Red Wolf Week Form

rufus means red or reddish in Latin, and as the name suggests, Red Wolves are known for the characteristic reddish color of their fur most apparent behind the ears and along the neck and legs.

The Red Wolf is one of the world’s most endangered wild canids. Once common throughout the southeastern United States, Red Wolf populations were decimated due to intensive predator control programs and loss of habitat.

After being declared an endangered species in 1973, efforts were initiated to locate and capture as many wild Red Wolves as possible. Of the 17 remaining wolves captured by biologists, 14 became the founders of a successful captive breeding program. Consequently, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) declared Red Wolves extinct in the wild in 1980.

All wolves are carnivores. Wolves are gorging animals meaning they can eat great amounts of meat in a single sitting (and then go for days and even weeks without food at all). Red Wolves thrive on an average of 2-5 pounds of food per day.

By 1987, enough Red Wolves were bred in captivity to begin a restoration program to return the species to a portion of their traditional range in the southeast United States. For over two decades the USFWS has been restoring red wolves to a five county area in eastern North Carolina that includes the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. The WCC joined the recovery effort in 2004 via its acceptance into the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (which then transitioned into the Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) Program) and has played a critical role in preserving and protecting these imperiled species through carefully managed breeding, reintroduction, education, and outreach.