Visit from RWSSP Advisors/PDZA and disease project update

Last year, the Red Wolf Recovery Program and Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (RWSSP) partners from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA; Tacoma, WA) received multiple grants from for projects that will further the conservation of the endangered red wolf.   The Conservation Committee (ConCom) awards grants annually to a variety of conservation and research programs worldwide, and is supported by generous contributions from PDZA, Point Defiance Zoo Society, and the Point Defiance American Association of Zoo Keepers chapter.  

One of the funded proposals aims to develop a canid disease monitoring plan.  This winter, Louisiana State University graduate student, Kristin, has been collecting ectoparasites from wild red wolves and coyotes captured in northeastern North Carolina.  These samples are part of a larger study examining red wolf immunocompetence, but she has also taken this opportunity to expand assess our knowledge of disease occurrence and frequency in red wolves, and the efficacy of current red wolf vaccination programs.  The next step is to perform initial synthesis and evaluation to provide an understanding of recovery needs and identify knowledge gaps related to red wolf disease risks and the utility of preventive care applications.  To assist this process, Will, the RWSSP Coordinator, and Dr. Karen, the Veterinarian Advisor (both at PDZA) visited the Red Wolf Recovery Area last month to help with the review.

Art and Cameron restrain wolf while Dr. Karen and Will examine her.

Dr. Karen examines restrained wolf

While they were in town, Dr. Karen was able to examine several captive animals as well as recently captured wild red wolves for body condition.  She is using this information for another project funded by ConCom to determine the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the red wolves. IBD appears to be an emerging concern for red wolves in the PDZA zoo-based population.  PDZA personnel are currently evaluating if IBD is a concern for the overall red wolf population and will provide funding to determine if non-invasive diagnostic tests used in domestic dogs can be applied to red wolves.

Dr. Karen was also able to examine 11964F, a wild red wolf that was recently trapped and sustained a toe injury.  Dr. Jay at the Outer Banks Veterinary Hospital treated her locally in January.  Fortunately, with time, the foot healed properly and we were able to release her back into her natal territory.   

Released 11964F. Photo: B. Bartel/USFWS.

 

It was a terrific visit. A big thanks to Kristin for all her winter sampling and hard work and to all of the vets that help treat and care for the red wolves!

2014 Red Wolf Howling Schedule at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the Red Wolf Recovery Program offer you the opportunity to learn more about red wolves at the only place in the world where they still exist in the wild! Meet at the designated time at the Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot off of Miltail Rd./Hwy 64 for a chance to hear the harmonious howl of this endangered species. 

Photo by Kingston Walzer, who recently won runner –up in a photo contest at  Rosamond Gifford Zoo, a partner in the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan.

Free Spring Saturday Howlings
No Registration Required

• April 26 - Earth Day - 7:00-8:30 pm
• May 24 - Memorial Day -7:00-8:30 pm

Summer Howlings
No Registration Required
Summer Howlings cost $10 per person (bring cash, check, visa, or mastercard).
Children 12 and under are FREE!

• June 1-August 31, Wednesdays - 7:30pm-9:00pm

 Free Fall Saturday Howlings
No Registration Required

• October 11 - Wolf Awareness Week - 6:00-7:30 pm
• November 15 - Full Moon Howl - 5:00-6:30 pm
• December 6 - Holiday Howl - 5:00-6:30 pm

Important things to remember:

• Programs typically last about two hours.
• Bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
• Dress for the weather; howling will occur except with lightning, heavy rain, or wind or impassable roads. Decision to cancel will be made at least 1.5 hours prior to the scheduled program.
• Plan ahead! Creef Cut Wildlife Trail is about a 20 minute drive from Manteo!
•  Do NOT bring pets. 

Questions: Call 252-216-9464. 

RWSSP of the month—St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge!

The Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (RWSSP) is the foundation of the Red Wolf Recovery Program. To let people know what’s happening throughout the program through, we are continuing to feature different RWSSP locations.  The RWSSP of the month is St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge (SVNWR) along the Gulf coast of northwest Florida.  The 12,490-acre refuge includes two islands: St. Vincent Island and Pig Island, and a mainland tract.  It is managed together with St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge as part of the North Florida Refuge Complex. 

Red wolf pair on SVNWR (trail camera photo)

As an additional strategy to propagate wild red wolf offspring for release, captive born breeding pairs were also relocated to several island propagation sites.  The wolves were released on the islands to live, hunt, breed, and raise their young in a natural environment.  Their offspring, having been raised “wild,” are relocated to the mainland reintroduction sites when they reach dispersal or reproductive age.  The concept being that wild-raised red wolves would be more likely to survive following release.  SVNWR began participating in the RWSSP in 1990, and is currently the only operational island propagation site for current (and future) wild populations. 

11729F captured by a trail camera.

There is one breeding pair currently on St. Vincent NWR. The breeding female 1729F was born on the island in 2007.  She was originally paired with a young male (1565M) born in the SSP facility in Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center (Chattanooga, TN), but did not produce puppies in the three breeding seasons they were together.  Recently, she was assessed by veterinarians and determined reproductively fit.  The male was transferred to Wolf Conservation Center (South Salem , NY) and a new mate, 1804M, arrived in December 2013 (born in 2010) via Lighthawk.  They have been together in an acclimation pen on the island for 2 months and will be released next week!

The animals at SVNWR are critical in the success of the RWSSP component of the red wolf recovery program. In addition to supplementing population numbers, this also augments the wild red wolf gene pool with under-presented genes, increasing genetic diversity and reducing inbreeding and subsequent potential fitness impacts.

Please visit their website or Facebook page for more information!

RWSSP of the month: Knoxville Zoo

The Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (RWSSP) is the foundation of the Red Wolf Recovery Program. To let people know what’s happening throughout the program through, we are continuing to feature different RWSSP locations.  The RWSSP of the month is the Knoxville Zoo  in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Originally called Birthday Park, the zoo opened in 1948. Over the years, it flourished, and is currently home to > 900 animals, including 27 threatened and endangered species in different Species Survival Plans.

The Knoxville Zoo is currently home to four red wolves, including breeding pair 1395M and 1607F, and two male siblings, 1735M and 1736M. 1395M was born in 2005 at the Western North Carolina Nature Center (Asheville, NC) and was at Mill Mountain Zoo (Roanoke, VA) before moving to Knoxville in 2010. Female 1607 was born in 2010 at Henson Robinson Zoo (Springfield, IL) and came to Knoxville in 2011. The male siblings were born at Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL) and were transferred from Wildlife Science Center (Forest Lake, MN) in 2012. 

The museum first began participating in the RWSSP in December 1990, when red wolf 278F arrived from Oglebay's Good Children's Zoo (Wheeling, WV).  One month later, 248F (from Texas Zoo; Victoria, TX) and 297M (from Fossil Rim Wildlife Center; Glen Rose, TX) arrived in Knoxville.   Pups were born in 1991, 1992, and 1993. Over the years, approximately 30 individual red wolves have spent time at the zoo.  In addition to these contributions of successful breeding pairs, Knoxville Zoo also assisted with the wild reintroduction site in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in the 1990s by providing logistical support and veterinary care when needed.

Knoxville Zoo  has also had a large role in red wolf education efforts, both within the RWSSP and public outreach campaigns.  They produced the first RWSSP husbandry video in the early 1990s, and more recently have participated in the Quarters for Conservation program, where a quarter ($0.25) of every admission sold is marked for conservation donation. The zoo committee chose the Red Wolf Recovery Program to be a 2014 recipient of conservation funds again this year.  In the first year we were involved with the program, the zoo raised over $3500 for red wolf conservation efforts!

Thank you Knoxville Zoo !!

Please visit their website or Facebook page for more information!

Want to hear the red wolves howl at the zoo?  Check out this link!