Page 22 - Gateways_Winter2016-17
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Wolves continued
In addition to promoting a healthy As this issue reaches you, it is our National Park, a project celebrating its 10th
breeding population, we are collecting expectation that the December Mexican year, with 100 wolves returned to the wild.
data to assist with the development of gray wolf wild census will be taking place,
expandable tracking collars that can be and if possible, Brooke and Blaze will be Attendees also were able to preview
worn by pups in the wild. Many of the fitted with radio collars so the U.S. Fish & Gray Area, a new independent film based
adult wolves that have been released into Wildlife Service recovery team can track on the life of Ernesta Wolf, who once
the wild are fitted with radio collars, but them more accurately. resided here in Regenstein Wolf Woods.
it’s tricky to fit pups with a collar because Visit grayareathefilm.com for more
information.
Once Upon
a Time
Over millions of years, wolves 1957 1977-1982
evolved to become top
predators in their ecosystems. Brook eld Zoo’s The United States
Then they were nearly original WOLF and Mexico establish
eradicated in a relatively WOODS opens. a cooperative zoo
short amount of time. breeding program.
Today, their chances of
survival are improving 1960s 1980s
as conservation
organizations work Chicago Zoological Society scientists, The breeding program
to save them. including current president emeritus shows early success, and
Dr. George Rabb, begin studying wolf safe areas for reintroduction
socialization and behavior. are researched.
they require one that will grow with them A Better Ending And the most exciting news for all of us
over time. This past summer, a conference organized at Brookfield Zoo is that at the conference,
by the Mexican Gray Wolf Species Survival we learned that Flint and Zana earned
Next spring, our own Brookfield Zoo Plan welcomed an international group of the green light to breed again during the
pups may be fitted with test collars to see attendees dedicated to revitalization of winter, which means, if all goes well, more
how well they stretch as the pups grow. these animals. Our associate curator of pups in the spring.
Creating a collar that can stay with an mammals, Joan Daniels, represented the
animal for longer periods of time not only Society at the gathering, which brought In the meantime, stop by and say
helps in the management of the population together researchers and conservationists “aaoooooooooh” to our handsome pack:
of wolves in the wild but also ensures that working with both gray wolves and red dad Flint, mom Zana, and pups Azul, Ela,
researchers know where a wolf travels, how wolves. These experts shared information and Rio. █
large of an area it may roam, and if it has about advances in genetics and explored
entered an industrialized or populated new opportunities for collaboration.
area. These new and improved collars will Participants were heartened to learn about
help conservationists protect this critically recovery efforts taking place in Yellowstone
endangered species.
22 GATEWAYS | CHANGING THE STORY FOR WOLVES
