May 13, 2025

For Immediate Release – May 13, 2025

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

Nikki Stoudt, Marketing Manager
nikki.stoudt@lifeandscience.org

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

On Saturday, May 3, the Museum’s seven-year-old female Red Wolf welcomed a litter of three male pups. After a thorough examination by the Museum’s Animal Care Team and veterinary staff, all three 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. There are 50 partner facilities, 22 of which are institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and are dedicated to protecting and increasing the American Red Wolf population. 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 AZA.

“Institutions within the Red Wolf SAFE program, like ours, hold a significant responsibility, especially as we face challenges with 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 wolf Martha (F2248) and male wolf Oka (M2048) were identified as a valuable match in the summer of 2023 to maintain genetic diversity within the Red Wolf population. Martha, born in 2018, and Oka, born in 2014, joined the Museum in October 2024.

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

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.

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

Recommendations for this family’s future will be made at this summer’s American Red Wolf SAFE 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.

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 79 years, the Museum has upheld its ongoing commitment to the communities of Durham, the Triangle, and North Carolina. To learn more, visit lifeandscience.org.

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