Meet Gypsy and Diablo, the sweet Mexi duo

Gypsy & Diablo

by Pamela Maciel, Mexican wolf/bilingual education specialist, Wolf Haven

There are currently 19 Mexican gray wolves living at Wolf Haven International. All are part of a binational Mexican wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. Of these animals, there is only one pair that sanctuary guests have the opportunity to admire during their guided visit: Mexican wolves M657 and F907 (otherwise known by in-house names Diablo and Gypsy).

All SSP programs were created to save highly endangered species from vanishing permanently by means of building a captive population through selective reproduction planning. Eventually, particular individuals could be potentially released into the wild. Both Diablo and Gypsy were born as part of the Mexican wolf captive breeding program, in 2000 at Detroit Zoological Institute and in 2004 at Río Grande Zoo, respectively. Diablo was transferred to Wolf Haven in 2004 and Gypsy joined him in 2005; ever since they have been sharing an enclosure on the public route.

Diablo, male Mexican wolf

Diablo

Gypsy, female Mexican wolf

Gypsy

They are such a cute pair to observe. Even though it isn’t huge, from a physical perspective their age difference has become quite noticeable. Gypsy is an 11-year old that looks like a blooming yearling; her sparkling big eyes and flamboyant coat often make visitors sigh. On the other hand, handsome Diablo’s 15-year old body is showing its natural decline; his movements are at times clumsy, he has lost almost all of his hearing and his sight isn’t that great either. That does not deter him from teaming up with “Gyps” every morning and engaging in enthusiastic displays with all their enclosure neighbors. Beyond the physical differences, their shared self-confident and playful character makes Gypsy and Diablo wonderful life mates as they celebrate ten years of togetherness.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2015 issue of Wolf Tracks magazine.

Wolf Loaf Redux (or, how to build a better loaf)

by Brennan Stoelb, Animal Care Specialist, Wolf Haven International

Sequra, a 14-year old female wolfdog enjoys her loaf.

Sequra, a 14-year old female wolfdog enjoys her loaf.

Lakota, a male wolf, takes a leisurely approach to dining.

Lakota, a male wolf, takes a leisurely approach to dining.

It has been almost two years since I last wrote about wolf “loaf.” As you may or may not recall, Wolf Haven is part of a program called Sustainable Solutions. Their goal is to reduce food waste caused by unsold products. By connecting animal facilities like Wolf Haven and food stores, meat that would normally be disposed of in a landfill or a rendering plant can be utilized. Disposing of unsold food items costs the stores money. Animal rescues often have a never-ending need for meat. Through Sustainable Solutions, both party’s needs are met, while cost and waste can be reduced.

Wolf Haven volunteer Marinka helps Brennan makes loaves

Wolf Haven volunteer Marinka helps Brennan sort the meat & makes loaves

Every Friday, two animal care staff hop into our trusty white cargo van, head to a popular food store and collect roughly 800-900 lbs. of scrap meat. This meat ranges from unusable items such as bacon, ham, and other processed meats, to usable steak, chicken, and beef. We do not feed processed meats due to the high fat and sodium content; on average, I would say that half of the meat is usable.

After we sort through the meat, we need to feed it to the wolves efficiently. Originally we made loaf in disposable, paper food trays (like you get French fries in at a fair). We would pack the bottom with ground beef, lay on a piece of chicken, and top it off with a steak. Once formed, each loaf was put in the freezer. This yielded a roughly 2 lb. loaf that was easy to feed and utilized as much of the good meat as possible. When we were ready to feed the loaf, we pulled it from the freezer to defrost and then had to remove the food trays, often stuck to the meat. That was Wolf Loaf; we now enter Wolf Loaf 2.0!

Brennan loads a tray of individual loaves

Brennan loads a tray of individual loaves

In mid-summer, I began looking at ways to store the loaf better in our small freezer. Meat that we purchase plus the often-present deer carcasses used for feeding take up a lot of space. Add a couple of 50-gallon tubs for loaves, and you’re nearly out of room.  A lot of vertical space wasn’t utilized, so a shelf made sense. We purchased two bread carts for storing the loaf, as well as their corresponding metal trays.

