Endangered

Red Wolves

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service is

reintroducing red wolves

to prevent extinction of

the species and to restore

the ecosystems in which

red wolves once

occurred, as mandated

by the Endangered

Species Act of 1973.

According to the Act,

endangered and

threatened species are of

aesthetic, ecological,

educational, historical,

recreational, and

scientific value to the

nation and its people.
On the Edge of Extinction

The red wolf historically roamed as a

top predator throughout the

southeastern U.S. but today is one of

the most endangered animals in the

world. Aggressive predator control

programs and clearing of forested

habitat combined to cause impacts

that brought the red wolf to the brink

of extinction. By 1970, the entire

population of red wolves was believed

to be fewer than 100 animals confined

to a small area of coastal Texas and

Louisiana. In 1980, the red wolf was

officially declared extinct in the wild,

while only a small number of red

wolves remained in captivity.

During the

1970’s, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service

established

criteria which

helped

distinguish the

red wolf species

from other

canids. From

1974 to 1980, the

Service applied

these criteria to

find that only 17

red wolves were

still living. Based

on additional

breeding studies,

only 14 of these

wolves were selected as founders to

begin the red wolf captive breeding

population. The captive breeding

program is coordinated for the

Service by the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington,

with goals of conserving red wolf

genetic diversity and providing red

wolves for restoration to the wild.

Approximately 40 cooperating

facilities across North America

participate in the national breeding

program.

Greg Koch
Back in the Wild

The red wolf is a shy species with a

segment of its population now back in

the wild, hunting, raising young, and

howling across portions of its native

habitat. The reintroduction effort

began in 1987 with the release of four

captive-bred red wolf pairs into the

Alligator River National Wildlife

Refuge (ARNWR), the first-ever

restoration of an officially extinct

species back into the wild. Since this

initial restoration, nearly 100 red

wolves now roam over 1.7 million

acres of public and private land in

northeastern North Carolina.

In 1988, a litter

of red wolf pups

was born in the

wild at ARNWR,

the first wildborn pups in

almost a decade.

Another

milestone was

reached in 2002,

when all red

wolves in this wild population were

born in the wild. Ongoing innovations

in red wolf management mean

success of this restored red wolf

population continues. Small numbers

of red wolves also live in the wild on

island propagation sites on national

wildlife refuges in other southeastern

states.

Why restore red wolves?

Essential reasons are to prevent

extinction of the species and to

restore the ecosystems where red

wolves lived. It is important to save

all members of an ecosystem,

including predators, if we are to be

good stewards of the land. Predators

maintain the balance and health of

ecosystems by controlling overpopulations of prey species and

removing unhealthy animals.

Melanie McGaw ©

The

northeastern

North

Carolina

location is

the only wild

red wolf

mainland

population

site in the

world.

FWS biologist

conducting a hard

release
Restoring red

wolves contributes

significantly to local

economies. The

presence of red

wolves in the wild or

in zoos and wildlife

centers generates

ecotourism dollars

from those seeking

to enhance their

understanding of

this endangered

species. Howling

Safaris, sponsored

by the Red Wolf

Coalition in

cooperation with

the Service, attract

over 1,000 visitors

annually to

northeastern North

Carolina and

provide

opportunities for

red wolf education.

The Endangered

Species Act

requires recovery

plans for federallylisted threatened or

endangered species.

The Red Wolf

Recovery Plan

describes

population goals and objectives for

the red wolf. Lessons learned and

techniques developed in the Red Wolf

Recovery Program continue to serve

as templates for recovery and

management of other species. The

Red Wolf Recovery Program could be

described as an alliance of agencies,

organizations, and individuals.

What do red wolves look like?

Red wolves are mostly brown and

buff colored with some black along

their backs. Typically there is a

reddish color behind their ears, on

their muzzles and along the backs of

From top to bottom: gray wolf, 80-120

lbs.; red wolf, 50-80 lbs.; coyote, 20-45

lbs.; red fox, 10-15 lbs.

Greg Koch

Red wolf dad and

pups
their legs. Red wolves are

intermediate in size between the

larger gray wolves and smaller

coyotes.

