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PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The American red wolf (Canis rufus), as the name suggests, has a reddish-brown coat color, particularly on its ears, back, neck, and legs. They are lighter in color (white and cream) on their muzzles, throats, and chests. Red wolves often resemble coyotes more than wolves due to their larger ears, lanky bodies, and size. Red wolves are larger than coyotes but smaller than their gray wolf counterparts, weighing roughly 45-80 pounds and measuring approximately 4 feet in length.
DIET
Red wolves are carnivores, and they primarily prey on white-tailed deer, small rodents such as rabbits, and nutria, and have also been known to consume insects and berries. However, these eating habits can shift depending on food availability and other factors.
CONSERVATION
Red wolves are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Approximately 16 individuals remain in the wild. They are a part of the SAFE Program, a conservation initiative by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) that unites over 254 accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation partners. Their primary goal is to protect the world's most vulnerable species, such as the American red wolf, through zoo expertise, field research, and public engagement.
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HISTORY
Red wolves were first listed as “threatened with extinction” under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 in 1967 and later listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act in 1973. Additionally, a captive breeding program for red wolves was initiated in the same year. In 1980, they were declared extinct in the wild, while 14 remained in captivity. However, in 1984, the AZA's Red Wolf Species Survival Plan was established. Finally, in 1987, the restoration could begin, and the first captive-bred red wolves were released into the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.
THREATS
Red wolves suffered hazards, particularly before they were federally protected. Their survival is heavily threatened by human-caused mortality, such as habitat loss, illegal poaching, and vehicle strikes. Red wolves released to the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina are legally protected from hunting in that designated location, and 254 AZA-accredited facilities globally are collaborating in support of the conservation of the red wolf through AZA programs.
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