Speaker Series: Journey Into The Wild – Aug 29th
The Story of Mexican Wolf Pups and Their Historic Cross-Foster
Join Regina Mossotti, carnivore biologist and director of animal care and conservation at the EWC, as she shares the adventures of fostering Mexican wolf pups into the wild. Relive the pups’ journeys as you hear about the creative science and collaboration that made it all possible, including the whirlwind of logistics (such as flying on a plane with wolf pups!), hiking in the mountains, wild fires…
Experience the challenging world of endangered species conservation – the heart of the wild – as you visit Mexican wolves Mack, Vera and their puppies and learn how the EWC is making a world of difference for the future of Mexican wolves.
The event will be held at the Learning Living Classroom at the Endangered Wolf Center on Thursday, August 29th from 6-8 p.m.
Speaker Series: Journey into the Wild with Regina Mossotti
Wolf Fest 2019: Come Have a Howling Good Time
Our biggest event of the year! A festival that has fun activities, events, exhibits and demonstrations for all ages.
Emerson Presents Wolf Fest 2019 at the Endangered Wolf Center on Saturday, October 12, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This family festival has fun activities, events, exhibits and demonstrations for all ages. Endangered Wolf Center Members will enjoy early entry at 9:00 a.m. so join today for this exclusive opportunity to miss the crowds!
Wolf Fest features food trucks, adult beverages, animal demonstrations, many conservation groups, plus activities and games for kids.
Guests will see some of the most endangered wolves in the world and leave with a better understanding of their critical importance in the wild. Wolf Fest lets us share this science in fun, memorable ways.
Conservation Ambassadors will introduce guests to animals from around the world, with opportunities to get up close for photos. Guests can also view puppies born this spring!
FREE CARLOAD DEAL: Guests can purchase tickets in advance for $25 per carload ($35 day of). If you become a member between now and October 12, you will receive a free ticket for one carload and gain access to early entry at 9am. (Purchase a membership ticket). – VIP tickets are $100 per person and will receive reserved on-site parking, a private tent with complimentary drinks and snacks and an opportunity for a special meet-and-greet with conservationist and Conservation Ambassadors founder David Jackson and his animal ambassadors.
Buy Tickets or Membership Sponsorship Letter Sponsorship Form Facebook EventJoin our 2019 Polo Benefit
Join us for the annual Endangered Wolf Center Polo Classic on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 3 p.m. This year will be a Garden Gala, presented by the Beckmann Family Charitable Trust. Enjoy a day of delicious food and drinks while watching an exciting polo match at the McGehee Polo Field in Chesterfield, MO.
Address:
McGehee Polo Field at Spirit Valley Farms
(Wild Horse Creek Road at Tuma Ln.)
17899 Wild Horse Creek Road
Chesterfield, MO 63005
For a $600 donation, you’ll enjoy private cabana seating and an artisan picnic for four people. A $300 donation includes an artisan picnic for two with shared cabana seating. Sponsorships are available. For tickets or sponsorship information, call the EWC at 636-938-9306.
| Download Sponsorship Kit | Download Flyer |
Highlights from our last Polo events:
Celebrate National Public Lands Day with our Fall Hike
Join us on Saturday, September 28, 2019, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. as we celebrate National Public Lands Day!
We’ll hike from the campfire through the woods up to the cave and back to the campfire for a snack, feel free to pack a lunch.
The hike is approximately 3 miles – a moderate trail with a good-sized hill – wear your hiking shoes!
Everyone is welcome, but please leave your pets at home.
The gates open at 9:15 a.m. when you’ll be able to chat with staff; the hike starts promptly at 10 a.m. (No admittance after 10 a.m.)
You can book online, or call 636 938 5900 for more details or to book by phone.
Endangered Wolf Center Fall Hike
Pints for the Pack Fundraiser with Mackenzie Brewing Co.
Mackenzie Brewing Company is a small batch brewery specializing in Belgian and High Gravity Beers. Their brewery and tasting room is just a few miles up the road from the Endangered Wolf Center.
In a neighborly fashion, they’re helping us host our first annual Pints for the Pack fundraiser to benefit the wolves and other wild canids here at our Center. (We’ll drink to that!)
This truly unique adults-only evening begins with FREE BEER* from Mackenzie Brewing accompanied by an informative program on wolf communication. After this, you and your Endangered Wolf Center hosts will howl with the wolves!
Bring a few of your own friends and neighbors and join us Saturday, September 21 from 7-9 p.m. for craft beer and a Howl with the Wolves. Admission is $21 per person. Cheers!
“Pints for the Pack” Mackenzie Brewing Campfire Howl
*Visitors must be 21 years old or older. Call 636-938-5900 for more details or to reserver by phone.
Meditation with the Wolves
Meditation with the Wolves
S A T U R D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 7 | 8 : 3 0 A M – 1 1 : 3 0 A M
Ever wonder why meditation retreats are often found in the mountains or deep in the forest? Outdoor meditation activates the senses, making us more aware of our surroundings and distancing us from the stresses of daily life.
