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Wolves continued
The Stuff of Legends endangered under the Endangered • Minimal human contact. One-way view-
Once upon a time, gray wolves were Species Act. An “endangered” label ing glass and a separate “wolf-only” yard
abundant in North America. In fact, means a species is in perilous decline provide privacy.
they were among the world’s most and mandates the U.S. Fish &
prevalent animals. Wildlife Service to institute a plan for The Next Chapter
the species’ recovery and conservation. Every Mexican gray wolf living today is
After pioneers migrated westward, In the case of Mexican gray wolves, descended from seven original wolves
they perceived wolves as competition in the plan called for re-establishing a wild rescued from extinction. Because the
the hunt for food, and the predators saw population of at least 100 individuals original population was so small, the
livestock as just as much of a food source over a 5,000-square-mile area within their recovery program strives to maintain
as the pioneers did. Shrinking habitat historic range. A Mexican Gray Wolf a gene pool as diverse as possible. One
and predator extermination programs Species Survival Plan also was created promising strategy is having wild adult
sponsored by the U.S. government were a under the management of the Association wolves foster zoo-born pups, a tactic that
primary source of wolves’ woes. And silly of Zoos and Aquariums. we have actively supported.
as it may sound, we believed those fairy
tales about bloodthirsty tricksters. For all The Chicago Zoological Society has Pregnant wolves in zoos and in the wild
these reasons, wolves nearly went extinct. been a longtime active participant in are monitored closely. When a whelping
Mexican gray wolf recovery. Our wolf date in the wild aligns with one in a
Gray wolves are gone in much of Europe history dates back to 1957, when we zoo, the time is right. Each litter has to
and have all but disappeared from North featured a breeding pair of gray wolves in include at least four pups. Zoo pups are
America. Few remain in Canada, Alaska, our original Wolf Woods habitat. Since then transferred to a nursing female in
the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific then, our researchers have actively studied the wild, and we hope she accepts the pup
Northwest and along the Great Lakes. wolf behavior and social structures. In 2004, as her own. As you may have read in the
A small population of red wolves lives on we joined an international recovery effort summer Gateways, a foster mother in the
the North Carolina coast. under the auspices of the Species Survival wild successfully adopted two Brookfield
Plan and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Zoo wolf pups, Brooke and Blaze, earlier
In 1976, the Mexican gray wolf this year.
subspecies of gray wolves was listed as Also in 2004, we remodeled the first
Wolf Woods habitat to advance the care Eventually, to help diversify the
Zana watches over her pups as they play for our resident wolves and to improve the gene pool even further and to improve
outside their den. guest experience. The 1.2-acre site provides chances for Mexican gray wolf survival,
conscientious design and care protocols a true cross-fostering arrangement may
that promote denning and the smooth be possible (think “switched at birth”).
transition of wolves back into the wild. Adoptive wild mothers would raise zoo
Some of these elements include: pups, and wild pups would be raised by
• A large natural habitat with native adoptive zoo mothers.
plants and a wetland area that keep
the wolves active.
• Appropriate socialization. Wolves social-
ize only with each other. Animal care
staff do not interact directly with them.
• Naturalistic feeding. Wolves are fed a
natural diet, including bison, elk, and
deer carcasses, as well as native fish and
whole prey.
• Dens. Our design team has recreated
dens and tunnels that reflect those in
the wild. We’ve provided ample space for
wolves to dig natural dens.
20 GATEWAYS | CHANGING THE STORY FOR WOLVES
