A litter of endangered red wolf pups was discovered in the woods of North Carolina, giving conservationists hope for the future of the species.

It’s the first litter of red wolf pups born in the wild in four years, with the last discovered litter dating back to 2018.

According to a Facebook post by the Red Wolf Recovery Program, the litter consisted of four female pups and two male pups. They were discovered on April 18, 2022, in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.

The program wrote in the post: “As the sights and sounds of spring began to unfold on Alligator River NWR this April, something monumental was also unfolding on the landscape…a new litter of red wolf pups and renewed hope for survival of a species!”

They added that the pups’ parents were brought together through a “combination of several management actions and the two red wolves subsequently following their natural instincts in pairing, establishing their territory and mating.”

They ended the post writing, “Every generation yields a new born hope for the red wolf…a cause for joy and celebration!”The program wrote in the post: “As the sights and sounds of spring began to unfold on Alligator River NWR this April, something monumental was also unfolding on the landscape…a new litter of red wolf pups and renewed hope for survival of a species!”

They added that the pups’ parents were brought together through a “combination of several management actions and the two red wolves subsequently following their natural instincts in pairing, establishing their territory and mating.”

They ended the post writing, “Every generation yields a new born hope for the red wolf…a cause for joy and celebration!”The pups were swabbed for genetic testing to confirm their parents and they were microchipped. Officials had to plan the interaction carefully and interacted with the pups right after they were fed. Their mom watched from the nearby woods but stayed hidden during the swabbing and microchipping.

According to a comment on the Facebook post, the pups will be further tagged and vaccinated when they’re older. They’re hoping that all 6 little wolf pups will survive, but only time will tell. The species is native to the United States, but by 1980, they were declared extinct. However, conservationists were determined to bring them back and their efforts are paying off!

In 2020-2021, there were thirty breeding pairs that produced 23 pups in captivity, according to the Red Wolf Recovery Program. In 2021-22, there were 38 breeding pairs. And now, we’re seeing a wild-born litter!

It’ll be great to see what the future holds for the endangered red wolf. Hopefully, conservation efforts continue to push the species further and further from extinction.