Deepen your mindfulness and awareness of nature with an experiential meditation session in the stunning open-air environment of the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri.
The day will begin promptly at 8:30am at PALM Health (9160 Clayton Rd, St. Louis, MO 63124) where guests will board a luxury touring bus with complimentary healthy snacks and beverages from the PALM Café.
Upon arriving at the Endangered Wolf Center, guests will be divided into two groups. One will begin a meditation class while the other will tour the sights and sounds of the Center’s residents, including Mexican, red, and maned wolves, several foxes, and painted dogs, with a special visit from several unique Ambassador animals. Each group will then rotate to complete their meditation or tour.
The bus will depart at 11:00am with lunchtime snacks and beverages on its return to PALM Health.
$60 per person, for members and non-members.
Sign up through PALM Health’s class schedule on the PALM app, or call PALM Health reception at 314-801-8898 option 1 then 1.
Virginia Busch Appointed CEO for the EWC
ST. LOUIS, MO: To further growth efforts at the Eureka, Missouri-based Endangered Wolf Center (EWC), Virginia Busch will transition from executive director to Chief Executive Officer, overseeing strategic planning, conservation initiatives, donor development and marketing. The EWC has begun a search for a new executive director who will focus on the day-to-day operations of the Center, and in conjunction with Busch will work to expand the organization and its mission through outreach, on-site programming, donor development and environmental leadership.
Busch joined the EWC as executive director in 2012, during which time it has grown significantly in size as well as revenue. The nonprofit organization is considered the cornerstone of wolf conservation in America, having earned a global reputation for breeding endangered wolves and other canids, leading husbandry research and participating in releasing wolves in the wild as part of the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s recovery programs, recently making history with two successful cross-fosters in Arizona and New Mexico. In fact, every Mexican gray wolf in the wild can trace his or her roots back to one place – the Endangered Wolf Center.
But the successful recovery of an endangered species is a constant challenge, and Busch intends to expand the work of the EWC. “While the essential role wolves play in the health and sustainability of an ecosystem is undisputed scientifically, fear and misconceptions about wolves and other top predators are old storylines that take effort and persistence to shift. I plan to concentrate on changing that narrative through conservation initiatives and partnerships, along with increased outreach beyond traditional environmental channels.”
Founded in 1971 by Marlin and Carol Perkins, the Endangered Wolf Center has worked to preserve and protect Mexican wolves, red wolves and other wild canid species, with purpose and passion, through carefully managed breeding, research, reintroduction and inspiring education programs. The Center is a non-profit organization located near St. Louis, Mo. Open to the public, the EWC is a one-of-a-kind destination for conservationists and animal lovers alike. Through their participation in education and outreach, visitors not only contribute to the Center’s conservation efforts at home but also in the places where Mexican and red wolves live in the wild.
In addition to her role at the Endangered Wolf Center, Busch contributes to conservation and animal welfare at home and abroad as a National Council and board member for World Wildlife Fund, board member for Wild Earth Allies, and the Humane Society of Missouri.
Job Opening: Receptionist
We’re looking for a receptionist to join our team.
Organization: Endangered Wolf Center (AZA Member)
Location: Eureka, Missouri, United States
Job or Internship: Job
Job Description: Receptionist
Reports to: Guest Relations Manager
Job Summary:
Responsible for answering phones, booking reservations, greeting guests as they arrive, processing payments and other duties as assigned.
This is a part-time, 16 hour-per-week position that will work two days each week (Tuesday and Wednesday). Those days will remain the same each week.
Responsibilities:
• Serve as the “voice of the Center” to people who call. Provide excellent customer service when answering the phones and communicating with guests.
• Process reservations, process payments, take messages, answer questions and more.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Guest Relations Manager.
Required Qualifications:
• Some College.
• Customer service experience.
• Ability and willingness to be flexible with tasks.
• Ability to use a computer.
• Willingness to master our online reservation system.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc) and Google programs (Gmail, Sheets, Docs, etc).
• Flexible schedule.
• Willingness to participate in our Docent training course if not already completed.
• Able to establish and maintain good working relationships with other
departments.
To apply please send cover letter and resume to [email protected]
Due to the volume of applicants, phone calls will not be returned. Those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted before July 30, 2019.
Job Opening: Educator
We’re looking for an Educator to join our team.
Organization: Endangered Wolf Center (AZA Member)
Location: Eureka, Missouri, United States
Job or Internship: Job
Job Description: Educator
Reports to: Education Supervisor
Job Summary:
The Educator will be responsible for successfully executing programs as scheduled, as well as filling in for other staff members at programs as assigned.
This is an hourly, full-time position, with a fluctuating schedule. Evenings and weekends are required. The work schedule will be subject to change; but will be presented to the Educator one week in advance. We anticipate this position to average about 40 hours a week, but this could change based off of business and will fluctuate with events and busy seasons.
Responsibilities:
• Successfully execute all assigned programs, including PredaTours, private tours, scout programs, field trips, birthday parties, evening howls, outreaches and other programs as assigned.
