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Twenty years ago, Animal Balance embarked on a groundbreaking mission to protect the fragile ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands. It was a revolutionary idea for its time, finding solutions that ensured no species was harmed in the effort to protect another. Back in 2004, our focus was on safeguarding marine iguanas, sea lions, and other creatures uniquely endemic to the Galapagos. Through innovative spay/neuter programs and community-driven action, AB Founder Emma Clifford set a foundation for how this work could serve all species.
Now, two decades later, those values, rooted in collaboration, kindness and compassion—continue to guide us. We’re excited to announce a new chapter in our story: helping one of the most critically endangered species in North America, the Red Wolf.
Who are the Red Wolves?
Red Wolves once roamed vast regions of the eastern and southern United States, from Pennsylvania to Texas. However, due to habitat loss, hunting, and hybridization with coyotes, they were declared extinct in the wild by 1980. Thanks to the Red Wolf Recovery Program and its captive breeding efforts in collaboration with the Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, the species was reintroduced into a protected area in northeastern North Carolina, referred to now as the Eastern North Carolina Red Wolf Population area. Today, this area is home to less than 20 Red Wolves living in the wild, with an additional 290 individuals in the Red Wolf SAFE program at 50 zoos and wildlife conservation centers, as part of ongoing conservation efforts.
Red Wolves are remarkable creatures. Known for their strong family bonds, they mate for life and raise their pups together as a pack. However, their survival faces mounting threats, including vehicle collisions, gunshot incidents, and hybridization with coyotes. That last part is where Animal Balance comes in.
This spring, we’re teaming up with the Red Wolf Recovery Program (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the Red Wolf Coalition to help protect this incredible species. Drawing on years of experience in humane wildlife protection, we’re bringing our expertise in mobile veterinary services to a new frontier.
For years, our Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospital (MASH) model has brought spay/neuter services to underserved communities and island ecosystems, helping humanely reduce the impact of domestic animals on native wildlife. Now, we’re adapting this model to assist in sterilizing coyotes, preventing hybridization with Red Wolves and allowing these coyotes to continue to defend their territory as placeholders in areas currently without Red Wolves until Red Wolves displace them.
The Problem: A Challenging Process
Currently, coyotes in the Eastern North Carolina Red Wolf Population area are trapped and transported to a stationary veterinary clinic for sterilization. While effective, this method is labor-intensive, stressful for the animals, and logistically complex.
That’s where our MASH model shines. With its mobility and efficiency, our setup allows the clinic to come to the coyotes, reducing stress, streamlining the sterilization process, and increasing capacity, therefore increasing and expediting the positive impact for the red wolves.
This project came together the way many great Animal Balance initiatives do, through shared stories and conversation. Earlier this year, Elsa Kohlbus, our Program Director, and Dr. Chris Ford, a veterinarian working with the Red Wolf Recovery Program, found themselves talking over coffee during a clinic in Arizona. As Dr. Ford shared the challenges of coyote sterilization, Elsa’s mind immediately began racing with ideas on how Animal Balance could help.
Fast forward a few months, and the wheels—both literal and figurative—are in motion. This February, Elsa, and AB Medical Director Dr. Mike Greenberg will travel to the Albemarle Peninsula region with our Mighty Minivan, ready to stage a demo clinic for the RWC and Red Wolf Recovery Program teams.
Why This Matters
This partnership is more than just an exciting new project—it’s a culmination of 20 years of expertise in compassionate conservation. From protecting marine iguanas and sea lions in the Galapagos to working with wild coyotes in North Carolina, our mission has always been about safeguarding ecosystems without sacrificing the lives of individual animals.
This work is about creating innovative solutions to complex challenges, bringing together the best of what we’ve learned to protect species like the Red Wolf, a creature that represents both the fragility and resilience of nature.
This project marks the beginning of an incredible new chapter for Animal Balance. By adapting our MASH model for use in wildlife conservation, we’re opening the door to new possibilities for helping endangered species around the world.
For now, though, we’re focused on the task at hand: ensuring the survival of the Red Wolves, one of the most endangered species in North America. Together with the Red Wolf Recovery Program and the Red Wolf Coalition, we’re proud to stand on the frontlines of their conservation.
Stay tuned for updates as we hit the road this February—because saving species is what we do best.
Interested in supporting this project? Your donations and encouragement help us continue our mission of compassionate conservation. Let’s work together to ensure a brighter future for the Red Wolves—and every species we’re privileged to protect.
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