New Red Wolf Puppies Bring Hope and Conservation Efforts to Durham Museum

The Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina is thrilled to announce the arrival of seven critically endangered red wolf pups. This new litter is being hailed as a beacon of hope for the species and a significant milestone in conservation efforts. With less than 300 red wolves remaining in zoos and the wild, the breeding program in zoos is essential for maintaining genetic diversity through the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program.

Sherry Samuels, the senior director of Animal Care at the museum, expressed her excitement about the new pups and their importance for the survival of the species. As part of the Red Wolf SAFE program, the museum plays a crucial role in protecting and preserving the red wolf population.

Oak, a 5-year-old female at the museum, gave birth to four male and three female pups on April 21. The pups are healthy, and they are expected to start emerging from the den in late May. Red wolves are known to be reserved around crowds and loud noises, so visitors are encouraged to be patient and observe the pups quietly.

Oak was born in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2019 and has been at the museum since 2022 while Adeyha, who arrived from a zoo in Illinois in 2023 fathered them. Red wolves were once found in New York to Texas but now only exist in eastern North Carolina with an estimated 18-20 wolves remaining in