• Participate in the care, handling and training of all the Education Department’s ambassador animals.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Education Supervisor.
Required Qualifications:
• Professional, can-do attitude.
• Ability to work a fluctuating schedule.
• Willingness to be flexible.
• Captivating and dynamic personality.
• Experience with educating groups of people, both children and adults.
• Willingness to participate in our Docent training course if not already completed.
• Able to establish and maintain good working relationships with other departments.
Preferred Qualifications:
• College Degree
• Wildlife or Conservation Education Experience
• Possess a current Drivers’ License
To apply please send cover letter and resume to HR at [email protected].
PUPDATE: Welcome Our Latest Additions to Our Pack!
This puppy season has certainly been one for the record books!
Let’s recap – so far this year we have welcomed 23 African painted dog pups, 15 Mexican wolf pups, two maned wolf pups, four swift fox kits, and now… drumroll please!! 🥁
Now we are celebrating the birth of eight American red wolf pups, born in two litters in April and May! There are six males and two female pups and they are OH. SO. CUTE.
The American Red Wolf
American red wolves are the most endangered wolf species in the world, with fewer than 30 wolves left in the wild and around 200 found in the captive breeding program. These new additions to our pack are small now, but they will have a BIG impact on the survival of their species!
The Endangered Wolf Center has played an integral role in saving the red wolf. We have bred a total of 45 critically endangered red wolf pups since their survival program began in the 1980s.
A strikingly beautiful animal, the red wolf is a different species from its gray wolf cousins, and notably smaller, weighing an average of only 65 pounds.
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The American red wolf is truly a national treasure – they are the only large carnivore species that is solely native to the United States.
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Historically, red wolves were found throughout the Southeastern United States, with wolves found as far west as Texas, including Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois. The last red wolf seen in the wilds of Missouri was in the 1950s. Now, red wolves can only be found on the coast of North Carolina.
Red wolves were declared extinct in the wild in 1980, due to predator control programs, poaching, hybridization with coyotes, loss of habitat, and disease from domestic dogs. Over forty zoological and conservation institutions across the country have come together in an effort to save red wolves.
These institutions are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP), housing more than 230 red wolves.
We are proud that in 1982, we welcomed our first litter of red wolves! One of those pups, an amazing female named Brindled Hope, was introduced into the wild in North Carolina, and became the first reintroduced red wolf to give birth in the wild.
And so her legacy began. A legacy that started an innovative effort to recover a species that was almost lost to the pages of history.
Today, many of the red wolves now roaming in North Carolina’s wild territory can trace their roots back to the Endangered Wolf Center.
Behind the Scenes of Saving an Endangered Species
Preparing a wolf to be introduced into the wild takes a lot of work – and a lot of space. The large habitats here at the EWC offer red wolf release candidates a chance to hunt, an opportunity to acclimate to larger land areas and the ability to experience little human interference.
Our dedicated Animal Care Staff perform necessary veterinary health exams and provide everything the animals in our care need to thrive, breed, and nurture their young.
To preserve their natural shyness, access to humans is limited, although visitors may observe the pups in their habitat from a distance during a tour.
A Bright Future for Our Pups
These eight new red wolf pups will remain at the EWC for two years or more with their parents and siblings, after which they may be sent to other facilities for breeding.
They offer hope for future reintroduction initiatives that will help save this species.
Since we have the space to keep multigenerational packs, these pups will only leave the EWC when they are ready to start their own packs. The SSP will take their unique genetics into account when pairing them to breed at the EWC or at other zoological facilities.
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They represent hope for their species and an opportunity to balance our natural ecosystems here in the United States.
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This balance impacts all living things – including humans! We rely on the delicate balance of nature and by reintroducing a keystone species like the American red wolf, we play our part in helping our environment get back on track.
What You Can Do to Help
Creating awareness is vital in saving endangered species. By examining the root cause of their plight in the wild, it is clear to see that misunderstandings and myths of their behaviors and species have taken their toll.
Sharing your knowledge is an excellent way to help! Small actions make a big difference.
Volunteering with wildlife organizations like the EWC, donating to fund conservation programs, and doing your part to live sustainably impacts our natural world.
These adorable red wolf pups are also available for adoption through our Adopt-A-Wolf Program. Adopting “parents” receive:
- 1-year membership to the Endangered Wolf Center
- Personalized Certificate of Adoption
- Biography and color photo of your animal
- Bi-annual updates about the adopted animal
- Plush animal of the adopted species
- Free Endangered Preda-Tour for four people
- Discounts at the gift shop and selected program
- An invitation to a Members’ Day appreciation event
- An annual magazine subscription
- Reciprocal membership privileges at select Zoos and Aquariums nationwide
By symbolically adopting our red wolf pack, you are playing an important role in securing the future of these endangered animals. We thank you for deciding to do something, even the tiniest action, to be an advocate for wolves and wild places whose ecosystems depend on them.
Wolf Center News
