Month: October 2016
Canis Lupus Meets Canis Spookus
Ambassador wolves Zephyr and Nikai don’t care for intruders, especially super spooky ones! We’re constantly trying to make sure that our ambassador wolves have interesting experiences. Their enclosures are spacious and have natural varied terrain, but we also try to provide them with enrichment – items or activities to stimulate them. It’s Halloween so the…
Read MoreAre “Frozen Zoos” the Future of Endangered Species Recovery?
WCC collecting Mexican wolf semen with Dr Asa Critically endangered Mexican gray wolves roam the wilds of New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico. They also live in captivity. But their future may lie in a “frozen zoo.” That’s the term of endearment scientists use for the bank of frozen wolf sperm and ovaries stored in cryogenic…
Read MoreWhen He Sings, He Gives Soul to the Universe
Ambassador wolf Atka has won the hearts and opened the minds of hundreds of thousands of people in his 14 years. He’s a powerful presence in the fight to preserve wolves’ rightful place in the environment, and for the Wolf Conservation Center staff and volunteers, the best boss we’ll ever have. We love you, Atka!
Read MoreEvidence of Success in Mexican Wolf Cross-Fostering Program
Because the entire existing Mexican wolf population descended from just seven founders rescued from extinction, genetic health is the primary consideration governing not only reproductive pairings, but also captive-to-wild release efforts. Although both components are equally critical to Mexican wolf recovery, release events are far less frequent than successful breeding. Unfortunately state politics have too…
Read MoreBeauty. Not beast. Vital. Not vicious.
“Autumn is a second spring when every wolf is a flower.” ~ Almost Albert Camus
Read MoreWhat Is the Red Wolf Telling Us?
A wolf’s eyes have the power to speak a great language. What do you suppose this critically endangered red wolf is saying?
Read MoreFour Decades After Listing, U.S. Court Mandates Recovery Plan for Endangered Mexican Wolves
Four decades after Endangered Species Act protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will finally have to complete a plan to recover the Mexican gray wolf. U.S. Judge Jennifer Zipps in the District of Arizona on Monday dismissed the concerns of ranchers and others and signed off on a settlement between environmental groups and the…
Read MoreUSFWS’s Controversial Red Wolf Decision Based On “Alarming Misinterpretations” of Science
The team of scientists who drafted the Population Viability Analysis (PVA) for the red wolf state in a letter that U. S. Fish Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) decision to pull almost all of the last remaining wild red wolves and place them in captivity was based on “many alarming misinterpretations” of their scientific analysis. “As the scientific team conducting the…
Read MoreBeauty. Not Beast. Vital. Not Vicious.
Beyond being beautiful, wolves are critical keystone species. By regulating prey populations, wolves enable many other species of plants and animals to flourish. Without predators, such as wolves, an ecosystem fails to support a natural level of biodiversity, and may cease to exist altogether. The recovery of the gray wolf after its eradication from Yellowstone…
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