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About the American Red Wolf
The American red wolf (Canis rufus) is one of two wolf species in North America. Red wolves are smaller than their gray wolf counterparts, weighing roughly 45-80 pounds and measuring approximately 4 feet in length. Although the diet of red wolves can vary depending on food availability, they primarily prey on white-tailed deer, small rodents such as rabbits, and nutria, and have also been known to consume insects and berries.
Red wolves are classified as a critically endangered species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature and listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Approximately 16 individuals remain in the wild. They are a part of the Species Survival Plan, which is managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The SSP is a captive breeding program that releases imperiled species to the wild to restore and protect their species.
Red wolves were first listed as “threatened with extinction” under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 in 1967 and later listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act in 1973. Additionally, a captive breeding program for red wolves was initiated in the same year. In 1980, they were declared extinct in the wild while 14 remained in captivity. However, in 1984, the AZA's Red Wolf Species Survival Plan was established. Finally, in 1987, the restoration could begin, and the first captive-bred red wolves were released into the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.
Red wolves suffered hazards, particularly prior to their federal protection. These major threats include habitat loss, illegal poaching, and vehicle strikes. Red wolves released to the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina are legally protected in that designated location, and many zoos and wildlife/wolf conservation communities are taking part in supporting the conservation of the red wolf through AZA programs.