(Initial story with photos published in National Wildlife Federation Magazine, October 2020. This is part of a bigger multimedia and outreach project as well, in collaboration with Running Wild Media.)

As the sun lowered deeper toward the horizon, a group of people gazed toward the open enclosure. Tension and hope permeated the air. Everyone waited in silence, trying to will their bodies to hold still and stay focused. Suddenly, a pair of eyes peered out from across the field. The first red wolf ventured out of the enclosure and seemed to be judging the risk of newfound freedom. The beautiful male wolf gazed over at the small group of people before taking off across the field. Two females soon joined him in the field, and everyone let out a collective sigh of both relief and celebration. This was the first release of new red wolves in over a decade.

American red wolves are one of the most endangered creatures on the planet, and there is a small group of dedicated people working hard to save this important apex predator, and re-introduce them to the wild. Fighting misconceptions, a lack of habitat, and resources, this group is determined to save a species on the brink of survival. Less than 20 remain in the wild, so new blood in the pack from a release such as this is critical.

In February, 2021 two pairs were released again into refuge land in North Carolina. There are plans to continue to increase numbers of wolves in the wild, but the only way this will be a success is if they have the support of people in the local areas where wolves are released, and if enough suitable habitat is identified for them to live on. Their range used to be vast, and has now shrunk to a tiny section of North Carolina. Yet, there is hope.

It is an incredible story of resilience and conservation. This is a brief overview of the current project and we look forward to sharing more as it evolves. If you’d like to help the Red Wolf in its recovery, check out this Red Wolf Resilience conservation program.