American Red Wolf

The red wolf is the most endangered wolf in the world. In the wild there are currently less than 35 wolves, and in captivity there are 245 individuals in breeding facilities. They were first declared endangered in 1967, and by 1972 all remaining red wolves lived in a small area in Texas and Louisiana. The numbers continued to decline and in 1980 they were declared extinct in the wild. Four years later, the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) approved the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP)’s breeding plan, which had about 63 captive individuals at the time. In 1987 four breeding pairs were released into the wild in North Carolina. In 1992, a population of wolves was released into the wild of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This population was unsuccessful because of lack of prey, and the remaining wolves were moved to North Carolina. By 2006, the wild population of red wolves was up to 130 animals, but has decreased to 35 since. In the 19th century and the early 20th century, wolves were hunted and persecuted to the point of extinction. Red wolves are finding it hard to come back from that because of human-caused mortality, climate change, and habitat loss. Human caused mortality, like gunshots or car strikes, can kill breeders, which hurts the population in the wild. Climate change is also an issue because the area where wild red wolves live is only 3 feet above sea level, making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and sea level rise. Habitat loss is also harming the wild red wolf population. Human development fragments their habitat, making it hard for wolves to live in non-protected areas, which contributed to the wolves previous demise.