We also wanted to get away from using paper food trays. We didn’t like the waste they produced, as well as time (maybe 10 minutes total) lost removing them from the loaf. My previous experience at another wolf facility led us to start using bread pans. We could pack the ground beef, chicken, and steak into the bread pan and turn it over on a tray. We then put the loaf tray on the rack and freeze them. Step two complete!

Feeding scrap beef provided some challenges. When tossing the scrap meat over the fence, pieces inevitably got stuck in the fence, which the person feeding had to dislodge.  As good as our throwing arms may be, pieces of meat also got stuck in branches and taken away by ravens.  Reducing waste in the form of lost meat was another huge factor.

The art of making loaves

The art of making loaves

By combining the donated meat and scrap beef, we can make bigger loaves and go from a 2 lb. loaf to a 4 lb. loaf easily. Feeding 4 lb. loaves twice a week equals 8 lbs. Since we had been feeding 4 lbs. of scrap beef and 2 lb. loaf twice a week, each wolf still gets the same amount of meat.

With all the pieces in place, we are now on our fifth week of feeding the new loaves. This week will be our first time not feeding scrap beef. With this new system, we hope to reduce waste and become more efficient, a plus for humans and wolves!

Partially thawed loaves ready to give to the wolves

Partially thawed loaves are ready to give to the wolves

 

Plants blooming on Wolf Haven’s prairie in… October?!

by Anne Schuster, Prairie Conservation Specialist at Wolf Haven International

Ah, Fall – a time of pumpkins, spiced apple cider, fiery-colored autumn leaves and trick-or-treaters. But look at what’s blooming on our prairie right now. These beautiful plants typically flower in spring or early summer – not October.

Despite its name, the Early Blue Violet (Viola adunca) blooms after a rain, but October is a bit late for it.

Despite its name, the Early Blue Violet (Viola adunca) blooms after a rain, but October is a bit late for it.

Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) is a great late season nectar source for insects, but October is late for it as well.

Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) is a great late season nectar source for insects, but October is late for it as well.

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) usually blooms in spring, has flowers all around the prairie right now.

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) usually blooms in spring, has flowers all around the prairie right now.

Elegant Lupine (Lupinus lepidus) often blooms all through the summer, but this one is finishing up now.

Elegant Lupine (Lupinus lepidus) often blooms all through the summer, but this one is finishing up now.

Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) bloom throughout spring, but they are out all over right now.

Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) bloom throughout spring, but they are out all over right now.

An early summer flower, there are a few Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) out on one mound.

An early summer flower, there are a few Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) out on one mound.

And finally, the endangered Golden Paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) is flowering here and there around the prairie, despite usually doing so in May and June.

And finally, the endangered Golden Paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) is flowering here and there around the prairie, despite usually doing so in May and June.

This single Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima) is an early bloomer, usually around March and April.

This single Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima) is an early bloomer, usually around March and April.

Wolf Haven wolves, Smithsonian Magazine

Wolf Haven earns global accreditation

Wolf Haven Earns Global Accreditation

Saving the red wolf

One of the critically endangered red wolves housed at the Endangered Wolf Center

One of the critically endangered red wolves housed at Endangered Wolf Center.                              Photo c/o Endangered Wolf Center.

 

Unique species nearly exterminated

What makes the red wolf so special? For one thing, the red wolf is one of only two wolf species indigenous to North America. Second, the red wolf can be found ONLY in the U.S. – no other country in the world has a native population of red wolves. Third, at its lowest point in the 1970s, the wild red wolf population had dwindled to a mere 14 wolves in the world.

This beautiful representative of our country is smaller than his gray wolf cousin, and typically weigh between 50-80 pounds. Wolf Haven International participates in a special program that is contributing to the recovery of the red wolf. The Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) program is headquartered at Point Defiance Zoo in Washington State.

What happened to the red wolf?

