Red Wolf Birth: Seven Pups Bring New Hope to Endangered Species in Durham Museum

In Durham, North Carolina, the Museum of Life and Science is celebrating a significant milestone in its conservation efforts with the birth of seven critically endangered red wolf pups. This new litter is seen as a beacon of hope for the species and a crucial step forward in their efforts to save the red wolves from extinction.

The museum’s 5-year-old female, Oak, gave birth to four male and three female pups on April 21. The pups are healthy and are expected to emerge from the den in late May. As red wolves are reserved around crowds and loud noises, patience and quiet observation will be key when observing the newborns. Visitors can purchase tickets to the museum at lifeandscience.org, which also features indoor science exhibits, a farmyard, black bears, and lemurs.

Red wolves used to roam across North America from New York to Texas but now are critically endangered with only around 18 or 20 remaining in the wild, all in eastern North Carolina. The museum has been working closely with zoos through the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program to maintain genetic diversity by exchanging and breeding red wolves.

Sherry Samuels, the senior director of Animal Care at the museum said that this new litter represents hope for not just this population but for all red wolves everywhere. “Each pup born is critical for their survival,” she said. “We have an important role to play in this conservation effort.”