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The red wolf's name comes from the reddish coloring of the head, ears, and legs; its’ predominate coloring may range from very light tan to black. The wolf usually weighs between 45 to 80 pounds. Red wolves are smaller than the gray wolf but larger than the coyote. In the wild, red wolves normally establish life-long mates. They reach breeding maturity in their second or third year. They usually mate in February or March of each year. The female wolf, sometimes assisted by the male, finds or digs a suitable den in places such as hollow logs, ditch banks, or under rocks. Typically, a litter of pups is born in April or May. Red wolf packs are smaller than those of gray wolves: usually consisting of an adult pair and their off-spring. Unlike gray wolves, which hunt in packs to take large hoofed animals, red wolves will hunt alone, in pairs, or with the family pack. Red wolf prey consists of small animals such as raccoons, rabbits, rodents and easily targeted white- tailed deer. Cape Romain’s Bulls Island, has played an integral
role in the recovery of the endangered red wolf. Due to its protected
geographic location and prey base, Bulls Island was chosen as the experimental
release site. In 1978, the 9-month successful release of two wolves,
John and Judy, demonstrated the feasibility of reintroduction into the
wild. Bulls Island became the first island breeding site in 1987. On
April 23, 1988, two young males were born. In the following years, young
pups would roam the island, learning basic survival skills before relocation
into the wild at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern
North Carolina. On April 18, 2004 the last island litter of four, three
females and one male, was born. Two weeks later, two females were moved
to Alligator River NWR and placed in foster dens to be raised by wild
females. In the early summer of 2005 the third female pup was relocated
at Alligator River NWR and the young male was taken to Lincoln Zoo in
Cincinnati, Ohio. The island breeding program closed in 2005. From 1987
to 2005, 26 pups were born at Bulls Island. Red wolves are housed at the Sewee Center for observation & education. These captive wolves help to ensure the genetic diversity of the species. For a more in-depth article, click here.
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Originally,
the red wolf roamed as far north as Pennsylvania and as far west as
central Texas. By the late 1930s, the population had drastically dwindled.
At that time, only two populations are believed to have existed: one
in the Ozark-Ouachita Mountain region of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri,
and the other in southern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. Today, the
only wild red wolf population is found in northeastern North Carolina
in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge region.