Thursday, April 1, 2010

Sandy Ridge entertainer moves to Jacksonville Zoo

Staff working at Sandy Ridge, the Red Wolf Recovery Program's captive-breeding facility at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, have been substantially less entertained as of late. On February 8, 2010, a male red wolf (SB#1390), known for antics ranging from strutting around and chewing on trees in an attempt to display his toughness to playing a game of "keep away" with an unsuspecting biologist’s backpack, was sent to the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida. There he will be paired with his new lady-friend and put on display to share his antics with a wider audience than just refuge staff. The captive-breeding facility at Sandy Ridge is part of the Species Survival Plan® Program, and as such, is involved in an annual transfer of red wolves among zoos and facilities across the nation for breeding purposes and to maximize genetic diversity of the species. -- Ryan

2 comments:

  1. Besides "antics ranging from strutting around and chewing on trees in an attempt to display his toughness to playing a game of "keep away" with an unsuspecting biologist’s backpack" how did male wolf (SB#1390) behave around the other wolves?

    -Jason V Lombardi

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  2. Thank you for your comment, Jason. During his stay at Sandy Ridge, SB#1390 was kept in a pen with his male sibling, SB#1391. The two wolves appeared to get along with one another very well. -- RN

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