Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden is pleased to announce the arrival of Mexican Gray Wolves, the most endangered wolf species in the world. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden has received a male and a female wolf, who will eventually be used to rear pups at the Zoo. The wolves arrived on a LightHawk* flight at Tri-State Aero, Inc. and were immediately taken to Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. These wolves were released into the recently renovated wolf exhibit today, November 13, at approximately 4:45 p.m.
The male wolf, Nagual, was born on May 4, 2005 at Wild Canid Survival and Research Center near Eureka, MO. On May 22, 2009, he was transferred to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Sevilleta Wolf Management Center, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, NM. The female was born on April 22, 2007 at the California Wolf Center near Julian, CA. She was transferred to the USFWS Sevilleta Wolf Management Center, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, NM on Nov. 23, 2009. This pair had pups in 2010 and 2011 and raised them in large pack. They have proven to be excellent parents.
Mexican Gray Wolves are a very significant addition to Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden’s animal collection for several reasons. Their arrival is now bringing wolves back to the Zoo’s collection. Also, there are only approximately 300 Mexican Gray Wolves in captivity and 60-70 in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico. These wolves have also been released in Mexico. Dr. Susan Lindsey, Animal Curator at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden and Behavioral and Husbandry Advisor to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Service states, “We are very pleased to join this conservation effort. This pair of experienced parents will make a significant contribution to the recovery efforts.”
*LightHawk provides donated flights for conservation related organizations and others working on natural resource issues. Find out more about this organization by visiting http://www.lighthawk.org.
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