Evansville zoo adds pair of endangered wolves

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Nagual, a male Mexican Gray Wolf, front and his female partner, check out their new habitat at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens in Evansville, Ind., on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012 after arriving by plane from the USFWS Sevilleta Wolf Management Center at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, in Socorro, NM. The Mexican Gray. The wolves became endangered due to livestock practices and have been part of a large conservation project throughout the southwest and Mexico. Mesker Park Zoo plans to have the pair be foster parents for pups whose parents are unable to raise them in the wild as an effort to continue conservation efforts of the species and eventually hope they can breed the animals. Photo: The Evansville Courier & Press, Erin McCracken / AP 

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  Nagual, a male Mexican Gray Wolf, stands on top of the hill peering through the trees at his new habitat at the Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Gardens in Evansville, Ind., on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. Nagual is one of two Mexican Gray Wolves, now on exhibit at the zoo. The wolves are part of a large conservation effort for the species which has approximately 300 in captivity and 60-70 in the wild. Photo: The Evansville Courier & Press, Erin McCracken / AP

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Staffers at Evansville's zoo are hoping that its new pair of endangered Mexican gray wolves will be good parents as they try to help the species thrive again.

The adult male and female arrived Tuesday at Mesker Park Zoo after a flight from a federal wolf management center in New Mexico, the Evansville Courier & Press (http://bit.ly/T12tqP ) reported. Zoo officials say the species has become endangered because of livestock practices and shootings and that fewer than 300 remain in captivity.

Plans are for the two wolves to breed at the Evansville zoo and be foster parents for pups rescued from the wild, said Mesker animal curator Susan Lindsey. The pair had pups in 2010 and 2011.
"This pair of experienced parents will make a significant contribution to the recovery efforts," said Lindsey, an adviser to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Mexican gray wolf recovery program.
The 90-pound male and the roughly 60-pound female dashed from their carrying crates Tuesday and immediately began exploring the zoo's recently renovated wolf exhibit that covers almost an acre.
Lindsey said the Mexican gray wolf is one of the smallest wolves and has the most distinctive markings, including black stripes down their legs.

"I think most people are really struck by how pretty they are," she said. "Wolves definitely play an important part in our ecosystem in terms of how they control prey ... when we lose them from the ecosystem, there's a great loss for a lot of different animals and plants."

Lindsey said the wolves also have a distinctive howl at night.

"I'm hoping the people who live nearby are going to enjoy that," she said. "It's pretty special."

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