By Matt McKnight
EATONVILLE, Washington (Reuters) – The endangered red wolf, the lone wolf species native only to the United States, is making a slow but promising comeback thanks to a breeding and reintroduction program. What sets this program apart is its focus on the dental health of the wolves.
In its managed care program, the Tacoma-based Point Defiance Zoo is conducting dental exams and teeth-cleaning for the red wolves. This is because broken teeth can significantly hinder their ability to eat meat, their primary source of nutrition,” said Karen Wolf, the head veterinarian at the zoo.
With a population of just 270 individuals, most of which are in managed care or zoos, the red wolf population is critically endangered. Only 20 red wolves are currently living in the wild, roaming across three wildlife refuges in eastern North Carolina.
In a recent dental checkup at a facility located in a wildlife preserve 60 miles (100 km) south of Seattle, the veterinary team examined a sedated 9-year-old wolf known as 2077. This particular wolf is the grandfather of six recently born pups and the father of a wolf that has been released into the wild.
“He is quite a patriarch,” remarked Wolf about the cinnamon-colored wolf named 2077. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service gave him this name to signify that he was the 2,077th wolf to enter the program. During the checkup, the veterinary team performed a thorough cleaning, took x-rays, and removed a diseased molar. Additionally, the wolf received vaccines and had blood drawn to assess its overall health.
Meanwhile, at an off-site breeding center, the most recent litter of pups emitted a delightful but off-key howl, showcasing their presence in the forest.
The red wolves in managed care have longer lifespans compared to those living in the wild. This can be attributed, in part, to their regular dental exams and diligent dental hygiene.
Once widespread from New York to Texas, the red wolf population was drastically reduced by the late 1960s to 1970s. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service classified it as a threatened species in 1967.
Reflecting on the past, Natalie Davis, a zoo curator and member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ program to save red wolves, highlighted that the U.S. wildlife service used to have an eradication program aimed at killing wolves to protect people and other animals during the 1950s and 1960s. However, they later realized the crucial role apex predators play in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. As part of the program to save the red wolves from extinction, the zoo has released seven wolves into the wild in North Carolina this year, three of which came from the Point Defiance Zoo program. One of the released wolves was a pup born on April 13.
(Reporting by Matt McKnight; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Diane Craft)
