Saint Louis Zoo celebrating birth of 4 American red wolf pups born this spring

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Zoo announced Monday four American red wolf pups were born this spring at the Saint Louis Zoo Sears Lehmann, Jr. Wildlife Reserve.

The first pup, Otter, a female, was born on April 26 to parents Lava, age 8, and Tyke, age 9. Both Lava and Tyke came to the Wildlife Reserve in late 2023 from the Wolf Conservation Center in New York.

On May 4, another set of parents Ladybird, age 3, and Wilber, age 8, gave birth to three wolf pups, with two of them male in Finn and Obi, and a female in Molly. Ladybird came from the Endangered Wolf Center in Missouri while Wilber joined from the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Florida.

The zoo says all four pups were healthy and thriving at their first checkups in late June.

The American Red Wolf is the most endangered species of wolf in the world, with only about 20 red wolves remaining in the wild today. The species can now only be found in the wild in North Carolina. Red Wolves used to roam in Missouri, but the species was declared extinct in the state in 1980 and the last sighting hasn't been since the 1950s.

"When you consider how few red wolves remain, each birth is an achievement," said Sabarras George, Director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park, who oversees the Wildlife Reserve. "I am incredibly proud of the team who have worked for years to reach this milestone."

As of May 2024, the zoo says about 290 red wolves live in human care, including 17 that live at the Wildlife Reserve in St. Louis.

The zoo says that since red wolves are naturally shy and run away from people, they are in the Wildlife Reserve, which is not open to the public. The reserve gives the 17 resident red wolves privacy, and allows them to maintain natural behaviors and survival skills with limited human interaction.