Red wolves were victims of predator extermination programs and habitat loss. The original red wolf range extended throughout the southeast portion of the United States. As gray wolves were eradicated, coyotes experienced a population explosion and radically expanded their range east. Simultaneously, as the red wolf population fell, coyotes and red wolves began to interbreed.

Red wolf SSP Coordinator and studbook keeper, Will Waddell, opens the meeting by welcoming the institutional representatives who traveled to MO. for the meeting.

Red wolf SSP Coordinator and studbook keeper, Will Waddell, opens the meeting by welcoming the institutional representatives who traveled to MO. for the meeting. Photo c/o Endangered Wolf Center.

How do you save a red wolf?

A red wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) was developed to manage and oversee the captive population of this endangered species, in consort with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.  Although the Service is currently not releasing captive red wolves into the wild, the SSP maintains a genetically diverse captive population as a safety net, should something happen to the wolves in the wild. Today there are approximately 75 free ranging (wild) red wolves  roaming their native habitat in northeastern North Carolina in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, and a captive population of just under 200 red wolves among 45 facilities in the U.S. As is the case with the Mexican wolf SSP program, annual conferences are held during which representatives of participating facilities meet to discuss the status of the red wolf, and make critical transfer and breeding recommendations for the coming year. The 2015 red wolf SSP conference was held July 22-24 at Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, MO, outside of St. Louis.

Becky Harrison, assistant recovery coordinator for the red wolf, provides an update on the status of the wild population.

Becky Harrison, assistant recovery coordinator for the red wolf, provides an update on the status of the wild population. Photo c/o Endangered Wolf Center.

Wolf Haven’s role in red wolf recovery efforts

In 2003, Wolf Haven was approved to participate in the Red Wolf SSP program as a captive breeding facility. The red wolves living here are essentially on loan to us from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and we follow very strict rules and guidelines for the care and maintenance of these animals. Interaction with humans is kept to a minimum and most observations are done by remote camera. Specialized enclosures have been built that meet the size, space and privacy requirements of the Red wolf SSP program.

Our red wolf residents – meet Jacob, Tamaska, Tala & Nash

There are currently four red wolves in residence in the sanctuary, though they are not on the visitor route. Jacob, Tamaska and Tala are all available for symbolic adoption, and Nash will be in the near future, once she has settled in at her new home.

by Wendy Spencer, Director of Animal Care and Kim Young, Director of Communications/ Wolf Haven International

Saving the Mexican gray wolf

Noel is one of the 19 Mexican gray wolves currently residing at Wolf Haven.

Noel is one of the 19 Mexican gray wolves currently residing at Wolf Haven.

How to save  an endangered species

The Mexican gray wolf, native to Mexico and the U.S.,  is one of the most critically endangered animals in the world. Their population dwindled to only seven wolves when a “survival plan” was put into place.

The Endangered Species Act, which mandates recovery of endangered species, prevented the complete human eradication of the Mexican wolf. By the early 1970s when the Act went into effect, their population was so low that wildlife officials felt the only option for restoration of this wolf was captive breeding and reintroduction to historic ranges.

Precarious existence of the Mexican wolf

Once common from Mexico to Colorado, today there are approximately 109 Mexican wolves left in the wild, mainly along the Arizona-New Mexico border (with one known wild pack in Mexico).  A Mexican wolf Species Survival Plan (MWSSP) was developed to manage and oversee the captive breeding program and lend support to the reintroduction and recovery effort of the species in the wild. The MWSSP currently houses approximately 270 wolves in 52 facilities in the United States and Mexico.

Participants of the 2015 MWSSP meeting held at Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Mexico.

Participants of the 2015 MWSSP meeting held at Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Mexico.

Because the entire Mexican wolf population was founded by only seven animals,  genetic diversity remains one of the biggest challenges to the health of this species. For this reason, careful analysis of each individual Mexican wolf’s lineage and genetic DNA are of critical importance to the program’s success. Participating facilities in the MWSSP program meet annually to assess the current status of the Mexican wolf population and make breeding recommendations for the coming spring. The meetings alternate between the U.S. and Mexico, with varying organizations assuming the role of host agency. Wolf Haven hosted the MWSSP in 2012; this year, it was held in Mexico City at Chapultepec Zoo.

