Red Wolves: The Fight to Protect America’s Most Endangered Wolf

Red wolves are one of the most endangered animals in North America. They are smaller and slimmer than gray wolves, with long legs that help them travel great distances. Their reddish fur, found on their faces, ears, and legs, along with brown and tan coats, helps them blend into their surroundings. Many people don’t realize that saving the species also means preserving a piece of America’s natural history.

For centuries, Native American tribes such as the Tuscarora and Cherokee viewed red wolves as sacred animals that helped to keep nature in balance. These wolves-controlled populations of deer and smaller animals, playing a key role in their environment. People thought wolves were dangerous, fearful stories and myths led to hunting, trapping, and poisoning, pushing wolves to the brink of extinction.

The Fall and Return of Red Wolves

By the mid-1900s, hunters and government programs had nearly wiped-out these magnificent animals. At one point, the government even paid people to kill them. By 1967, officials listed red wolves as endangered, but by then only a few survived in the wild. Coyotes quickly took over the territories where the wolves once thrived. Scientists worked hard to save the red wolf. In the late 1970s, they found 14 pure wolves in Texas and Louisiana. They brought these wolves into a breeding program to help increase their numbers.

In 1987, scientists released a small number of red wolves into the wild at North Carolina’s Alligator River Wildlife Refuge. For a time, the project succeeded. By 2012, about 120 wolves lived in the wild. But things changed in 2014. Some landowners refused to allow wolves on their property and pressured the government to act. Hunters shot wolves, the government released fewer, and many wolves died. At one point, the population dropped to only seven animals.

Protecting Red Wolves Today

Today, saving red wolfs depends on the hard work of people like Joe Madison. Since 2017, Joe has led the red wolf recovery program. He and his small team work every day to protect, track, and care for these animals. Each wild wolf wears a radio collar that sends signals to Joe’s phone. He checks on them often to make sure they are alive and safe. Sometimes, saving the red wolves means walking through difficult terrain in all kinds of weather to find them.

There are many myths about red wolves. People say they steal deer from hunters or are half-coyote, but these things aren’t true. A red wolf rarely harms farm animals, there have only been 11 cases in 40 years, mostly involving chickens. Joe and his team track every red wolf in the wild. They hope for new pups each spring and sometimes add captive-born pups to wild families to introduce new breeding stock. In 2024, two litters were born, but sadly, both were lost. Still, Joe and his team keep working.

Hope for the Future

Even with the many challenges, saving red wolves remains a mission full of hope. Every fall and winter, Joe Madison and his team carefully capture wolves to check their health and prepare them for breeding. They use special traps and techniques because red wolves are smart and hard to catch twice! After health checks and collar updates, the wolves are safely released back into the wild.

Joe Madison and fellow red wolf expert Chris Lasher dream of a day when saving the wolves is no longer a fight for survival. They hope people will be able to walk through the forests of the South and hear wolves howling once again. These animals are an important part of America’s wildlife, and saving the wolf ensures that future generations will experience their beauty and their role in keeping nature balanced.

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Reference
Inside the Fight to Save the World’s Most Endangered Wolf
Red Wolf Recovery Program Updates – September 2024