Endangered red wolf pups born in Trevor Zoo

Red wolf pup, shown at about three weeks old, is one of four born at the Millbrook School’s Trevor Zoo last month.
        Daniel Cohen
    

Red wolf pup, shown at about three weeks old, is one of four born at the Millbrook School’s Trevor Zoo last month.
MILLBROOK — Six weeks ago the Millbrook School’s Trevor Zoo celebrated the birth of four endangered Red Wolf pups, described as the rarest large carnivore in America.
Their birthday was May 2, and since that day zoo staff has left the pups in their mother’s care, avoiding human dependency because the plan is to eventually introduce them to the wild.
Through the nonprofit Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) program — known as SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) programs — the Trevor Zoo, along with similar institutions, has collaborated to prevent the extinction of endangered species.
The birth of the four pups exemplifies the effectiveness of breeding programs and demonstrates Trevor Zoo’s commitment to wildlife conservation. According to the zoo’s website, it currently holds eleven endangered species.
Recommendations from AZA paved the way for the zoo to receive a male and female from other facilities involved in the Red Wolf SAFE program. The wolves traveled by plane and car and were then placed into an off-exhibit enclosure to allow nature to take its course.
The pups were ultimately delivered in the “den,” which is visible through one of the zoo’s live stream camera feeds. It is a compact and dark cube with an opening to its enclosure.
Including the four new pups, the zoo currently hosts eight Red Wolves, which are among less than 270 in the world, mostly at AZA accredited facilities and a “small population in the wild in North Carolina,” the web site notes.
“You don’t want them to be human oriented at all. So we really try to be hands-off other than getting them set up and of course, we have to bring them food, etc.
“But we’re trying to do that in ways that minimize contact with humans so that should pups be born, they are listening to mom more than they are to us, “ said Alan Tousignant, Director of the Trevor Zoo.

Though the plan is tentative and based on the observed behavior of the pups, introduction into the wild would start at what is called a pre-release site. The site would be an enclosed location adjacent to their wild habitat. As hunger is a strong driver for the wolves, presenting live food and allowing them to feel out their new circumstances acts as an initiation for life in the wild.
In the United States, the wild Red Wolf population resides on the coast of North Carolina. Peaking in 2006, the Red Wolf population has been declining. For this reason preserving genetic diversity is vital to the survival of the species.
“These programs are trying to maintain high genetic diversity in the populations. That’s really difficult when you’re trying to work with a population that only has 30 individuals left in the wild,” said Tousignant.
He compares the moving of endangered animals for breeding to a game of chess, where every decision affects the next, but instead of protecting the king in the case of a chess game, here the survival of a species is at risk.
The zoo has a long-standing history of conservation. Tousignant explained that the zoo was first accredited by the AZA in 1989, which allowed it to be involved in Species Rival Plans (SSP), the predecessor of SAFE.
Although Red Pandas are among the most recognizable endangered species protected at the zoo, another SAFE program focuses on the freshwater turtles inhabiting the wetlands around Millbrook School.
“As part of class, we can just get out of class and walk a quarter mile down the street and we’re in a wetland habitat.
“Campus houses a good if not thriving population of wood turtles and that’s an endangered species recognized globally…in New York state [they are] listed as a species of special concern,” says Tousignant.

The late Thomas Lovejoy, a renowned conservationist, got his start by studying biodiversity and biology at the Millbrook School. Lovejoy served on the environmental council for the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations.
Lovejoy’s efforts provide Millbrook and the Trevor Zoo a special connection to the world of conservation. After his death in 2021, Lovejoy’s legacy lives on.
Semi-jokingly, Tousignant says his main job is to, “... find and motivate the next Tom Lovejoy.”
Tousignant’s hope aligns with efforts the zoo takes to get students as involved as possible in their time at Millbrook School.
“That’s what I think we have the possibility to do is to continue to find students that develop that level of passion and it becomes their life’s work. I certainly think that I’ve had advisees and students here at the zoo that are already in that role and are on path so we hope to keep doing that,” he said.
With careful supervision, students are given responsibilities tending to the animals — a rarity for zoo programs. The zoo staff believes this is the way to foster a real connection and engagement with nature.
Through summer volunteer programs, the zoo seeks students interested in conservation activities and its academic program.
The Trevor Zoo draws family visitors, especially those with children. Go to: www.millbrook.org/trevor-zoo-home for more information and live cameras inside the wolf den.
Gavin Marr is an intern at The Millerton News. He graduated from the Millbrook School in 2022. Before his first year at Millbrook he volunteered at the zoo, and in his freshman year he worked with the Black and White Ruffed Lemurs.
WOODBURY — Nonnewaug High School claimed twin titles in the Berkshire League soccer tournament finals.
The school's girls and boys teams were named league champions after finishing the regular season with the best win/loss records. Winning the tournaments earned each team a plaque and added to the program's success in 2025.
Both of Nonnewaug's varsity teams faced off against their counterparts from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in the tournament finals in Woodbury Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The boys game was played first. Housatonic took a quick 2-0 lead with goals from Gustavo Portillo and Jackson McAvoy. Nonnewaug responded in the second half with three consecutive goals: first from Cash Medonis then two from Vincenzo Rose. The Nonnewaug boys won 3-2.
 
