Lehigh Valley Zoo is mourning the loss of Mexican gray wolf Beta, who died at the age of 13-and-a-half.
He was under very specific veterinary care for more than two years due to chronic ailments associated with his advanced age. His keepers reported seeing him alive and well in the morning, only to find him deceased later the same day.
Wolves are extremely family oriented and each wolf plays an important part in the pack.
The loss of Beta’s brother, Alpha, in February resulted in the remaining brothers to be unsettled for weeks following his passing. Beta eventually assumed the role of alpha and the introduction of the zoo’s new female, Magdalena, did restore order to the pack as the three forged a new familial bond. Five-year-old Magdalena arrived earlier this year from the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, N.Y.
Keepers anticipate there to be unrest between the remaining two as they adjust to life without him and will closely be monitoring their behaviors for any changes. Guests may hear or see the wolves behaving strangely, so visitors are asked to be quiet and understanding as the wolves cope with their loss and figure out their new dynamic moving forward.
Mexican gray wolves are a subspecies of gray wolf, often referred to as “el lobo”, and are the most endangered subspecies of wolf in the world. Just like each wolf is important in the pack, each wolf in the wild plays a vital role in maintaining nature’s delicate balance.
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