The average adult

red wolf weighs

from 50-80 pounds,

stands about 26

inches at the

shoulder and is

about four feet long

from the tip of the

nose to the end of

the tail. Red wolves

have tall, pointed

ears, long legs, and

large feet. Since

coyotes sometimes

enter the

restoration area, it

is important for

people to know the

physical

differences

between the two

species. Adult

coyotes weigh about one-half to twothirds as much as adult red wolves

and stand approximately four inches

shorter; coyotes are much less

massive through the head, chest,

legs, and feet. However, red wolf

yearlings could be confused with

adult coyotes based on size

similarities.

Species Survival 

 Plan Facilities

Mainland Release Sites

Island Projects

Chad McClure

Adult red wolf and

yearling
Captive red wolves can be seen at

nearly 40 facilities located across the

United States. A list of these facilities

is posted on the Alligator River

National Wildlife Refuge web site.

Did red wolves ever

exist in North Carolina?

Based on fossil and archaeological

evidence, the original red wolf range

extended from the Atlantic and Gulf

Coasts, north to the Ohio River

Valley, through central Pennsylvania

and New England, and west to

southern Missouri and central Texas.

At least one archaeological specimen

has been found in North Carolina.

Early naturalists encountered red

wolves, and court records from

eastern North Carolina document the

payment of red wolf bounties from

1768 to 1789. Animal bounties in the

U.S. began with the red wolf.

Do red wolves hybridize with coyotes?

Since applying adaptive management

principles, biologists have

demonstrated that red wolf

hybridization with coyotes can be

effectively managed. This means

success in establishing wild red wolf

populations is achievable. In fact,

significant success has been recorded

in northeastern North Carolina

where the nation’s first restored wild

red wolf population has been

established.

Original range 

of red wolf
In the 1960’s only a few red wolves

remained due to more than three

centuries of persecution and habitat

destruction. These same factors allowed

coyotes and coyote hybrids to migrate

from the western U.S. into southern

and eastern states. These factors also

broke down social structures which

formerly minimized interbreeding

between wolves and coyotes.

When the few remaining red wolves

were unable to find mates of their

own species, hybridization with more

abundant coyotes did occur. This

hybridization is generally accepted as

the final factor that resulted in the

near extinction of the red wolf. Red

wolves, gray wolves, domestic dogs,

and coyotes are all capable of

interbreeding and producing fertile

hybrid offspring. Social structures

and territoriality usually prevent

such interbreeding.

Alligator River National Wildlife

Refuge was chosen as a red wolf

restoration site, in part because it

was free of coyotes prior to the

1980’s. As the non-native coyote

colonized North Carolina, by the mid1990’s, it once again became a threat

to the restored red wolf population.

By 2005, biologists demonstrated

that hybridization can be effectively

managed while restoring red wolves

to the wild.

(#10 Insert collar

photo and/or #11

collared wolf)

Barron Crawford

Radio tracking

collar

USFWS
How are red wolves

and coyotes managed?

Red wolves are managed at four

levels: population, gene pool, family

groups, and individuals. In 1999, the

Service partnered with various

organizations and scientific experts

to develop a zone-based Adaptive

Management Plan to protect the wild

red wolf population from

hybridization with coyotes. The plan

establishes three zones where

coyotes are eventually replaced with

a growing red wolf population. The

first five years of adaptive

management demonstrated coyotes

and interbreeding can be effectively

managed, red wolves can be

successfully restored, red wolves can

displace or kill coyotes, the wild red

wolf population is expanding, and red

wolf reproduction is increasing. The

current recovery goal for the species

is 550 animals (at least 220 in the

wild), but that figure may change

depending on the overall health of

the population.

How does the Service

keep track of red wolves?

Biologists use technologies known as

aerial and radio telemetry to track

and monitor red wolves in the wild.

When red wolves are 8-10 months

old, they are captured with a softsided leg trap, fitted with a radio

collar, and released back into the

wild. Each collar works like a miniradio station, emitting a unique

frequency that identifies the wolf. On

the ground, biologists can receive a

telemetry signal from a distance of

up to 1.5 miles under good conditions.

Aerial telemetry allows a range of

approximately 20 miles. Red wolf

locations and activities are monitored

by fixed-wing aircraft several times a

week. Over time, red wolves will be

outfitted with collars than can be

detected by satellites and which offer

continual data collection over a

broader area.

