Canis rufus

The red wolf is one of the world’s most endangered canids and one of the rarest mammals in North America. Slightly smaller than a gray wolf, red wolves get their name from the red fur on the back of their ears. Historically, they once ranged across the southeastern United States, including areas like North Carolina and Georgia, inhabiting forests, wetlands, and coastal prairies.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the red wolf is listed as Critically Endangered. By the mid-1900s, red wolves were nearly driven to extinction due to habitat loss, predator control programs, and hybridization with coyotes. In 1980, they were declared extinct in the wild. Thanks to a captive breeding program and reintroduction efforts led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, red wolves were returned to the wild in eastern North Carolina in 1987. Today, only a small wild population remains in North Carolina, and conservation efforts continue through habitat protection, careful monitoring, and managed breeding programs. There are less than 20 in the wild and less than 300 in captivity.

Red wolves are apex predators that help maintain balance in their ecosystems. By regulating prey populations such as deer and small mammals, they contribute to healthier habitats and reduced overgrazing. Their story is also a powerful reminder of the role zoos and wildlife facilities play in species survival. Without captive breeding programs, red wolves would not exist today.

Chehaw is proud to be one of 50 organization in the U.S. to house red wolves. Through our breeding program, some of the red wolves born at Chehaw have been released into the wild to help raise population numbers.

Did you know?

Red wolves form strong family units, with older siblings often helping raise younger pups.

Their long legs help them travel efficiently across wetlands and coastal plains.

Red wolves are most active at dawn and dusk.

They are distinct from gray wolves and coyotes, though closely related. 

Pups are born blind and completely dependent on their parents.