Pregnant timber wolf and mate flee Branson-area attraction

~ The wolves had been placed in a quarantine pen designed to hold any animal, including lions, tigers and bears.

BRANSON WEST, Mo. -- A pregnant timber wolf who broke out of a Branson-area attraction with her mate was probably just seeking a safer place to give birth, the park's owner said.

Breck Wakefield, owner of Predator World, said the wolves escaped late Thursday, one day after they arrived at the park. They're no threat to humans, he said.

"The only way someone is going to get hurt by the animals is to corner them," Wakefield said.

Search called off

A search for the wolves was called off late Friday, although efforts to trap them continued.

"We figure we're better off to let them settle down," Wakefield said.

Wakefield said the animals were probably in a 1,000-acre tract of land behind Predator World, which is located eight miles across a county line from its better-known neighbor, the resort town of Branson.

The two wolves had been placed on arrival in a quarantine pen designed to hold any animal at the attraction, which features lions, tigers, alligators and bears, among other predators.

"They twisted it apart like it was spaghetti," Wakefield said.

The female likely smelled the other animals at the park and decided to break free to find another place to have her cubs, he said. Wolves mate for life, so the male went with her.

"She's looking for a safe place to get," Wakefield said. "He'll stick by her no matter what. She should give birth in a few weeks."

Stone County Sheriff Richard Hill said professional assistance has been called in to try to trap the wolves. Anyone who spots the animals should call authorities and report the direction in which they were headed.

Raised in captivity

Wakefield said even though the animals were raised in captivity, they will avoid contact with humans. They are capable of killing rabbits, rats and field mice for survival.

Predator World will use feeding stations, cameras and live traps to try to capture the wolves. Tranquilizers will be used if necessary, but Wakefield said he prefers not to shoot the female to avoid the risk of the drugs harming the unborn cubs.

The female wolf weighs approximately 130 pounds and is silver-gray in color. The male weighs about 100 pounds and is dark brown.