THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030430
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, S.C. LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Three endangered red wolves born in captivity on nearby Bull Island have been released in the wilds of the Smoky Mountains, while a fourth will be released this week in eastern North Carolina.
Red Wolf Project biologists decided to let the wolves born at the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge live in the wild rather than breed them in captivity. The biologists expect another litter of wolves at Cape Romain.
Red wolves are the first species declared extinct then reintroduced to the wild.
Red, his mate and their three female pups born last spring still live on Bull Island, which is part of the wildlife refuge. Refuge Manager George Garris said the female is carrying young that she could bear next month.
Two males and a female have been moved from the island to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The fourth, a male, will be released this week at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge near Manteo.
The three in the Smokies were introduced to wolves that had lived in the wild, said Christopher Lucash, a red wolf biologist.
He said a 3-year-old male and his sister, freed about a month ago, have scampered off with new mates. Each pair settled where the wild wolf had lived before it was put in a pen with the Bull Island wolf.
A 2-year-old male, who has recovered from a broken leg, ran off with his new mate Saturday.
The fourth wolf has been leading a bachelor's life in a pen at Alligator River. Biologist Michael Morse plans to set him free this week in an area dominated by gum swamps.
``We have a couple of lone females out there. We'll release him near them and hope he hooks up with one,'' Morse said.
Radio transmitter collars enable Lucash to track the wolves on Bull Island, and he plans to visit dens and count noses after the pups are born.
Alligator River has about 12 wolves in captivity and 70 others in the wild, including 10 pairs that Morse hopes will have pups this spring. by CNB