The girls game followed. Nonnewaug and Housatonic traded goals early on and the score was tied 2-2 at halftime. Nonnewaug scored twice more in the second half to win 4-2. Housatonic's goals were scored by Ava Segalla. Rosie Makarewicz scored twice for Nonnewaug and Hailey Goldman and Aubrey Doran scored once.
Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference soccer tournaments begin Oct. 31. Both Housatonic teams qualified for the Class S tournament and both Nonnewaug teams qualified for the Class M tournament.
TORRINGTON — Joan Jardine, 90, of Mill Lane, passed away at home on Oct. 23, 2025. She was the loving wife of David Jardine.
Joan was born Aug. 9, 1935, in Throop, Pennsylvania, daughter of the late Joseph and Vera (Ezepchick) Zigmont.
Joan graduated from Harding High School.
She was a working artist for much of her adult life, starting her career studying plein air impressionist oil painting at the Cape Cod School of Art. Her work evolved to include a more representational style, and eventually a large body of abstract pieces. Her award-winning work has been shown in galleries and juried art shows throughout southern New England.
She is survived by her daughter Leslie and her husband George, brothers Joseph, Victor, and their families, nephews Gregory, Christopher, and their families, daughter-in- law Huong, and the extended Jardine family. She was predeceased by her son Douglas, and brother Michael.
A memorial service will be held at All Saints of America Orthodox Church, 313 Twin Lakes Road, Salisbury, Connecticut on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 10 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the All Saints of America Orthodox Church, PO Box 45, Salisbury, CT 06068.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
The ofrenda at Race Brook Lodge.
On Saturday, Nov. 1, the Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield will celebrate the Mexican Day of the Dead: El Día de los Muertos.
Mexican Day of the Dead takes place the first weekend of November and honors los difuntos (the deceased) with ofrendas (offerings) on an altar featuring photos of loved ones who have passed on. Elements of earth, wind, fire and water are represented with food, papel picada (colorful decorative paper), candles and tequila left for the beloved deceased. The departed are believed to travel from the spirit world and briefly join the living for a night of remembrance and revelry.
Music and events programmer Alex Harvey has been producing Día de los Muertos at Race Brook for the past three years, and with the closing of the venue looming, the festival takes on a deep and personal meaning.
“The anchoring gesture of Race Brook, long before I arrived on the scene, has always been to cultivate a space that thins the veil between the worlds. Something otherworldly is hiding in the mountain’s towering shadow: the whispering spring-fed stream, the dense lineage that founder Dave Rothstein brings, the woodsmoke that rises every night of the year from the firepits. This space communes with the spirits,” said Harvey.
“And so we cradle a special ache in our hearts as the leaves turn and the beautiful dance of Race Brook’s project of cultural pollination draws to a close. Fitting, then, to return for one last activation — Día de Los Muertos — a celebration of the end of things. A remembrance of those who’ve made the transition we are all destined for, but also a time when we honor many types of loss. And while we will all mourn those who aren’t there in the flesh, we will also, with humility, come as mourners for the space itself,” Harvey continued.
The event will be a night to remember, to celebrate and to release with ritual, music, and communal remembrance. Participants are invited to bring photos, talismans and offerings for the ofrenda (offering), as well as songs, poems or toasts to share in tribute to loved ones who have passed.
Mexican American musicians Maria Puente Flores, Mateo Cano, Víctor Lizabeth, Oviedo Horta Jr. and Andrea from Pulso de Barro, an ensemble rooted in the Veracruz tradition of son jarocho, will be performing.
Translating to “Pulse of the Clay,” their name reflects a deep connection to the earth and to the living heartbeat of culture itself. Through a synthesis of Mexican, Cuban, Venezuelan and Puerto Rican traditions, Pulso de Barro merges poetry, rhythm and communal song as pathways to coexistence with nature. Their performances feature the jarana and leona (stringed instruments), quijada, cajón, maracas, and marimba (percussion), the tarima (percussive dance platform) and a call-and-response of folk and original versadas.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. in the Barn Space with a Fandango de los Muertos featuring Pulso de Barro, a Race Brook favorite. At 8 p.m., the Open Mic for the Dead invites guests to speak directly into the spirit world — through word, music or memory. The night culminates at 10:30 p.m. with a Fandango for the Dead, a participatory music and dance celebration. Bring your instruments, your voices and your dancing shoes.
Race Brook Lodge is a unique rustic getaway destination for relaxation, hiking, live music, workshops, weddings and more. Sadly, it will be closing for good later in 2026, ending a storied chapter of Berkshire music, art, culture and well-being.
Come experience an evening that honors lost loved ones and the end of a Berkshire institution. The cycle of life endures. Surely, resurrection is in the cards for Race Brook Lodge.
For Tickets and info, visit: rblodge.com