Keeper Tessa Stripes Blog Post 4/20/2022
Carolina Tiger Rescue has recently welcomed two three-year-old red wolves to the sanctuary, Caroline and Mist. These two girls are a vital part of the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (RWSSP) and will live at the sanctuary for the next few years while they reach the appropriate age for breeding. The RWSSP is a set of extensive conservation measures to ensure the longevity of the wild red wolf, a critically endangered species.
Red wolves were once native to the eastern part of the United States, but due to habitat loss and aggressive predator mitigation strategies they were officially declared extinct in the wild by the IUCN in 1980. A captive breeding program was approved and set in place by the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) as the RWSSP. As of February 2022, fewer than 20 red wolves roam their native habitats in North Carolina as a nonessential experimental population and more than 200 red wolves live in captivity.
Caroline and Mist were born at the Durham Museum of Life and Science before being transferred to the Mill Mountain Zoo in Virginia. In accordance with RWSSP guidelines, Caroline and Mist will not be on public display at the sanctuary, but we will keep you updated with videos and pictures as they settle into their new home at Carolina Tiger Rescue.
