#red wolves

From the Center for Biological Diversity:

Red wolves once lived throughout the eastern half of the United States, from the Southeast to Texas and parts of the Midwest. But they were driven to near-extinction, and now, living wild only on a coastal peninsula in North Carolina, they’re the most endangered canines in the world — and the subject of an inspiring new Center campaign.

Excerpt from this story from the Center for Biological Diversity:

Four litters of red wolf pups have been born in the wild in North Carolina this year, with 12 to 16 pups having survived their first few months, according to a new announcement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Red Wolf Recovery Program.

“It’s inspiring to see these underdogs making another incredible comeback,” said Will Harlan, Southeast director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Red wolves are thriving in the wild thanks to the dedication of the Fish and Wildlife Service, landowners and communities working together. These pups provide real hope for the future of red wolves.”

Red wolves are the most endangered wolves in the world. Only 22 adult wolves remain in North Carolina’s Alligator River and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges and surrounding private lands.

They were hunted to near extinction by the 1970s, but the Endangered Species Act, the Red Wolf Recovery Program, and the Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) Program helped them bounce back. Red wolves were reintroduced to eastern North Carolina in 1987. By 2011 at least 130 red wolves roamed the wild.

In the 2010s gunshot mortality and policy changes caused red wolf populations to crash to as few as seven, but their numbers are rebounding once more, especially with the addition of four litters this year.

Three of the four litters were from red wolf breeding pairs who had birthed pups last year. Red wolves mate for life, and siblings and grandparents often help raise pups.

One of the litters was born on private land. The landowner welcomed red wolves onto his property and is a member of the Prey for the Pack Program, which financially rewards landowners for allowing red wolves on their property.

Since 2020 vehicle collisions have been the leading cause of death for red wolves. Eight red wolves have been killed by vehicle strikes since 2020, including two in the past year. Nearly all of the road mortalities occurred along Highway 64, which runs through the heart of the red wolves’ refuges.

North Carolina recently received a $31 million federal grant to construct wildlife crossings beneath the highway, which will protect red wolves, black bears, river otters, spotted turtles and dozens of other species. The Center and 12,000 Center supporters raised nearly $2 million to help secure the federal grant.

Here is one of my personal favourites! Red wolves! (Canis Rufus) they’re small, and look a lot like coyotes in terms of size

they’re critically endangered due to habitat loss and over hunting

Got the cool wolf tracking thing! I got it through a plush and a bracelet (also hand reveal ig lol?? idc)

Click on the photo/caption above, and watch a short (less than 30 second) video of red wolves playing around in the wild.

From the Center for Biological Diversity:

Red wolves are among the most endangered carnivores in the world. Once spread across the U.S. Southeast, these clever and highly adaptive predators suffered a similar fate to that of their gray wolf cousins. People relentlessly persecuted them, to the extent that in 1980 — after the capture of the last remaining red wolves for a captive-breeding program — the species was declared extinct in the wild.

In 1987 four pairs of red wolves were released in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Dare County, North Carolina. Red wolves’ reintroduction program was considered one of the world’s most innovative and successful efforts to restore a critically endangered carnivore, and by 2006, the wolves’ population had reached 130.

Unfortunately since then their population has declined — drastically. Red wolves are classified as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The species has been reduced to a single wild population of fewer than 20 known individuals in eastern North Carolina.

Mismanagement, illegal killing, and hybridization with coyotes threaten red wolves with extinction. These wolves used to outcompete coyotes, but when they were pushed out of the wild, the coyotes moved in on their former territory. Not only are red wolves now mating with coyotes — they’re often mistaken for coyotes and shot. Their persecution by private landowners and livestock operators

Hopeful news for North America’s rarest canines: The Center-led campaign to build wildlife crossings in red wolf territory is moving forward. 

The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently signed contracts with the Federal Highway Administration to start design and construction of wildlife crossings along Highway 64, which slices through the heart of red wolves’ home and has been devastating to the species. 

Image Credits: Champions for Wildlife, Nancy Arehart

Red wolves (Canis rufus) are a critically endangered species from southeastern U.S.. Habitat destruction, hunting, and predator-control led the species to be extinct in the wild in 1980. Captive breeding programs have been working to help bring the red wolf back into the wild, released at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. In 2012, there were around 100-120 in the wild, but this has dropped to only around 15-17 wild red wolves. Red wolves are the most endangered wolf species in the world.

Red wolves and other species need your help. The Trump administration is dismantling regulations that protect endangered species, with proposed regulations that would significantly weaken the Endangered Species Act. Their plans will allow them to encroach on habitats of endangered species to drill, mine, and log. Removing these protections will put thousands of species at risk. Protections for wolves are being destroyed, with programs like the National Gray Wolf Recovery Program being cancelled. Hunting and organized killings of wolves threaten crucial wolf populations.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has announced four proposed rules that will weaken endangered species protections. The 30-day comment period begins on November 21st.

Press Release: https://www.fws.gov/apps/press-release/2025-11/administration-revises-endangered-species-act-regulations-strengthen

https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/current

https://www.regulations.gov

FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0039 (Section 4)

FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0044 (Section 7)

FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0029 (Section 4(d))

FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0048 (Section 4(b)(2))

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