Wolf Haven International celebrates birth of red wolf pups sired by wolf born at the Tenino sanctuary

Tenino-based Wolf Haven International this week announced the birth of a new litter of wild red wolf pups in North Carolina that were sired by a wolf born and raised at the Tenino sanctuary.

The wild red wolf identified by the name M2191, but known as Finch during his time at Wolf Haven International, was released from Wolf Haven into eastern North Carolina to join the Milltail Pack in 2024 following the death of the pack’s former breeding male, M2323.

Since then, M2191 has sired two red wolf litters, representing a large portion of the species’ remaining wild population.

“Shortly after his release, M2191 produced a litter of eight pups with the pack’s breeding female, F2225,” Wolf Haven stated in a news release. “This year, however, M2191 mated with F2503 — the two-year-old daughter of F2225 and M2323. While young wolves often disperse to new territories, some may displace their pack’s breeder and take over that position for themselves. F2503 pushed her mother out of the Milltail pack territory during mating season this year but has since welcomed her back to help raise the pups. F2225’s support of the pups increases their chances of survival and at least five of the eight pups are still noted to be on the landscape, being closely monitored by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) team.”

The most recent litter was born in April at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and included eight pups.

M2191 “was born at Wolf Haven in 2016, and for more than seven years, Wolf Haven’s animal care team worked diligently to ensure he remained as wild as possible while also preparing him for the possibility of release, which finally became a reality in 2024,” Wolf Haven stated in the release.

“The continued success of M2191 fills me with great hope for a growing wild population of American Red Wolves,” said Judah Jamison, Wolf Haven’s lead animal care specialist and American Red Wolf Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) liaison. “I am so grateful for the extraordinary work being done by the (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) team leading this recovery, as well as all of our SAFE partners.”

The most recent litter of eight pups increases the wild red wolf population by at least 25%, according to Wolf Haven International. Only between 28 and 31 wild red wolves currently live in their native habitat in North Carolina, making the critically endangered species the most endangered canid on the planet.

In addition to the Milltail pack’s litter, an additional eight pups across three other wild packs have been documented by USFWS this year, representing a major boost for the species’ recovery.

According to the news release, red wolves, which were once prolific along the East Coast, reached their most threatened point in the 1970s when just 17 of their species survived. Since then, the Endangered Species Act was created and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services now protects and monitors the species after creating a recovery plan.

In order to establish the species and other endangered species such as the Mexican wolf, the SAFE program was created. Wolf Haven International has participated in the program to protect the Mexican wolf since 1994 and its red wolf counterpart since 2003.

M2191 is the second Wolf Haven International red wolf to be released into the wilds of North Carolina after a female wolf, F2216, known as Iris during her time at the sanctuary, was released into the wild in 2021. In addition to the releases of two red wolves and the two litters sired by M2191, Wolf Haven has bred five litters of wild red wolves since starting the red wolf SAFE program.

Wolf Haven International has participated in the American Red Wolf SAFE program since 2003 and the Mexican Wolf SAFE program since 1994. Wolf Haven follows strict guidelines when caring for SAFE animals, with human presence kept to a minimum and observations done via remote camera.

For more information about Wolf Haven’s American red wolf and Mexican wolf conservation efforts, visit wolfhaven.org/conservation/SAFE. Updates from USFWS on the wild American red wolf population can be found at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.