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Hogle Zoo will say goodbye to wolf Angel, welcome four rescued foxes

Posted at 4:52 PM, Feb 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-20 18:52:03-05

SALT LAKE CITY — Following the death of gray wolf Glacier in fall 2018, the Hogle Zoo has decided to transfer its remaining gray wolf, Angel, and end its participating with the North American Gray Wolf species.

Wolves are pack animals, and it’s important for them to have companions. Angel was brought to Hogle Zoo in 2017 as a companion to Glacier after another senior wolf passed away.

The good news is, according to a press release from the Hogle Zoo, gray wolves are no longer considered endangered, which means zoos are not breeding gray wolves, and makes acquiring gray wolves complicated.

“We absolutely do not take animals from the wild unless it’s a rescue,” Community Relations Manager Erica Hansen said.

Angel, a senior at 12-years-old, will be sent to a wolf sanctuary in the Northwest.

The wolf exhibit will be modified and become home to four rescued red foxes, which are native to Utah.

“We know this will be a difficult transition for many in our community,” Hansen said. “Wolves are among our more popular animals and we will all miss them.”

Angel’s transfer will happen once the winter storms in Salt Lake City and the Northwest subside.