The Wolf Conservation Center family just got a little bigger! Yesterday Mexican gray wolf F1226 arrived safe and sound after a seamless day of travel.

The 4-year-old is currently settling in adjacent to Mexican wolf M1133 (aka Rhett) to allow the pair to get to know one another through the enclosure’s dividing fence. They’ll be officially introduced to one another later this season in hope that they will make a valuable contribution to the recovery of their rare species by having pups this spring.

Genetic diversity is the primary consideration in the selection of Mexican wolf breeding pairs. The Species Survival Plan (SSP) management group for the Mexican gray wolf determines which wolves should be bred each year by using software developed for the population management of endangered species. This is necessary because all Mexican wolves descended from just 7 founders rescued from extinction.

We won’t know the outcome of their union until “pup season” in April or May. But in the meantime, throw back your head and let out a long welcoming howl for the newest member of the WCC family!