Adopt-A-Wolf Descriptions

You can adopt an individual wolf, a breeding pair, or the entire pack...scroll down for the full list.  

Individual Adoptions:
The wolves listed below are available for adoption to Adopt-A-Wolf level members and above.


INAPA: Choose Membership Level


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Inapa, Red Wolf Inapa, a red wolf pup, was born April 26, 2007, at the Wild Canid Center. The name Inapa is Lakota Sioux for “one who has overcome hardship”. The name is fitting because although Inapa is young, she has proven to be a survivor. In July of 2007, keepers found Inapa inside her feeding area missing part of her leg. She was rushed to the Saint Louis Zoo where the rest of the leg was amputated. After her return from the zoo, she was housed with her mother to heal. Since her amputation, she has had to learn to walk with only three legs. She has proven to be very resilient and can be seen running along the hillside of her enclosure.
ANNA: Choose Membership Level


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Anna by John Storjohann

Tanamara and Santa Ana, a Ghost Ranch lineage Mexican gray wolf that had never reproduced, were not expected to breed, due to Santa Ana’s advanced age and poor health. However, we were hopeful that they might surprise us. Much to everyone’s delight, Tanamara did get pregnant and gave birth to two females and one male on April 22, 2001. The male and one female did not survive leaving Anna, a lone female, to be hand-raised by the Wild Canid Center staff. Anna is considered one of the most genetically valuable wolves in the Mexican gray wolf recovery program. She was named Anna, after her father, who passed away on July 26, 2001. She had her first breeding opportunity in 2003 with her first mate, Prietito, an experienced male. Together they successfully reared eight pups and went on to breed in 2004 producing ten more pups. In 2005 Anna and her new mate, Dude produced a litter of 12 puppies; the largest litter ever recorded in this species. It is not surprising that a few of the pups were lost in the first few days. Five males and four females survived and thrived. Anna has successfully contributed to the Mexican gray wolf population by producing more than 40 pups, one of which has been successfully released into the wild.


NAGUAL : Choose Membership Level


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Nakomis by John Storjohann

Nagual’s name is Aztec and means “manifestation of spirit and knowledge.” This handsome Mexican gray wolf, was born May 4, 2005 as a result of one of the first ever successful artificial inseminations in Mexican gray wolves.

After his mother, Nakomis, had been inseminated with semen from a Mexican gray wolf named Dude, she was paired with Laredo, a two-year-old male, to serve as a surrogate father to her litter of four puppies. In the fall of 2005, Laredo left the Center to be released into the wild and a year later, Nagual’s three female siblings went to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas.

Nagual and his mother Nakomis continued to live together here at the Center until the fall of 2007, when it was discovered that Nakomis had developed a large aggressive growth. Since the growth was malignant and inoperable, the only humane option was to euthanize Nakomis.

Nagual has adjusted to life without his mother and in fact topped the scales this year as our largest male Mexican gray wolf weighing in at 86 pounds. Nagual carries on his mother’s legacy through his wildness and strength and looks forward to bone day just as much as Nakomis did.


PICARON Choose Membership Level


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Picaron by Regina Mossotti

Picaron , a Ghost Ranch x McBride cross Mexican gray wolf was born on May 3, 1998 at Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In January of 2002, Picaron came to the Wild Canid Center after living at three other facilities in succession. Picaron has had a history of being a very dominant male towards other males as well as towards his mates. This made it difficult to place him appropriately with other wolves. He was transferred to the Wild Canid Center for behavioral and reproductive evaluation and to hopefully become a successful parent. After evaluation, he was paired with Tanamara, a female born and raised at the Wild Canid Center. Tanamara proved to be the perfect match for Picaron, our largest male wolf. Since their pairing in 2003, the two have successfully produced and raised 14 pups.  These pups, now adults, have since been transferred to other facilities.

On Tuesday, January 13, 2009, Tanamara did not wake up from anesthetic after a routine veterinary procedure. At the first sign of trauma, the zoo vets and WCC staff jumped in and did everything they could to save her; unfortunately that just was not enough. Necropsy results indicate that Tanamara passed away due to a perforation of her small intestines by foreign material she ingested.

Tanamara was born at the Wild Canid Center and lived out a wonderful, fulfilling ten years here. Tanamara was an excellent mate to Picaron and a wonderful mother to her many offspring.

Picaron seems to have adjusted to life without his mate.  He enjoys patrolling his enclosure and looks forward to bone day.  At the 2009 Mexican gray wolf Species Survival Plan meeting we hope to be able to pair Picaron for breeding or companionship.


