Jewels set to feature in the ceremony
-
Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
-
Taylor Swift Dropping 4 Previously Unreleased Songs in Honor of The Eras Tour Kickoff
-
'Love Me Tender' and poison pills: Unpacking the Elon Musk-Twitter saga
-
How period tracking apps and data privacy fit into a post-Roe v. Wade climate