On September 26, Airplane Ears was struck by a vehicle on Highway 64 and killed. A necropsy is pending. No additional details have been released by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Highway 64 runs through North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, where Airplane Ears lived with his breeding partner, Pam, and 11 of his pups.
Airplane Ears was one of the most important wolves in the history of the red wolf recovery program.
Named for his exceptionally long ears that extend somewhat horizontally, Airplane Ears reared 11 pups in the past two years with his breeding partner, Pam. They formed the breeding pair of the Milltail wolf pack in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.
Airplane Ears and Pam reared six wolf pups in 2022. Airplane Ears and Pam also reared a litter of five wolf pups in 2023. In addition, a captive-born wolf pup was introduced into the 2023 litter raised by by Airplane Ears and Pam, and the captive pup was successfully adopted by the family.
Fewer than 25 red wolves remain in the wild, and Airplane Ears sired 11 of them. He has been essential in sustaining the Red Wolf Recovery Program.
