A New Chapter Opens for an Endangered Red Wolf
Today we open a new chapter in the life of red wolf F2074, a special gal affectionately nicknamed “Gracie” by the Wolf Conservation Center‘s webcam community. The one-year-old has left her family nest to embark on what we hope will be an exciting and romantic adventure!
Every summer, the Species Survival Plan (SSP) management group for the red wolf determines the program’s breeding pairs. Wolves are “mono-estrus” – breeding only once a year during the winter months. Hence, winter can be an exciting time for wolves in North America, the WCC, and this year for red wolf F2074 (Gracie) too!
Although Gracie will be missed, we are excited for her and eager to follow her future endeavors. The special wolf stands out from the rest. Due to a bone deformity, her rear leg is misshapen and gives her an uneven gait. What makes her stand out the most, however, is not her appearance, but her role as a babysitter, a jester, and an emissary of her species by unknowingly making the lives of all who watched her a little brighter, goofier, and more wild.
Good luck, kiddo!