Saving Animals From Extinction
Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) programs are a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), as well as non-AZA participants like Wolf Haven. Originally called Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs, these recovery programs are designed to oversee the population management of an endangered species in captivity and to enhance their conservation in the wild. The SSP program was developed in 1981 to help ensure the survival of selected species, most of which are threatened or in danger of extinction in the wild. In 2023, SSP transitioned into SAFE.
Wolf Haven participates in two federally managed SAFE programs designed to ensure the continued health and survival of two endangered wolf species: the American Red wolf and the Mexican wolf. Wolf Haven is a breeding facility for both programs and because of the secluded nature of our sanctuary, the wolves raised here are prime candidates for release into the wild. To date, ten litters of Mexican wolf pups and five litters of American Red wolf pups have been born at Wolf Haven. Three packs (22 wolves) of Mexican wolves and two American Red wolves have been released from Wolf Haven into the wild over the past 20 years.
