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Two Red Wolves Relocated To Nature Center In Asheville

Garnet, left, and Karma at their new home in Asheville, N.C.
Erin Oldread
/
WNC Nature Center
Garnet, left, and Karma at their new home in Asheville, N.C.

A pair of endangered red wolves have been relocated to the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville as part of the Species Survival Plan.

Karma, a female, and Garnet, a male, are both around 3-years-old and moved to the center in November. 

Karma comes from the Zoo at Chehaw in Albany, Georgia where she was born. Garnet comes from Reflection Riding Nature Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was born.

Neither of the wolves have bred before, but Animal Curator Erin Oldread is expectant.

“Hopefully they’ll figure it out,” Oldread said.

At last report, there were fewer than 50 red wolves in the wild and another 200 in breeding programs. 

The hope is the two will have pups that can one day be released into the wild to grow the Red Wolf population.

Garnet is still in quarantine but will join Karma in their visible section of the center after 30 days of passing tests.

Cole del Charco is a journalist, writer and radio producer from Hickory, North Carolina.