The Red Wolf
12.3 Endangered Species
Where are they found?
Red wolves, or canis rufus, can currently be found at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Eastern North Carolina. They were once declared extinct but a new population is being started in North Carolina!
What was happening to the wolves?
The red wolf population declined greatly due to intensive predator control programs and loss of habitat. It got so bad that there were only 17 wolves remaining that biologists had captured and were aware of.
What is being done to help the wolves?
14 of the 17 remaining wolves became the founders of a successful captive breeding program. Enough of the red wolves were bred that a restoration program on the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge was started. That is currently where most of the wolves reside and continue to grow their population for years to come.