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Tish Gailmard
There are two new residents at the Chattanooga Nature Center — hairy, four-legged and rare.
A 12-year-old male red wolf and 1-year-old female were transferred here last month from recovery programs in Knoxville and Tallahassee, Fla., respectively. The wolves are part of the Red Wolf Recovery Project, a captive breeding program at the Nature Center, which now has five red wolves.
Though still listed as one of the world’s most endangered wild canids — a family that includes wolves, foxes, dogs, jackals and coyotes — the red wolf one day may be taken off the Endangered Species List, said Chattanooga Nature Center wildlife curator Tish Gailmard.
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RED WOLF RECOVERY PROJECT
Red wolf populations were decimated by the 1960s due to intensive predator control programs and loss of habitat. After being declared an endangered species in 1973, the 17 remaining wolves were captured by biologists and 14 became part of a successful captive breeding program.
By 1987, enough red wolves were bred in captivity to begin a restoration program in northeastern North Carolina. Red wolves now have been repopulated in three national wildlife refuges, a Department of Defense bombing range, state-owned lands and private property, spanning a total of 1.5 million acres.
More than 100 red wolves roam their native habitats in five northeastern North Carolina counties and about 200 wolves are in the Species Survival Plan captive breeding program in sites across the nation, including the Chattanooga Nature Center.
Source: www.fws.gov/redwo...>
But it won’t be anytime soon. In 1973, the red wolf was declared an endangered species after biologists located just 17 wolves. Today there are only about 300, she said.
The biggest threat to the species is man. According to National Parks Conservation Association, threats to the red wolf include habitat loss because of human development and illegal hunting.
“Some of the wolves have died because of mistaken identity. The hunters said they thought the wolves were coyotes. And there are people who think the red wolves are wonderful and others who hate them,” Ms. Gailmard said.
Last January, the Chattanooga Nature Center, one of 41 red wolf recovery programs in the United States, released a 2-year-old male on an island near Apalachicola, Fla.
“We’re really excited because our goal is to get more populations of red wolves,” Ms. Gailmard said, noting that there are presently two female red wolves on the island. “He is wearing a radio collar, and we know that he has found them. They will help him learn survival instincts. All indications are that he’s doing well.”
Though humans occasionally do go on the island, they have not seen the wolves, Ms. Gailmard said.
“The typical red wolf has nothing to do with humans,” she said. “They’re shy.”
Even at the Nature Center, the animals shy away from people, but if they do make appearances, it’s mostly in the morning, said Tina Harvey Crawford, director of development and marketing.
“The two females come out much more than the young ones right now, and they truly are a sight to see,” she said.
Feature writer Karen Nazor Hill covers fashion, design, home and gardening, pets, entertainment, human interest features and more. She also is an occasional news reporter and the Town Talk columnist. She previously worked for the Catholic newspaper Tennessee Register and was a reporter at the Chattanooga Free Press from 1985 to 1999, when the newspaper merged with the Chattanooga Times. She won a Society of Professional Journalists Golden Press third-place award in feature writing for ...
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