TACOMA, Wash. — Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium recently welcomed two critically endangered American Red Wolves to their pack: Bronto and River.
The pair will be joining as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) SAFE American Red Wolf program.
River was born in May 2022 at the zoo’s off-site Red Wolf facility and is larger than the average female Red Wolf.
Staff say she carries herself with quiet confidence. Over the past year, River lived with her brother in a lively partnership filled with playful chases and spirited interactions.
She will now begin a new chapter alongside Bronto. He was born in April 2019 and has a condition called cryptorchidism, which means his testes are located inside his abdomen, rendering him infertile.
“While he will not be part of the breeding population, Bronto will still play an important role in the Red Wolf program as a stable, compatible companion for non-breeding females,” the zoo shared.
American Red Wolves are among the most endangered canids in the world, with fewer than a few dozen remaining in the wild.
They were once common throughout the southeastern United States, but were nearly wiped out in the 1970s.
Today, 50 approved facilities work together as part of AZA’s SAFE American Red Wolf program to ensure Red Wolf survival.
The SAFE population has grown to about 280 wolves, and there are only around 28-31 in the wild.