However, the red wolf has longer legs than a coyote and is larger and more robust in the chest area. The howl of a red wolf is a long wail, similar to a coyote, but ending in a slightly higher note. Red wolves breed from December to January. Litters of 3-6 deaf and blind pups are born in early spring. Sight and hearing develope by 3 weeks.
Red wolves mate for life and share the rearing of the young.
The cub mortality rate is very high among reds. This slowness to gain independence may be due to the disruption of the natural pack unit that has come through the mixture of captive and wild-born wolves. The Red Wolf usually travels and hunts in pairs, though they will occasionally form social groups of 5 -10. The heirarchial organization of the pack seems looser among reds perhaps because their small numbers make all members important. Mating occurs twice a year, The first phase begins in at the end of December and runs to the bginning of January.