At the Saint Louis Zoo Sears Lehmann, Jr. Wildlife Reserve in Franklin County, the property is vibrant with the howls and play of 13 American red wolves in our care.
Animals we welcomed in 2023 included breeding pairs Ladybird and Bandit, and Tyke and Lava. We’re hopeful they will have puppies in 2024!
As tempting as it sounds to see these beauties, we purposefully limit their contact with humans — even their keepers. The property, generously donated by Peggy Lehmann in honor of her late husband, Sears Lehmann Jr., is closed to the public. Our goal is to ensure that these wolves retain their natural fear of humans, safeguarding them from potential trouble if they are eventually released into the wild. In 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a revised recovery plan for the American red wolf, and we’re hopeful we can take part in releases in the future.
American red wolves are the most endangered canid in the world. The species population once spanned from Pennsylvania and Missouri to Florida and Texas. Now, wild American red wolves live in the northeast region of North Carolina. Their natural habitats, including forests, wetlands, grasslands and prairies are threatened by human development and activity.
These animals are important animals for the ecosystem. They keep prey and game populations in check and healthy; increase bird populations by decreasing predator numbers that eat bird eggs; and initiate vegetation regeneration, leading to positive outcomes like less riverbank erosion.
By protecting these incredible canids, we’re not only helping the American red wolf, but also helping ourselves and the health of our ecosystem.
