Wolves return to New Forest Wildlife Park after two-year absence

Hampshire: Wolves have returned to New Forest Wildlife Park nearly two years after the last members of its previous pack died.

A new pair of European grey wolves have arrived at the park to live in a new purpose-built enclosure. The male and female travelled to Hampshire from zoos in Europe.

The female is a two-year-old from Reserve d’Animaux Sauvages in Belgium, and the male is a one-year-old from Parc Animalier de Sainte Croix in France. The pair first spent time together in Belgium to bond before making the journey to Hampshire.

The park said it had always intended for wolves to return, but faced post-Brexit paperwork challenges in moving them from Europe. The move took months of planning and involved working with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria’s coordinator for the species.Jason Palmer, curator of collections at the park, said:
“Wolves are a highly complex social species and they are one of the most challenging species to keep well in captivity. We can’t wait for our visitors to meet them.”The park’s previous grey wolves arrived together in 2010. After Cedar, Idaho and Rocky died of age-related health issues, only Chaser and Aspen remained.

When Chaser’s health declined significantly in October 2024, the park made the “incredibly difficult” decision to put both wolves down, citing the impact of losing a pack member on the remaining wolf.

The new arrivals join a growing collection of apex predators at the park. Bodie, Hampshire’s only wolverine, arrived last year, while lynx sisters Tora and Inga were welcomed earlier in 2026.

The wolves’ new enclosure sits on the site of the park’s former wolf habitat.