• Aprill Brandon •
• Originally published January 14, 2009 at 12:40 p.m., updated January 14, 2009 at 12:40 p.m.

Correction: Animal curator Eric MeBane’s first name was omitted from the story.

The Texas Zoo is doing its part to help save a species that was on the brink of extinction.

On Friday morning, three female red wolves were introduced from the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas.

"Red wolves are reported to be extinct in Texas and all throughout the southern states, with only 307 red wolves recorded to be alive. Out of that number, 200 are in captivity," MeBane said. "Their population dwindled due to things like deforestation, poachers, cross-breeding with coyotes and encroachment by humans."

The animals are owned by the Fish and Wildlife Service and were loaned to the Texas Zoo to replace the two previous red wolves that had lived there. In November, the female red wolf was shipped to the Museum of Life and Science in North Carolina after the male died of natural causes, MeBane said.

"The red wolf habitat is always a popular attraction. When our other two red wolves left, everyone kept asking about the exhibit and eventually we had to put up a sign because of the public interest," he added.

According to education curator Toni Erwin, there are many reasons it's important to save the red wolf and keep them from extinction.

"One particular reason is that they have an amazing resistance to heart worms and studying them could help us save many domestic dogs," she said.

As a part of bringing in more red wolves, the barn in the wolves' habitat was redone, with materials being donated by Wade Wedemeier of Victoria and Ganem and Kelly Surveying in Victoria.

Eventually, the Texas Zoo hopes to be a part of the red wolf breeding program and bring in a male red wolf, MeBane said, adding that those decisions are all made by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The red wolf program is just one of the zoo's animal conservation efforts. In addition to the endangered animals already housed there, such as jaguars and cotton-top tamarins, the zoo also is working on bringing in the endangered ocelot, MeBane added.

• Bringing back the red wolf:

  The red wolf historically roamed as a top predator throughout the southeastern U.S. but today is one of the most endangered animals in the world.

  In the 1960's, only a few red wolves remained ...

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Bringing back the red wolf:

The red wolf historically roamed as a top predator throughout the southeastern U.S. but today is one of the most endangered animals in the world.

In the 1960's, only a few red wolves remained due to more than three centuries' worth of persecution and habitat destruction. By 1970, the entire population was believed to be less than 100 animals confined to small areas in coastal Texas and Louisiana. In 1980, they were officially declared extinct in the wild.

In 1987, reintroduction efforts began to release captive-bred red wolves into the wild. Now almost 100 red wolves roam 1.7 million acres of land in northeastern North Carolina.

The current recovery goal for the species is 550 animals with at least 220 in the wild.

-Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services

The Texas Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and is located at 110 Memorial Drive. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children and $3.50 for seniors. Zoo members and children aged 2 and under are free.

For more information, call 361-573-7681 or go to www.texaszoo.org.

Hey kids! The Texas Zoo needs your help to name the three new red wolves. Send your name suggestions to 110 Memorial Drive, Victoria, Texas 77901 or drop it off in person at the zoo.

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