MURELLS INLET - South Carolina's famous Brookgreen Gardens has begun building a home for a pack of red wolves, one of the world's most endangered species.
The 4-acre residence, set to open next spring, is part of the nonprofit Next Generation's $20 million campaign to expand the 91-year-old organization's arts, nature, and history programs.
"The Brookgreen Lowcountry Zoo, one of five facilities certified by the state Association of Zoos and Aquariums, will contribute to conservation efforts of the red wolf species through breeding, education and protection," officials said in a statement.
Once construction is complete, the sanctuary, located between Georgetown and Myrtle Beach, will first receive two male red wolves from the Ohio Zoo, followed by two pairs for breeding. Officials say the wolves need time to adjust to their surroundings before the public can visit the exhibit.
A team of University of Coastal Carolina archaeologists previously excavated a 4-acre parcel of land at the 9,100-acre site to ensure that the federally protected land was safe for development. A pack of red wolves will become the facility's first major predator.
Brookgreen officials say there are fewer than 300 red wolves in the world, and only about 21 live in the wild. The South Rim site is designed to not only protect red wolf species in South Carolina and beyond, but also to revitalize them.
In 1980, the species was declared extinct in the wild.
According to the Red Wolf Coalition, a group based in North Carolina, the wild wolf population has declined by 70 percent since 2018. Shootings, injuries, and deaths from vehicles, as well as habitat loss due to human development, contribute further to population growth. decreases.
Brookgreen Gardens was founded in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington and has since become a cultural icon for residents of Horry County and Georgetown as well as a tourist attraction. The annual Night of a Thousand Candles event usually sells out months in advance.
Officials said they are still accepting donations for the program and other projects described in the For the Next Generation campaign. For more information and to make a donation, visit brookgreen.org/campaign-next-generation.
