North Carolina welcomes litter of critically endangered red wolves pups
North Carolina's newest residents are an adorable litter of extremely endangered red wolf pups, born in the wild for the first time in four years.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff in North Carolina recently welcomed six red wolf pups, a species that is near extinction, into the world after finding them in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, according to a post shared on the Red Wolf Recovery Program Facebook page.
The litter consists of four females and two males. U.S. Fish and Wildlife has been acting to protect red wolves against hunters and loss of habitat. Currently, there are an estimated 15 red wolves living in the wild while 241 exist in captivity, according to the recovery program.
"This new litter is the first wild-born litter of red wolves since 2018," the post said. "This red wolf pair was formed through the combination of several management actions and the two red wolves subsequently following their natural instincts in pairing, establishing their territory and mating. Every generation yields a new born hope for the red wolf…a cause for joy and celebration!"