Red wolf
Canis rufus
America’s own wolf, a shy hunter of the forests and swamps of the Southeast that lives in close family packs.
Coastal North Carolina, United States. Find it on our world map
Did you know?
A red wolf is bigger than a coyote and smaller than a gray wolf.1
Its fur often has a reddish tint on the muzzle (An animal’s nose and mouth.), behind the ears and on the backs of the legs.1
A red wolf pack is a close family, built around a mother and father who stay together for life.1
Red wolves hunt raccoons, rabbits and rodents, and white-tailed deer too.1
The only wild red wolves live in eastern North Carolina.1
By 1980 there were none left in the wild. Every red wolf today comes from 14 wolves cared for in a breeding program (A plan where zoos and scientists help animals raise babies safely.).1
Who is helping
There are very few red wolves, so every family matters. Biologists and zoos work together to raise pups and return wolves to the wild.
Credits
Photo: Steve Hillebrand, USFWS. Photo: Taylor DiTarando, via iNaturalist. Range drawn by hand from published range maps.