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Red Wolf
Canis rufus
The red wolf is the most endangered species of wolf, with fewer than 30 remaining in the wild in eastern North Carolina. An assurance population of about 245 reside in human care as part of a Species Survival Plan to prevent them from going extinct.
Range & Habitat
Current range is grasslands and wetlands of northeastern North Carolina. This range was reduced from most of the eastern United States.
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered due to overhunting and habitat loss.
Diet
In the Wild: Raccoons, white-tailed deer, rabbits, pigs, rodents, and carrion.
At the Zoo: Meat with exotic canine diet and a rabbit once a week.
Life Span
In the Wild: 6-7 years; In Human Care: up to 15 years.
Fun Facts about the Red Wolf
- Red wolves communicate through a variety of behaviors such as touch, smell, and vocalizations. Their vocalizations are a cross between a coyote and a gray wolf.
- Red wolves are distantly related to gray wolves and coyotes. The red wolf is smaller in size and has a reddish fur coat, longer legs, and longer ears than gray wolves.
- Red wolves are carnivores and hunt for their food. They will hunt in the same area for about 10 days, then switch to a different hunting range.
Sources
Just Fun Facts. (1968, January 01). Retrieved May 26, 2020, from http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-red-wolves/
Red Wolf Woods at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium: Conservation, habitat. (2020, January 15). Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://www.pdza.org/animals/red-wolf-woods/
Red Wolf. (2020). Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://www.lpzoo.org/animal/red-wolf
Red Wolf. (2020). Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://www.nczoo.org/wildlife/animals/red-wolf
Updated June 13, 2023
