Month: December 2019
Wolves are essential, and so are you.
For 20 years, and with your help every step of the way, the Wolf Conservation Center has fought to protect wolves and restore them to their rightful places in our landscapes, in our hearts, and in our culture. This season, we are giving thanks to you for following along on our journey. We believe every…
Read MoreAfter 46 Years of Saving Endangered Species, the ESA Needs Your Voice
When President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) into law forty-six years ago today, he said, “Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” The ESA was passed because Americans believed that protecting our wildlife was an obligation to…
Read MoreWily? More Like Wary – Eastern Coyote Flees From Deer
Are coyotes threatening deer populations? It’s a hotly debated topic, but studies indicate coyotes do not perform the same ecological role as wolves, meaning their impact on ungulate populations varies. Though coyotes are known to eat deer, they often consume them by scavenging on carcasses. When hunting, coyotes are actually far more often consuming small…
Read MoreYellowstone Streams Recovering Thanks to Wolves
A reminder of the important role wolves, and other large predators, play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. As Mother Nature’s wildlife managers, wolves regulate prey populations to enable many other species of plants and animals to flourish. Initiating these trickle-down effects can improve ecosystem function and resilience, as evidenced by the return of wolves to Yellowstone…
Read MoreSenate Bill Seeks to Remove Federal Protections for Gray Wolves Nationwide
The holiday season is supposed to be about peace, joy, and compassion for all living beings, but before leaving the capital for the holidays on Friday, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced legislation to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across the continental United States. Co-sponsored by Republican Senators Steve Daines of Montana,…
Read MoreWolf Conservation Center Welcomes New Mexican Gray Wolf to the Pack!
The Wolf Conservation Center family just got a little bit bigger (and heavier)! Last week, Mexican gray wolf Valentia (also known as Valli or F1538) arrived at the WCC from a US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) facility in New Mexico. Weighing in at 76 lbs, the voluptuous beauty is officially the largest female Mexican…
Read MoreSummary of WCC’s Red Wolf and Mexican Gray Wolf Breeding Plans/Transfers
Dear Friends, The Wolf Conservation Center participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for two critically endangered wolf species, the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus). The Mexican gray wolf and the red wolf are among the rarest mammals in North America; both species were at one time extinct…
Read MorePredator Conservation: How to Turn Humans from Enemies into Allies
Around the world, populations of iconic predators – mammals such as gray wolves, jaguars, tigers, African lions, and brown bears, along with sharks – are declining. While those species are suffering for a variety of reasons, one of the main sources of mortality is human in origin. Scientists and policy-makers have concluded that promoting human tolerance is…
Read MoreEndangered Mexican Gray Wolf Found Dead – Eleven Known Mortalities in 2019
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) announced in the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program Monthly Update that a critically endangered Mexican gray wolf – an uncollared wolf – was found dead in New Mexico last month. The incident is under investigation. There have been a total of eleven documented wolf mortalities from January 1, 2019 to November…
Read MoreU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Transfer of Red Wolves to Recovery Area in North Carolina
Two Red Wolf Brothers Chosen for Wild Trace Back to the Wolf Conservation Center The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has announced their intent to transfer two critically endangered red wolf males from St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge to North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. These two brothers can trace their roots to…
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