Canis rufus

The red wolf is one of the most endangered canids in the world. Native to the southeastern United States, this shy predator once roamed across forests, swamps, and coastal prairies.

Red wolves live in a variety of habitats, including wetlands, forests, and grasslands. They prefer areas with plenty of cover for hunting and raising pups. Today, their only wild population lives in northeastern North Carolina, making their protection more important than ever.

Red wolves are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. Their diet includes small mammals like rabbits and rodents, as well as deer. By hunting these animals, red wolves help control prey populations and keep ecosystems balanced.

Red wolves are social animals that live in family groups called packs. Each pack is usually made up of a breeding pair and their offspring. Both parents help raise and protect the pups, teaching them important survival skills.

Red wolves play a crucial role in their ecosystem. As apex predators, they help maintain healthy food webs and prevent overpopulation of prey species, which protects vegetation and habitat quality.

Conservation Matters:
Red wolves are critically endangered due to habitat loss, human conflict, and historical persecution. At one point, they were declared extinct in the wild. Thanks to conservation breeding and reintroduction programs, red wolves returned to the wild, but their population remains dangerously low. Protecting habitat, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and supporting conservation programs are essential to their survival.

Did You Know?
Red wolves are smaller than gray wolves but larger than coyotes! They can run up to 30 miles per hour and communicate using howls, barks, and body language. There are less than 20 wild red wolves and less than 300 in captivity. Every red wolf alive today is part of a conservation success story.