A male and female red wolf are calling the Miller Park Zoo home as part of the zoo's breeding program. (Photos courtesy Miller Park Zoo)

By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – A male and female red wolf have found a new home at the Miller Park Zoo as part of the zoo's breeding program.

Jay Tetzloff with the Miller Park Zoo says there's only about 300 red wolves total: 100 in the wild and another 200 in captive breeding facilities.

"This is a species that actually became extinct in the wild. They were brought into captivity and bred and are now being released into the wild," Tetzloff said. "If it wasn't for zoos, this species would be extinct right now."

The male wolf came from Chehaw Wild Animal Park in Albany, Georgia while the female wolf came from Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash.

The male wolf is named Elohi while the female wolf has no name, yet. People can visit The Miller Park Zoo facebook page (Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/MillerParkZoo) to vote on one of three names: Kawoni, Tacoma and Waya.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].