Meet Ayla: Mayor Greenberg and the Louisville Zoo are excited to welcome female maned wolf

Press Release: Louisville Zoo

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and the Louisville Zoo are excited to welcome a nearly two-year-old female maned wolf to Louisville. 

Ayla (pronounced EYE la) comes to Louisville from the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and will celebrate her second birthday on Dec. 28. Her name is Turkish for “halo of light around the moon.”

"We are so excited to welcome our newest resident to the Louisville Zoo,” said Mayor Greenberg. “We look forward to seeing her thrive and provide our community the opportunity to learn more about this incredible species.”

“Every new animal arrival strengthens the Zoo’s role as a leader in conservation, education and inspiring connections with wildlife from around the world,” said Dan Maloney, Louisville Zoo Director. “We are thrilled to welcome Ayla. She will help guests learn about the challenges facing wildlife and the importance of protecting habitats for future generations.”

Her move to Louisville is part of a breeding recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Maned Wolf Species Survival Plan, which helps maintain genetically healthy populations of animals in accredited zoos. Over the coming months, she and the Zoo’s male maned wolf, Chrys, will gradually be introduced and given time to get to know one another.

Maned wolves are typically solitary in the wild, but Zoo guests can look for Ayla and Chrys in the maned wolf habitat, where they will be featured on a rotating schedule.

About Maned Wolf

The maned wolf is native to South America and can be found throughout Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Uruguay. Though generally solitary, they form semi-monogamous pairs during the breeding season. Maned wolves are omnivores with half of their diet consisting of fruit, supplemented by small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, nuts, eggs, and grass. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the maned wolf as near threatened.

Zoo Hours

The Zoo is open daily year-round. Now through March 19, 2027, hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with guests exiting by 5 p.m. The Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Visit louisvillezoo.org for more information on hours and admission.