Xochitl Ramos, chief veterinarian for the MWSS's Mexican committee; Pamela Maciel, Wolf Haven's Mexican wolf specialist; Monica Galicia, SEMARNAT (Mexico's environment ministry) representative

Xochitl Ramos, chief veterinarian for the MWSSP’s Mexican committee; Pamela Maciel, Wolf Haven’s Mexican wolf specialist; Monica Galicia, SEMARNAT (Mexico’s environment ministry) representative.

Our director of animal care, Wendy Spencer, and Mexican wolf specialist Pamela Maciel attended this year’s meeting, which lasted from July 15-17. Here are some pictures from the three intense days in which breeding and transfer recommendations were made, and potential candidates for release into the wild were selected (most important, since this is the ultimate purpose of the program). It is a challenging, but worthy balancing act to ensure that not only are the needs of the program as a whole met, but the best outcome for each individual wolf involved is achieved.

Wendy Spencer (far left), Wolf Haven's director of animal care and member of the MWSSP management group, assess transfer, housing and pairing possibilities with colleagues.

Wendy Spencer (far left), Wolf Haven’s director of animal care and member of the MWSSP management group, assess transfer, housing and pairing possibilities with colleagues.

As a result from last year’s MWSSP meeting breeding recommendations, three pair of Mexican wolves at Wolf Haven gave birth to litters this spring. There are currently a total of 19 Mexican wolves living at our sanctuary (11 adults and 8 pups). This makes a total of eight litters of Mexican pups that have been born at Wolf Haven between 1996 and 2015. Some of the first Mexican wolves released back into the southwest – after an absence of nearly 40 years – came from here. Mexican wolves from Wolf Haven have been released in 1998 and 2000. The births and releases were all direct outcomes of recommendations made at these annual meetings.

Mexican biologists, veterinarians and wolf caretakers discuss                  transfer possibilities with Peter Siminski (MWSSP Coordinator).

Mexican biologists, veterinarians and wolf caretakers discuss transfer possibilities with Peter Siminski (MWSSP Coordinator).

Wolf Haven International is proud to participate in this special program that is contributing to the recovery of the Mexican wolf.

A total of over 60 people from Mexico and the U.S. attended this year's meeting, including some graduate students from Mexican universities.

A total of over 60 people from Mexico and the U.S. attended this year’s meeting, including graduate students from Mexican universities conducting research on the biology of Mexican wolves.

Blog produced by Pamela Maciel, Mexican wolf specialist & Kim Young, Director of Communications,
Wolf Haven International

Goodbye Ruby

Ruby's final adoption picture (c/o Julie Lawrence)

Ruby’s final adoption picture (c/o Julie Lawrence)

Ruby was one of the red wolves living at Wolf Haven as part of the Red wolf Species Survival Plan program. She passed away in June. Below is a farewell written in her honor and sent to those caring people who had symbolically adopted her.

by Meghan Murphy, Animal Care Assistant

It is with great sadness that I am writing to you because our friend Ruby has passed away. Ruby was only nine years old and very happy and healthy. Her passing was sudden and unexpected and we are all grieving her loss.

During a routine morning walk through the sanctuary on Wednesday June 10, animal care staff noticed Ruby was not out running and posturing at the fence line with her neighbors as she usually does. When animal care staff investigated further, Ruby was found in one of her dens not moving. She had died during the night. Her belly was a little distended, which is not unusual after death, and there were no signs of injury.

The night before her death Ruby had been happily romping and running with her companion Tala, showing no signs of illness. Following her death a necropsy was performed and no cause of death was immediately found. The full results of the necropsy are currently pending.

It has been an honor to care for Ruby. Her bold, feisty and playful nature was a joy to behold. She will be greatly missed and will always remain in our hearts.

Thank you for your generosity, care and support of Ruby while she was with us at Wolf Haven. May her unique and vibrant spirit continue to live on in your heart.

Actor Jon Huertas Visits Wolf Haven