May 12, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 12, 2026

Media Contact:
Ro Rode, Director of Marketing and Communications
(561) 596-1410
ro.rode@lifeandscience.org

Photos

DURHAM, NC — The Museum of Life and Science is pleased to announce the birth of five critically endangered Red Wolf pups, marking another significant landmark in species conservation efforts.

On Tuesday, May 5, the Museum’s seven-year-old female Red Wolf welcomed a litter of three male and two female pups. After a thorough examination by the Museum’s Animal Care Team and veterinary staff, all five pups were determined to be in good health.

Once thriving as a top predator across the southeastern United States, the Red Wolf (Canis rufus) is critically endangered, with fewer than 300 individuals under human care and in the wild combined. The Red Wolves housed at the Museum play a vital role in the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Red Wolf Recovery Program, the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) initiative, led by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Roughly 50 partner facilities, 22 of which are AZA-accredited institutions, are dedicated to protecting and increasing the Red Wolf population.

“Institutions within the SAFE American Red Wolf program, like ours, hold a significant responsibility, especially as we face limited numbers of wolves in the wild population,” Senior Director of Animal Care Sherry Samuels said. “Each pup born is crucial for the species’ survival and offers hope for the broader Red Wolf population. This is an exciting time for the species and the Museum.”

The breeding pair, female Carolina (2293F) and male Jacques (2152M), were paired in 2024. Carolina was born at the Museum in 2019, before moving with her siblings and parents to Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke, Virginia, and was eventually transferred to the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York. Jacques was born at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, in 2016. This is the first litter of pups for the pair.

This milestone marks the third consecutive successful Red Wolf breeding season at the Museum. Since receiving its first Red Wolf in November 1992, the Museum has witnessed litters in 1993, 2002, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

There are many hurdles still to come, but Samuels assured that parents and pups are healthy, and regular monitoring is scheduled over the next few weeks. The public may catch glimpses of the pups beginning mid-June, although Red Wolves tend to be reserved around crowds and loud noises. Museum staff will be on hand throughout the summer to assist visitors in respectfully observing the wolf family.

“Quiet observation and patience will be key when observing our new pups,” Samuels said. “This summer promises to be filled with joy as we watch this family grow.”

Recommendations for this family’s future will be made at this summer’s SAFE American Red Wolf planning meeting. The Animal Care Team will continue monitoring the health of the pups and the adult wolf pair, ensuring their well-being through regular check-ups and veterinary care.

While the Red Wolf habitat remains closed to guests for now, visitors can experience all the other animals and exhibits during regular operating hours, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am until 5 pm (9 am for Members). For tickets and more information, visit lifeandscience.org.

About the Red Wolf 
In addition to the cinnamon coat highlights that lend them their name, Red Wolves are visibly smaller and more slender than gray wolves. Adult Red Wolves typically weigh 45–80 pounds and can live up to 15 years under human care but rarely longer than seven years in the wild.

Once a top predator throughout the southeastern United States, the Red Wolf is now categorized as critically endangered. To protect the remaining population, a managed breeding program was established in 1973 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The success of this breeding program led to the reintroduction of Red Wolves to North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in 1987. Red Wolves now inhabit a five-county area in northeastern North Carolina. Although their numbers have grown, gunshots, vehicle strikes, and habitat loss have reduced the wild population and continue to threaten their survival. The Red Wolf is one of our planet’s most endangered species and continues to be at risk.

About the Museum of Life and Science
Located less than five miles from downtown Durham, the Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top family destinations. Our 84-acre campus includes a two-story science center, one of the largest butterfly conservatories on the East Coast, and beautifully landscaped outdoor exhibits. Our interactive experiences include Dinosaur Trail, Ellerbe Creek Railway, Hideaway Woods, Into the Mist, Earth Moves, and Aerospace, which features one of the largest collections of Apollo-era NASA artifacts in the state. The Museum is also an AZA-accredited zoo, home to rescued black bears, lemurs, endangered Red Wolves, and more than 60 species of live animals. For more than 80 years, the Museum has upheld its ongoing commitment to the communities of Durham, the Triangle, and North Carolina through programming, engagement, and research. To learn more, visit lifeandscience.org.