California Wolf Center in Julian transfers three endangered wolves to zoo in Chicago
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Three endangered Mexican gray wolves born at the California Wolf Center in San Diego County have been transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, the organization announced Tuesday.
Mexican gray wolves are among the rarest land mammals on earth. However, researchers have been able to share good news on that front recently as the population in the southwestern U.S. has continued to grow every year for nearly a decade.
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The California Wolf Center (CWC), located just outside of Julian in the San Diego County mountains, announced three Mexican gray wolves born at its Conservation Center in 2019 and 2020 are now at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction (AZA SAFE) program.
California Wolf Center Announces Transfer of Three Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago (Photo courtesy: California Wolf Center) California Wolf Center Announces Transfer of Three Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago (Photo courtesy: California Wolf Center) California Wolf Center Announces Transfer of Three Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago (Photo courtesy: California Wolf Center) California Wolf Center Announces Transfer of Three Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago (Photo courtesy: California Wolf Center)
“We had a pack of wolves with mom, dad and seven boys and there was starting to be some tension among the brothers,” said Ciera MacIsaac, Wolf Care and Reintroduction Coordinator. “In the wild, young males at this age become more independent and start the process of ‘dispersal’ where they leave their mothers to start their own pack. With the opening of a wonderful new habitat at the Brookfield Zoo, the three wolves will now be able to imitate the natural process of dispersal and our remaining wolves will have a little more elbow room.”
The California Wolf Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to returning wild wolves to their natural habitat.
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CWC said the wolves arrived at the Brookfield Zoo on Saturday, April 6, with a team of veterinary professionals from Wild Ride Animal Transport LLC, and are getting settled into their new habitat.
The three males wolves will stay in their own habitat at the zoo, separate from another pack, which were selected to breed this year in the hope they may be able to cross-breed pups into the wild.
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CWC in San Diego is home to 20 Mexican gray wolves and four Northwestern gray wolves. Tours of the Conservation Center are available by reservations only, and give guests a unique opportunity to see these rare animals up close.
“We always strive to give our wolves in captivity a life as natural and true-to-wild as possible and being able to disperse is a key part of that experience,” said Executive Director Theresa Kosen. “Our partnerships with other participating institutions within the AZA SAFE program are invaluable as we work together toward the mission of wolf recovery.”
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Just recently, wildlife officials announced the endangered Mexican gray wolf population in the southwestern U.S. saw another year of growth due to the breeding program put in place by the federal government and the Mexican Wolf Saving Animals From Extinction program.
The 2023 Mexican gray wolf population increased 6% since 2022, marking the eighth consecutive year the species has grown in population, and the longest continuous streak since recovery efforts began, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) said.
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CWC noted transfers are common between AZA SAFE captive breeding sites, and mentioned their oldest wolf, Bailey (M1139), who is turning 16 years old this month, was born at the Wolf Conservation Center in New York in 2008, before being transferred to CWC in 2015. Bailey has fathered 27 pups since then.
Brookfield Zoo Chicago, also known as the Chicago Zoological Park, is located in the Chicago suburb of Brookfield, Illinois. The 235-acre zoological park has 3,481 animals belonging to 511 species.
The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. Visit Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s website for more information and to purchase tickets.
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