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The
Red Wolf
Description
Current Status: The
Red Wolf was virtually extinct in the wild,
In a last ditch effort to stop the Red Wolf's
total extinction, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) gathered
up the remaining Red wolves. Fewer than 20 remained. These Red Wolves were
successfully bred in captivity and their numbers increased steadily over
the years. By 1987, enough animals had been bred to begin a program to
reintroduce them back into their rightful place in the wild. This set an
important precedent, being the first reintroduction in the United States
of a species that was officially extinct in the wild. By all counts the
red wolf reintroduction program has been a success. However, the red wolf
is far from being out of danger. With such small numbers in the wild, the
population is in constant danger of extinction from natural disasters such
as disease. Additional lands are needed for wolf populations to grow.
Today the Red Wolf population is at 300 captive animals in zoos and captive
breeding facilities. Red wolves have been reintroduced at the alligator
River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina and the Great Smokey Mountains
National Park.
Name: Red
Wolf (Canis rufus)
Physical Profile: The
Red Wolf can have a Red,Grey, or Black coat, with white markings.
They are smaller than their cousin the Gray Wolf, they weigh about 40-80
pounds. The females are usually smaller than the males.
Geographical Range: Today,
there are approximately 50 red wolves, living in
the Alligator River Refuge and at nearby Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife
Refuge. Some of these animals also survive on private land. In 1991, a
second red wolf recovery site was established in the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park in Tennessee, and a small number of wolves have been released
there.
Habitat: The
last remaining pre-reintroduction Red Wolves lived in coastal rairie and
marsh areas.
Diet: Red
Wolves prefer white-tailed deer and racoons, but will eat any available
small common prey animals.
Lifestyle: Red
Wolves mating pairs mate for life, Adults mate between the months of February
to March, 2-4 pups are born during April or May. The adult
males and females help raise the pups. Around 6 months old is when
the pups are mature enough to venture by themselfs.
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