FRIJOLE: Choose Membership Level


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Frijole by Regina MossottiFrijole, a Mexican gray wolf, was born on May 10, 1995 at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Due to a medical condition that her mother suffered from, Frijole was hand reared. She arrived at the Wild Canid Center in December 1995. Alano was born at the Wild Canid Center to Francisco and Sheila on May 7, 1992. The bond between Frijole and Alano was immediate and strong. Their habit of lying close to each other, nuzzling, and walking side-by-side have made them a favorite pair among our volunteers and visitors. They bred successfully during their first breeding season together and Frijole became pregnant for the first time. Unfortunately that litter only survived a few days. It is not unusual for a first time mother to lose her litter due to lack of experience. Frijole is one of the most genetically important females in the Mexican gray wolf population. To increase her chances of having pups, the Wild Canid Center, with assistance from a Norwegian veterinarian, artificially inseminated Frijole. On May 1, 2005, Frijole gave birth to one male and two female pups. They were pulled for partial hand rearing and then returned to Alano to rear when they were weaned. Frijole was reunited with Alano and the puppies that fall. This was the first time artificial insemination was successful with Mexican gray wolves. Frijole is now retired from breeding; however, in early 2007, to preserve her important genetics, the Wild Canid Center worked with a local reproductive specialist to collect and freeze her oocytes for future use. She was also spayed during this process, which may prolong her life.

On May 7, 2008 Alano celebrated his 16th birthday. Sixteen years is an almost unheard of life even in captivity. Alano was the oldest wolf in the Mexican wolf captive population. Sadly on May 11 th Alano began to have trouble walking on his “good” front legs; he had long had difficulty with his rear legs. On May 12, 2008 just hours after morning medication, he was found lying next to his pond unable to get up. Senior staff was forced to make the difficult decision to euthanize Alano. He is greatly missed by the Wild Canid Center staff, volunteers and most of all, his pack.

Frijole and her son Perkins still live together in a large enclosure where they enjoy patrolling the borders of their territory.  Frijole enjoys naps in the sun and looks forward to bone day.


Breeding Pairs:

 

With a breeding pair adoption, you may choose any of the pairs listed below. With your adoption you receive quarterly updates about your pair from our Animal Care staff. There is a possibility that one of the wolves in a pair may change in response to recommendation of the Species Survival Plan. If this should happen during your membership year, you will be notified through your updates.




MISCHA & SANTANA Choose Membership Level


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Mischa by Regina Mossotti

Mischa, a female maned wolf, was born on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2005 at the Conservation and Research Center at Washington D.C.’s National Zoo. Mischa came to the Wild Canid Center in the fall of 2006 to be paired with Keegan because Mischa’s genetics are very important and Keegan was a proven father. Keegan’s calmer disposition and the seclusion of our enclosures made the Wild Canid Center an ideal new home for Mischa.

On December 24, 2007, Keegan passed away leaving Mischa without a mate. The maned wolf SSP decided that Mischa would be paired up with Santana, a yearling from Texas.

Santana was born on February 22, 2007, to wild caught parents making his genetics very valuable. He was transferred to the Wild Canid Center in June of 2008, to mate with Mischa. Santana may be young, but he is definitely in charge.

Despite Santana’s young age, the staff at the Wild Canid Center is hopeful that the pair will successfully breed. They have shown promising bonding behavior including grooming and sleeping near each other.


ROCKY & ABBY Choose Membership Level


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Rocky by John Storjohann

Rocky was born in the spring of 2001 in the Blue Range Recovery Area of New Mexico. This was the first litter to be born in the wild in New Mexico in decades. Due to a drought, the den that his wild-born mother chose did not have access to water. Through radio collar signals it was known that the mother had not left the den for days. When the United States Fish & Wildlife Service went in to check, Rocky’s sister was already dead, and Rocky was severely dehydrated and malnourished. Both mother and son were taken to the Albuquerque Zoo for immediate treatment and once stabilized, they were transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sevilleta Wolf Management Facility. Eventually, Rocky was flown to the Wild Canid Center and placed in a foster situation to be reared by his great-grandfather. Due to his “rocky” start to life, he suffers from nutritional cataracts causing him to be completely blind in one however, this resilient boy does not let this challenge slow him down.

Abby was born April 11, 2004 and by September of 2004, she suffered a fracture to her rear left leg as a result of jumping off the top of den boxes. Abby had to have pins put in and a cast applied to her broken leg. She remained separate from her pack for a short time then two of her siblings joined her with similar injuries. Once healed, the three were returned to their pack. Over time Abby’s mother Anna decided that Abby was a threat to her alpha status and would often chase her, causing her limp to return. It was decided to move Abby out of the pack and in the spring of 2005, Rocky and Abby were paired for companionship. The two have proven to be good for each other and are a very active and curious pair.

Pack Adoptions:

 

If you are unable to decide on an individual or pair adoption, you may choose to adopt an entire pack of your favorite species housed here at the Wild Canid Center. You will hear a little about each of the animals of that species in updates from the Animal Care staff.