Red wolf

prey: nutria,

raccoon,

rabbits,

white-tailed

deer and

rodents.
Red wolf wildlife

biologists also

spend a great

deal of time in

the field looking

for red wolf

tracks and scat

(feces) or

listening for

howls. Traveling

down a dirt road

will sometimes

reveal red wolf

traffic, and for

example,

whether a wolf is

traveling alone

or with another wolf, in what

direction it’s heading, and the general

size of the canid. Scat samples are

often sent to a genetics lab for

further analysis.

Are red wolves a threat to humans?

There have been no documented cases

of red wolves attacking humans in

North America, despite 500 years of

coexistence. Wild red wolves are wary

and prefer to avoid humans. However, in

the same way it is wise to stay away from

stray domestic dogs, red wolves and all

wildlife should not be approached for

the safety of the animal and people.

What are the primary threats

to red wolves?

The primary threats to red wolves

are hybridization with the eastern

coyote, illegal mortality, vehicle

mortality, and diseases such as

mange, hookworm, and heartworm.

Hurricanes have not caused

significant losses to the red wolf

population, but they have destroyed

pens and enclosures. Hunting is a

growing problem as red wolves are

sometimes mistaken for coyotes. The

Service recommends a “Please Don’t

Shoot” advisory for hunters in the

five-county Albemarle Peninsula

because of the presence of

endangered red wolves.

USFWS
What do red wolves eat?

Although the exact diet of red wolves

varies depending on available prey, a

study of approximately 2,200 scats of

wild red wolves from northeastern

North Carolina estimates that their

diet consists of about 50 percent

white-tailed deer, 30 percent

raccoons, and 20 percent small

mammals, such as rabbits, rodents

and nutria. A red wolf consumes

about two to five pounds of food per

day and can travel up to 20 miles a

day in search of food.

Do red wolves

live

and/or hunt in

packs?

A “pack” is

simply defined

as an extended

family unit,

which is the

primary social

structure of both

red and gray

wolves. Pack size

is influenced by

habitat and prey

availability. A

typical red wolf

pack consists of

five to eight

animals – an

“alpha” or breeding adult pair and

offspring of different years. The

alpha wolves breed once a year

during winter months and are usually

the only breeders. The gestation

period is about 63 days, and the pups’

eyes open between 10-12 days. Red

wolves tend to be monogamous.

Since the red wolf’s diet does not

consist of larger ungulates (elk, bison,

or moose), group or pack hunting is

probably less frequent. Most hunting

by red wolves is believed to be done

individually or in pairs.

USFWS

FWS biologist with

new born pups
Wolf packs have specific home ranges

that they actively defend against

other canids, including other wolves.

The pack is a very closely-knit group;

in fact, older offspring assist the

breeding pair with den attendance

and pup-rearing.

Almost all

offspring

between one and

three years of

age will leave the

pack or

“disperse.”

Pup Fostering

The Red Wolf

Recovery

Program has

used pup

fostering to

enhance the

genetic diversity

of the wild red

wolf population

and to sustain

the overall

survival of the

red wolf. The

first fostering

event took place in May, 2002. The

North Carolina Zoological Park in

Asheboro, North Carolina, donated

two pups, a male and a female from a

litter of six red wolf puppies born at

the zoo. The pups were implanted

with microchips for future

identification and transported to the

Alligator River NWR. The captive

pups were then inserted into a wild

wolf den containing two wild born

pups of identical age and were

accepted by the wild mother. The

pups grew to adulthood and

continued to live among the wild

population. Red wolves are highly

social animals and have very strong

parental instincts. Fostering has

proven to be a useful tool in red wolf

recovery efforts.

USFWS / Chris Lucash

Above: red wolf

pups; below:

typical den

USFWS
How do red wolves

maintain territories?

Red wolves rely heavily on their

sense of smell for survival. Similar to

domestic dogs, wolves use scentmarking to establish their territories

and travel routes. Because each wolf

has a unique odor, members of the

same pack can identify each other. A

red wolf territory can range from a

few hundred to more than 50,000

acres.

Howling is another significant form

of communication and a means of

maintaining territorial boundaries.

Wolves howl for many reasons: to

keep track of wolves within and

between packs, to assemble pack

members, to announce or defend a

fresh kill, to unify the pack (group

howl), or to mark a territory.

