Volume 3, Issue 2 December 4, 2002

Red Wolf News

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

July 2002 through November 2002

Wild red wolf population in 

northeastern 

North Carolina

* Wild red wolf population is 

 estimated at about 100, 63 of 

 which are radio collared. 

 Fifteen sterilized hybrids 

 and sterilized coyotes are also 

 radio collared. 

* The sterilization of hybrids and 

coyotes allows sterile canids to 

hold territorial space until 

wolves can replace them.

* Red wolves range over 1.5 

 million acres in northeastern 

 North Carolina including 

 public and private lands. 

 

Note: The July 2002 newsletter 

contained an error in the number of collared animals. It should 

have read 58 wolves and 17 collared hybrids and coyotes.

Bulls Island Wolves Come to North Carolina

In late September, two wolves from 

the Bulls Island Red Wolf Propagation 

Site were transferred to Alligator River 

National Wildlife Refuge in North 

Carolina. The 18-month-old siblings, 

one male, one female, arrived in 

excellent health and will be released 

separately this fall to join the world’s 

only wild red wolf population.

Bulls Island, located on the Cape 

Romain National Wildlife Refuge off 

the coast of South Carolina, is one of 

two unique breeding locations for the 

highly endangered red wolf. The second 

location is St. Vincent Island off the 

gulf coast of Florida. 

Wolves born on the islands are able to 

experience life in the wild. It is somewhat like “Wolf Boot Camp.” Young 

wolves raised in a wild island 

environment will acquire the survival 

skills needed for a successful life on the 

mainland.

The insertion of young adult wolves into 

the wild population requires a series of 

events to occur before a release. The red 

wolf recovery field team must first 

monitor the wild population to determine suitable release sites. Optimum 

release sites include areas where each 

animal could potentially find a mate and 

one day reproduce.

Once a release site has been chosen, a 

procedure known as a soft release will 

be implemented. An acclimation pen 

will be set up to hold the wolf, allowing 

the animal to become familiar with the 

local area. This will also allow for 

familiarity with resident wolves. 

(Continued on page 2 )

The Importance of Radio Tracking

Until recently, little was known 

about wild red wolves. Their 

early extinction in the wild had 

left researchers with a limited 

knowledge of their movements 

and social behavior. With the 

1987 return of the red wolf to 

northeastern North Carolina, 

biologists are now able to study 

wild red wolves once again. 

In order to study these elusive 

animals, biologists rely heavily 

on radio telemetry to track the 

animals. Each animal is fitted 

with a radio collar that emits 

pulse signals or “beeps” which 

red wolf biologists monitor with 

a radio receiver. Each collar 

emits a unique signal, enabling 

the biologists to identify individual wolves. 

Currently, 63 wild red wolves 

and 15 sterilized hybrids and 

coyotes are fitted with radio 

collars. They are monitored with 

ground telemetry five days a 

week and with aerial telemetry 

two to three times a week.

( Continued on page 2 )

Tracking wolves with 

hand-held telemetry unit. 

Many of the animals inhabit 

areas with dense vegetative 

cover which makes tracking 

difficult. To improve our 

tracking abilities, biologists 

installed an advanced mobile 

tracking system that utilizes 

duel antennae mounted to the 

top of each vehicle. 

A Global Positioning System 

(GPS) is also used to record the 

vehicle position while taking 

telemetry readings. 
This newsletter is a publication of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Comments or questions can be addressed to:

Shauna Baron, Biologist/Outreach Coordinator

Red Wolf Recovery 

PO Box 1969 Manteo, North Carolina 27954

Email Shauna_Baron@fws.gov 

For More Information Go To: alligatorriver.fws.gov Or www.nczooredwolf.org 

Or www.redwolves.com

PAGE 2 RED WOLF NEWS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

With help from the large vehicle 

antennae, signals can often be 

received up to two miles away. 

The data obtained from the 

telemetry surveys is then loaded 

into a software program which 

can locate animals to within a few 

meters. 

The information gained from 

telemetry data is highly important to red wolf recovery. 

Telemetry provides data on red wolf locations, movements, 

home ranges, social structure and behavior, as well as interactions between neighboring wolf packs and interactions 

between wolves and coyotes.

Data continues to be collected to examine the hypothesis 

that coyotes will become increasingly displaced by red 

wolves as the wild wolf population grows. Early evidence 

suggests that some red wolves are beginning to displace 

coyotes out of their territories, 

but further research is needed to 

confirm or reject this hypothesis. 

If the red wolf can once again 

defend its territories against 

coyotes, the level of effort 

needed to manage red wolves 

may one day be reduced. 

After three to four weeks within the 

pen, the door will be opened and the 

animal will be able to venture out on 

its own. 

A soft release has been implemented 

with the Bulls Island male red wolf. 

On October 10, a site was chosen for 

the young male. He was then placed 

in an acclimation pen on Alligator 

River National Wildlife Refuge.

Biologists monitored the area daily, 

looking for signs of resident wolves 

visiting the pen. Within a few days, 

The Importance of Telemetry Continued...

Bulls Island Wolves Continued...

they picked up telemetry signals 

coming from the collar of a resident 

female red wolf in close proximity 

to the pen. 

After a few weeks, biologists opened 

the pen and the male wolf 11166 M 

stepped out onto new ground. He has 

currently taken up residence near the 

release site. We hope that he will 

form a pair bond with the resident 

female to produce pups in the spring.

Meanwhile, the red wolf field team is 

monitoring the wolf population to 

determine a release site for the 18-

month-old female. 

This method of inserting 18-monthold wild red wolves offers a unique 

way to supplement the wild red wolf 

population, to enhance their genetic 

diversity and increase their overall 

chance for survival.

The NC Zoo Website will feature 

video footage of the Bulls Island 

wolves later this year.

Go to: www.nczooredwolf.org

Mobile Telemetry Vehicle

Searching for the Pamilco Pack

In late August, red wolf field biologists lost contact 

with two collared wolves of the Pamlico Pack which 

typically range throughout the southeastern portion of 

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The two 

wolves disappeared shortly after a wild fire broke out in 

the area. Extensive ground and aerial telemetry surveys 

as well as track surveys have failed to locate the wolves. 

The biologists will attempt siren surveys in hopes of 

hearing a howling response from animals in the area. 

Captive red wolf population 

and Island Programs

There are approximately 160 adult 

wolves in captivity at 37 facilities 

nationwide. There are 2 wolves on 

Bulls Island at Cape Romain National 

Wildlife Refuge off the coast of 

South Carolina, and 2 wolves reside 

on St. Vincent Island National 

Wildlife Refuge off the coast of 

Florida.

Adult male red wolf with 

pup at the Museum of Life 

& Science, Durham, N.C. 

Photo by Greg Koch

Collared Red Wolf, Photo by 

Barron Crawford