These babies are really cute.
The Saint Louis Zoo welcomed four red wolf pups this spring, marking a major population boost for the world’s most endangered wolf species.
The Missouri Zoo announced this week that a female named Otter was born on April 26, followed by triplets named Molly, Finn and Obi just eight days later.
“Each birth is a feat, considering how few red wolves there are,” said Savalas George, director of the St. Louis Zoo WildCare Park. He said in a statement.
“I am incredibly proud of our team, who have worked hard for years to reach this milestone.”
Unfortunately, the chance to see adorable baby wolves is as rare as the species itself: no visitors are allowed in order for the wolves to learn natural behavior and survival skills, just as they are typically shy and fearful of humans.
The puppies will remain with their parents for the next two years before authorities decide whether they can be released into the wild.
The healthy and thriving cubs are the first of their kind born during the breeding season at the St. Louis Zoo’s Sears Lehman Jr. Wildlife Refuge, a sanctuary dedicated to boosting the population of red wolf pups.
The triplets’ parents, 3-year-old Lady Bird and 8-year-old Wilbur, were transferred to the sanctuary from other wildlife parks in Missouri and Florida, respectively, for breeding purposes.
Otter’s parents, 8-year-old Lava and 9-year-old Tyke, came to the wildlife sanctuary in late 2023 from the Wolf Conservation Center in New York.
The red wolf is the only large carnivore found exclusively in America.
This species is distinguished from the gray wolf by its small size, weighing about 65 pounds, and by having reddish fur around the head, ears, and legs.
It is estimated that there are only 20 red wolves left in the wild today.
Predator control programs and habitat loss caused their population to plummet by the early 20th century, and today they can only be found in the wild in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
An additional 290 red wolves live under human care, including 17 in the St. Louis Zoo’s sanctuary.
In September, the Fish and Wildlife Service released an updated recovery plan that calls for spending about $328 million over the next half century to remove red wolves from the endangered species list.
“Hunting, habitat loss and human misconceptions about wolves have all contributed to the red wolf’s plight today,” said Regina Mossotti, the zoo’s vice president of animal conservation.
“But each new birth gives us hope for future efforts to reintroduce this important national treasure.”