MEXICAN GRAY WOLF : Choose Membership Level


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Mexican gray wolf by James Fisher The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is the smallest subspecies of gray wolf and the most endangered wolf in the world. Found only in North America, the Mexican gray wolf once ranged through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and the northern part of Mexico. During the late 1800’s with the arrival of the livestock industry in the Southwest, the species was virtually eliminated. In 1976 the Mexican gray wolf was placed on the Endangered Species List, making the recovery of the species a federal concern. The Mexican gray wolf population had decreased to five animals in the wild. As part of the recovery effort, these remaining animals were captured and went on to become the founders of today’s Mexican gray wolf population. During this time, the first pups conceived in captivity began their lives here at the Wild Canid Center. On March 29, 1998, 11 Mexican gray wolves were released into the Wolf Recovery Area that spans Arizona and New Mexico. Wild Canid Center-born wolves led two of the three family packs. Efforts to reintroduce Mexican gray wolves into the Southwest continue to be successful. Today each wild pack traces its ancestry directly to the Wild Canid Center. The most recent release of a Wild Canid Center-born Mexican gray wolf occurred in the summer of 2006. By the fall of 2006 Laredo had become the alpha male in the Bluestem Pack in Arizona, leading the pack alongside an experienced female. In addition to having the most wolves released in the wild, the Wild Canid Center has been the birth site of more Mexican gray wolves than any other U.S. facility. Approximately 45% of the Mexican gray wolves born in captivity were born at the Wild Canid Center. In the spring of 2005, a record 14 Mexican gray wolf puppies were born as a result of the first successful non-surgical artificial inseminations in an endangered species of wolf. That spring, a total of 29 pups were born setting an international record for births.


RED WOLF: Choose Membership Level


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ref wolf by Regina Mossotti

The red wolf (Canis rufus), known as the “All -American” wolf, is a distinctly different species from the gray wolf. The range of the red wolf covered the southeastern United States, including the lower portions of Missouri and Illinois. By 1980, the red wolf was considered extinct in the wild with only 14 remaining and only a few remaining in captivity. The Wild Canid Center received its first pair of red wolves in 1981. In 1987, a Wild Canid Center-born red wolf was one of the first eight animals reintroduced into the wild in North Carolina. She was the first to reproduce successfully outside the captive breeding program. The red wolf release program has been successful for over 20 years. The howls of the red wolf can be heard at the Wild Canid Center celebrating the red wolf’s triumphant return to the wild.


SWIFT FOX: Choose Membership Level


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Swift Fox by Regina Mossotti

The swift fox (Vulpes velox) received its common name from early Western settlers because of its speed and agility. Weighing four to six pounds, the swift fox is about the size of a house cat. This tiny, elusive fox historically ranged from central Alberta, Canada southward through the Great Plains to west-central Texas. During the last century, swift foxes have been eliminated from over two-thirds of their original range. The population in Canada has been listed as endangered and in the U.S. the population of the swift fox is restricted to a narrow north-south band cutting across Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. In lieu of the current federal listing under the Endangered Species Act, a coalition among representatives of the 10 states has formed a Swift Fox Conservation Team that has adopted a Conservation Strategy Plan. The Wild Canid Center’s pair of swift foxes are part of a breeding program to secure swift fox numbers in captivity and to supplement existing wild populations. In the winter of 2005 two of their offspring, born here, were transferred to Canada to participate in a release program.


AFRICAN WILD DOGS : Choose Membership Level


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African wild dogs by Jennifer SilverbergAfrican Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) are distinguished from other canids by their distinctive yellow, black and white coat and their large rounded ears. They are native to western, eastern and central sub-Saharan Africa but have slowly been extirpated from most of their range over the past 100 years. It is estimated that there are as few as 3,000 wild dogs remaining in the wild in isolated populations throughout southern and eastern Africa. Reasons for their decline include persecution by humans, predator control programs, habitat loss, and diseases like rabies and distemper. The Wild Canid Center is one of only 26 facilities that house these amazing animals. Tsavo, Dogo, Datoga, and Magadi are the four male African wild dogs that currently reside at the Wild Canid Center. In future years we hope to add a group of sibling females to our pack so that we can aid in the propagation efforts for this very important species.


MANED WOLF : Choose Membership Level


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Maned wolf by Randal HymanThe maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is a shy, nocturnal, South American canid. Long slender legs, large ears, and a reddish coat have given this species the nickname, “red fox on stilts.” Found in the grasslands of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina this unique canid is omnivorous, feeding on a variety of both plants and animals. Population declines and loss of natural habitat have caused this species to be listed as endangered throughout most of its historic range. The Wild Canid Center began working with this species in 1996 and was the birth site of the first litter of maned wolves reared by both parents in almost a decade.
If you have any questions or comments please e-mail: info@wildcanidcenter.org
Or Call: (636)938-5900
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Anna Nakomis Rocky