Cross-Country Wolf Exchange Aims to Rebuild Critically Endangered Population
Recently, Durham’s Museum of Life and Science participated in a red wolf swap. Here’s what you need to know.
On Wednesday, the Museum of Life and Science in Durham and the Wolf Conservation Center in New York participated in a “wolf swap,” in the hopes of eventually rebuilding the red wolf population. The species is currently classified as “critically endangered,” which means they’re on the verge of extinction. As of writing, only 300 or so red wolves are still alive, and most of those live in captivity.
As part of the exchange, the Museum of Life and Science sent a mother and father red wolf, along with their three pups, to the Wolf Conservation Center to give the family a larger space to roam, which will hopefully encourage the parents to reproduce again. The Conservation Center sent a breeding pair of wolves to Durham for the same purpose. WRAL noted that this species of wolves is federally protected, so decisions around breeding efforts are made carefully to help with genetic preservation.
Pilots to the Rescue, an organization that, among other things, flies “animals from critical situations to safety, ultimately saving lives,” transported the red wolves between Durham and New York. Speaking about the partnership, Senior Director of Animal Care at the Museum of Life and Science, Sherry Samuels, said, “The Museum of Life and Science is proud to partner with Pilots to the Rescue in moving seven Red Wolves across the country. Having Pilots to the Rescue join our conservation efforts to save the Red Wolf shows how broad support for America’s wolf goes.”
Michael Schneider, who is the founder of PTTR and its chief pilot and executive director, said, “It’s a privilege that we get to transport these wolves and pups and help move the needle in terms of repopulating these critically endangered wolves.” He added, “As you can imagine, these wolves can’t go on commercial cargo. They can’t go on a plane — it’s too stressful, and they can’t go on the road.” PTTR ensured the wolves were comfortable for the duration of the trip and that they delivered safely to their respective locations.
Typically, around two to three years are needed for wolves to bond and reproduce, so it will take some time for the animals to get settled in their new environments.
The red wolf population has been slowly dwindling for years
Red wolves once thrived in the southeastern region of the country. Over time, though, the population has been steadily eliminated by humans. In the 1700s, bounties were awarded for wolves in North Carolina after they were viewed as a threat to other animals, including livestock, deer, and big game. Eventually, bounties transformed into government-sponsored programs designed to hunt and kill these natural predators. The red wolf population was essentially wiped out in almost every region aside from small ranges in Louisiana and Texas. Nowadays, eastern North Carolina is the only place where wild-roaming red wolves still live.
They were eventually listed as an endangered species in 1966 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act, and a few years later, in 1969, the US government began captive breeding programs to prevent red wolves from going extinct. Those efforts are still ongoing, and this recent wolf swap will hopefully create a lasting, positive impact for these majestic creatures.
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