What does a red

wolf on private

land mean to the

landowner?

Various

measures of

flexibility are

built into the

Endangered

Species Act that

recognizes the

needs of

landowners

while offering

protection for the red wolf. The

rights and lawful activities of a

landowner, such as farming, logging,

hunting, trapping, or livestock

operations, can continue with little or

no impact from red wolves.

Some landowners report positive

benefits from red wolves, such as

natural control of non-native nutria

or nest-raiding raccoons on their

land. The presence of a pack of red

wolves is likely to also reduce the

presence of nuisance coyotes.

Joey Hinton

This is a juvenile

male red wolf in a

cotton field.
Red wolves cause very few

depredation problems. Should

livestock or domestic pet

depredations occur, regulations have

been passed that allow landowners to

take (kill) red wolves if certain

conditions exist. The animal must

have been “caught in the act” of a

depredation, or freshly wounded

livestock or pets should be evident.

There are also payment mechanisms

for landowners if they choose to

become involved with red wolf

recovery or if they suffer livestock or

pet depredations.

Private/corporate lands are an

integral component of the Red Wolf

Recovery Program. They act as

important wildlife corridors between

federal lands and provide diverse

habitats for wolves to occupy.

Partnerships with private land owners

work well for people and wolves.

How can people

learn more

about red wolf

restoration?

The Red Wolf

Recovery

Program reaches

thousands of

people annually

by participating

in community

events

throughout

North Carolina,

often in

partnership with

other agencies

and the Red Wolf

Coalition, a

citizen-support

group. Howling

Safaris draw

over 1,000

visitors a year to

the ARNWR.

USFWS

Tiger Cub Scout Troup #921 of Grifton,

North Carolina

Eastern North Carolina

Wildlife Art Show

Donna Storie, Red Wolf Coalition
“Far Traveler”

teacher workshops

are held semiannually to expand

red wolf education.

Discovery Boxes,

containing red wolf

teaching tools, are

mailed to

environmental

educators

throughout the U.S.

on a reservation

system.

The red wolf web

site is maintained

with up-to-date

information and

other red wolf

resource links. Public awareness

surrounding the red wolf restoration

effort is further expanded to

domestic and international audiences

through print and broadcast media.

Visiting red wolf exhibits at zoos and

nature centers offer another source

of education and, in many cases,

public viewing opportunities. Learn

the mission of the American Zoo and

Aquarium Association’s Species

Survival Plan Program and its link to

the Service and endangered species.

How can you help?

Learn about wildlife and how to

enjoy and protect wild animals.

Drive safely since red wolves and

other wild animals often cross roads

to find food.

Keep the roads clean of litter. It

attracts wild animals, putting them in

harm’s way.

Hunt responsibly. There are 100

counties in North Carolina – 95 do

not have red wolves.

Support the Red Wolf Coalition and

cooperating zoo facilities.
1791 Red wolf first described by Bartram.

1851 First publication of valid scientific name for red

wolf by Audubon and Bachman.

1905 First recognition of red wolf as a distinct species

by Bailey.

1937 First recognition of three subspecies of red wolf

by Goldman.

1962 Scientific community informed by McCarley that

red wolf is in danger of extinction.

1967 Red wolf listed as an endangered species under

provisions of the Endangered Species

Preservation Act of 1966.

1968 Service begins a study of the red wolf in

southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

1969 First red wolf placed into captivity initiating the

red wolf captive-breeding center at PDZA.

1973 Endangered Species Act becomes Federal law.

First red wolf recovery plan completed and

implementation begins. In a race against

extinction, an all-out effort to capture wild red

wolves for captive-breeding program begins.

1977 First litter of red wolf pups born in captivity in

PDZA.

1978 First successful experimental release, tracking,

and recapture of red wolves on Bulls Island,

South Carolina, solidifies restoration techniques.

1980 Last red wolves removed from the wild and red

wolf declared extinct in the wild. Unique allele

found by Ferrell et al. in Canis specimens from

within red wolf range supports conclusion that

red wolf is a distinct species.

1984 Red wolf recovery plan revised, updated, and

approved. Red wolf incorporated into AZA’s

SSP. ARNWR established on land in

northeastern North Carolina donated to the

Service by Prudential Insurance Company.

