The Saint Louis Zoo is excited to announce the arrival of four American red wolf pups at its Wildlife Reserve in Franklin County this spring. These pups are part of the most endangered wolf species on the planet.
One female pup named Otter was born on April 26 to parents Lava, 8, and Tyke, 9. Both Lava and Tyke were brought to the Wildlife Reserve in late 2023 from the Wolf Conservation Center in New York State.
On May 4, three more pups—Molly, Finn, and Obi—were born to parents Ladybird, 3, and Wilber, 8. Ladybird was transferred from the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, while Wilber came from Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park in Florida.
All four pups underwent their initial checkups in late June and are reported to be healthy and thriving.
The 355-acre Wildlife Reserve was established by the zoo in 2022 to aid in the preservation of critically endangered American species. Peggy Lehmann generously donated the land to the zoo in 1993 to honor her late husband, Sears Lehmann Jr.
Currently, only about 20 American red wolves (Canis rufus) remain in the wild, located exclusively in eastern North Carolina. At one time, red wolves inhabited the southern and eastern United States, from Texas to Missouri to New York.
Tragically, the last sighting of a red wolf in Missouri was in the 1950s. The species was declared extinct in the wild in 1980.
A red wolf is the largest carnivore native solely to the United States. These wolves weigh around 65 pounds, less than gray wolves, and are recognizable by their reddish fur around the head, ears, and legs.
To protect the natural behaviors and survival skills of the red wolves, the Wildlife Reserve is closed to the public, and staff interaction with the wolves is restricted. The ultimate goal is to ensure the safety of the red wolves until they are ready for potential release into the wild.
The young red wolves will stay with their parents for two years before potentially being transferred to other partnering facilities for breeding and establishing their own packs.
As of May 2024, there are approximately 290 red wolves in human care.
