We're back!

As many of you know, the Red Wolf Recovery Program, National Wildlife Refuges, and many, many other government agencies were closed for several weeks during October as part of the lapse in funding and subsequent government shutdown. We are very grateful to our partners and all the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (RWSSP) sites for continuing to provide lots of good information and updates to our supporters. We know we missed a lot of opportunities to promote red wolf conservation and events, including Wolf Awareness Week 2013 (October 13-19).  We are still catching up from missed time, but we just wanted to thank everyone for their continued support!  

Fall is a busy time for the field and RWSSP staff.  Many of the captive wolves are receiving their annual physical examinations, and transfers are occurring throughout the sites in order to create new potential red wolf mating pairs for upcoming mating season.  These matches were discussed and finalized at the 2013 Annual Red Wolf SSP meeting this past July.   

Starting this week, the Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival is hosting numerous events from October 22-27, 2013 in northeastern North Carolina including Red Wolf 101, a program offered by the Red Wolf Coalition at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Education and Healthcare Facility in Columbia, North Carolina, as well as a Red Wolf Howling Safari, occurring on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.  Both of these events are Wednesday, Oct. 23.  If you’re interested in participating, you can register and view the schedule online.   

We’re have more news soon including the RWSSP of the month, field updates, and news from the Red Wolf Research Implementation Team.  Stay tuned!

Red Wolf Summer Activities

 Photo: USFWS

 

Looking for a fun summer activity?  The Red Wolf Recovery Program offers you the opportunity to learn more about red wolves at the only place in the world where they still exist in the wild! Summer howling events take place every Wednesday night through August at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at the designated time at the Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot for a chance to hear the harmonious howl of this endangered species.

-No Registration Required
-Summer Howlings cost $7 per person (bring cash, check, Visa, or MasterCard).
-Children 12 and under are FREE!

For more details on what to bring and directions, please visit our website: Red Wolf Howling Events
Here’s a sample what you might hear: Red Wolf Howling recording

 Photo: B. Bartel/USFWS

There are also numerous educational and recreational events offered by the Red Wolf Coalition at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Education and Healthcare Facility in Columbia, North Carolina. Programs like Talk Like a Red Wolf, Red Wolf 101, or Red Wolf Kids are great for families or small groups interested in an introduction to red wolves, their lives and their conservation. 

Please visit the Red Wolf Coalition’s Calendar of Events site to learn more about the various events and the dates/times they are scheduled, and to reserve seats for your family or group. Please note that reservations are required for those wishing to attend an event. Finally, please be sure to check the Event Policies for important information about attendance at red wolf programs.

Red Wolf Healthcare and Education Facility update: pollinator garden and tours!

Back in September, some of the staff of the Red Wolf Recovery Program teamed with the Red Wolf Coalition to enhance the space at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Healthcare and Education Facility in Columbia, North Carolina. Last fall was an exciting time as the wolf enclosures were completed and the bleachers were installed.  To create additional habitat for other species and to provide educational opportunities on local ecosystems more generally, our assistant coordinator, Becky, designed a native pollinator garden. 

Why are pollinators important?  Pollinators are nearly as significant as sunlight, soil and water to the reproductive success of over 75% of the world's flowering plants. They are crucial to the production of most fruits, nuts and berries on which people and wildlife depend.  


If you're interested in planting a pollinator garden, but aren't sure what plant species are native to your area, you can use these guides.

With a lot of fundraising through the Red Wolf Coalition, and some manual labor from the Red Wolf Recovery Program’s biologists, Chris and Ford, and John of the Division of Migratory Birds, we installed a space for the plants and installed rain barrels and soaker hoses to allow the garden to be self-maintaining.  We were lucky enough to have some help planting too—Rebecca Harrell’s 8^th grade science classes at Columbia Middle School were great plant caretakers!  Together, we planted 85 plants, all native the southeast.

 Garden freshly mulched in October 2012.

Garden progress in May 2013.

Today, the garden is flourishing, including flowering tickseed, columbine, native sunflowers, blueberries, milkweeds, and many other species. While we did lose a handful of individual plants this winter, the majority of the plants are flowering and thriving.  Thank you to everyone who made this effort possible!

In other good news, beginning in June 2013, the Red Wolf Coalition will host a number of educational and recreational events at the Red Wolf Education and Healthcare Facility. These events are great for families or small groups interested in an introduction to red wolves, their lives and their conservation. 

Please visit the Red Wolf Coalition’s Calendar of Events site to learn more about the various events and the dates/times they are scheduled, and to reserve seats for your family or group. Please note that reservations are required for those wishing to attend an event. Finally, please be sure to check the Event Policies for important information about attendance at red wolf programs.

More photos will be posted on our Facebook page as plants bloom!