SALISBURY, Md.- The Salisbury Zoo has welcomed a new female red wolf, a huge step in growing the critically endangered species.
Skyrae is 5 years old and comes to Salisbury from the Wolf Conservation Center in New York. According the zoo, the hope is Skyrae will mate with the zoo's other Red Wolf, Bowie. The zoo says the wolves are getting along well so far.
In the 1970s, this species was nearly extinct, but now, the program Red Wolf SAFE has a goal of increasing the captive population of red wolves from 225 to 330. The red wolf has a status of “critically endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ Red List of Threatened Species.
“We are excited that the Salisbury Zoo is able to have a role in helping with conservation of the red wolf species," Salisbury Zoo Registrar Jessica Mandelson said. "If Skyrae and Bowie have puppies, that will directly contribute to saving red wolves,” Mandelson said.
Earlier this year, the Salisbury zoo's red wolf Shiloh passed away from an infection. If Bowie and Skyrae have puppies, breeding season is February through March. According to the zoo, an average litter size is four to five pups, and Bowie and Skyrae would raise them together.