September 9, 2025

Every July, a group of more than 60 people committed to conservation meets to discuss and review the state of the Red Wolf. The USFWS Red Wolf Recovery Program and AZA’s American Red Wolf SAFE Program is a group comprised of people whose facilities house Red Wolves, U.S. Fish and Wildlife personnel, scientists, researchers, and more. The breeding and transfer plans are reviewed to evaluate genetic values, different institutions’ needs, and the overall health and well-being of the Red Wolf population under human care.

This year, the recommendation has been made to move our current family, Oka (2048M), Martha (2242F), Ember (2656M), Proton (2657M), and Scuppernong (2658M) to the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY, this November.

We’ve always known the family’s future was dependent upon the expert recommendations made at the meeting held in July. It has been determined that Oka and Martha are still a genetically valuable pair and are expected to breed again in 2026, which is incredible news for the Red Wolf population. However, it puts strain on our habitat in Explore the Wild: Red Wolves. Moving the current family to New York provides them with the space they need to remain together.

“This is the best plan for our current family of Red Wolves,” Senior Director of Animal Care Sherry Samuels said. “There is excitement that the family will remain together. The habitat at Wolf Conservation Center is larger than their current environment, and this will allow the family to continue to grow next year.”

As we say goodbye to our five wolves, the Museum of Life and Science will be receiving a mated pair from the Wolf Conservation Center. We will share further details on that pair later in the fall.

You may recall that we performed a similar transfer last year, sending our 2024 family, Adeyha (2080M), Oak (2304F), and their five pups: Cedar, Juniper, Maple, Sassafras, and Tupelo to the Wolf Conservation Center, where the family was able to stay together. In 2025, Adeyha and Oak bred again, producing pups, making a multigenerational family and strengthening the Red Wolf population.

With some time before Oka, Martha, Ember, Proton, and Scuppernong make their way to their next home in New York, we encourage visitors to spend time with our pack. Explore the Wild: Red Wolves is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 5 pm.

“This relocation is a key part of our efforts to help ensure the survival of this critically endangered species,” Samuels said. “We’re excited to continue our conservation work and hope for continued breeding success that the Museum has been lucky to experience over the past few years.”

The Museum continues to be a leader in Red Wolf conservation through partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Red Wolf Recovery Program and the AZA’s SAFE: Red Wolves initiative. This relocation will further contribute to nationwide conservation endeavors.