Historic Time Line for the Endangered Red Wolf
1987 First restoration begins with the release of four

pairs of captive-born red wolves into ARNWR.

First island propagation project begins on Bulls

Island in an attempt to give red wolves some

wild experience before release into mainland

reintroductions.

1988 First litter of red wolf pups born in the wild at

ARNWR.

1989 Second restoration project started by the release

of red wolves into GSMNP. Wayne and colleagues

publish mtDNA results suggesting that the red

wolf may be of hybrid origin. American Sheep

Industry

Association

files

petition to

delist red

wolf based

on the

mtDNA

results.

1991 Secondgeneration

red wolf

pups born

in the wild

at

ARNWR.

1991

petition

request to

delist the red wolf found unwarranted by Service.

First litter of red wolf pups born via artificial

insemination at PDZA.

1992 Red wolves released into PLNWR. First red

wolves born in the wild in GSMNP.

1995 Attitude survey by North Carolina State

University shows majority of residents in eastern

North Carolina support red wolf reintroduction.

Amendment to Interior Appropriation Bill

introduced in Senate to suspend all funding for

Red Wolf Recovery Program. Amendment

narrowly defeated.

Greg Koch
1995 North Carolina law to allow taking of red wolves

on private property in two counties goes into

effect. Revised relaxed Federal regulations

published addressing concerns about restored red

wolves. National Wilderness Institute files petition

to delist red wolf based on nuclear DNA results.

1996 Economic study by Cornell University shows

strong regional support for red wolf recovery,

substantial potential tourism benefits, and a

significant willingness of the public to pay for red

wolf recovery that far exceeds the cost of the

program. Study by East Carolina University

shows strong local support for red wolf recovery

in northeastern North Carolina and a willingness

to contribute financially to support the program.

1997 1995 petition request to delist the red wolf found

unwarranted by the Service. Two North

Carolina counties and two individuals file suit to

invalidate federal regulations regarding the red

wolf. Fourth island propagation project initiated

on Cape St. George Island off the Gulf Coast of

Florida.

1998 GSMNP reintroduction project canceled due to

low pup survival and the inability of wolves to

establish home ranges within the Park. PHVA

and Adaptive Management Plan initiated.

1999 PHVA determines that hybridization with

coyotes is the greatest threat to the recovery of

the red wolf. An adaptive management plan is

developed to address and manage hybridization.

2002 The entire red wolf population in northeastern

North Carolina is wild-born except for two pups

born at the North Carolina Zoo that are fostered

into a wild den.

2003 Litter of pups born at PDZA via artificial

insemination using fecal hormone analysis to

time insemination.

2004 One of the 2002 fostered pups fathers a litter of

eight. Two captive-born pups (born at CRNWR)

fostered into separate wild dens.

Historic Time Line for the Endangered Red Wolf
2006 About 100-130 wild red wolves roam 1.7 million

acres in northeastern North Carolina, and over

170 exist in the captive population throughout the

U.S. Adaptive management is working to control

the coyote population in the recovery zones and

has seen measurable success.

2006 With support from the Recovery Implementation

Team, red wolf recovery continues to progress.

New research techniques and data management

are continually incorporated into the recovery

effort.

Key to Acronyms

ARNWR: Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, NC

AZA: American Zoo and Aquarium Association

CRNWR: Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

GSMNP: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

mtDNA: Mitochondrial DNA

PDZA: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma, WA

PHVA: Population and Habitat Viability Assessment

PLNWR: Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, NC

SSP: Species Survival Plan

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Red Wolf Recovery Program

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 1969, Manteo, NC 27954

Phone: 252/473 1131 Ext. 246 Fax: 252/473 4836

E-mail: redwolf@fws.gov

www.fws.gov/alligatorriver

Red Wolf Captive Breeding Program

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

5400 North Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98407

Phone: 253/591 5337 Fax: 253/591 5448

www.pdza.org

Red Wolf Coalition

P.O. Box 96, 212 Main Street, Columbia, NC 27925

Phone: 252/796 5600 Fax: 252/796 5601

E-mail: redwolf@redwolves.com

www.redwolves.com
Brad McPhee, Point Defiance Zoo

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

www.fws.gov/southeast

December 2006