Red Wolf (Canis rufus)

The Red Wolf

The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) and the gray wolf are the only two species of true wolves alive in the world. The Red Wolf was almost hunted to extinction by the early settlers in the United States, but, due to rebreeding efforts, the population is starting to rise.

The Red Wolf is native to the southeastern United States, but it is currently listed as extinct in the wild as the numbers had dwindled so low that the only hope for the species was captive rebreeding, so all of the wild wolves were captured. Now, the wolf makes its home in North Carolina where it has been reintroduced to the wild and still lives in zoos and animal sanctuaries. The wolves usually make their homes in forests and marshlands.

Red Wolves, contrary to their name, can be brown, black, yellow, or gray. The species was named for the group of animals that lived in Texas and had a reddish hue to their coats. They can grow to be about 39-51inches (100-130 cm) long, which doesn’t include the tail, at about 16 inches (40 cm) in length. They can reach a weight of about 44-88 pounds (20-40 kg). They have long ears, long legs, and short fur.

The Red Wolf is a hunter, preying on deer, raccoons and other small animals. They also have been known to eat some plants, and they will go after dead animals if nothing else is available. Wolves are usually most active at night, but they will be out more in the daytime during the winter. They usually will only hunt in one area for 7-10 days, and then they will move on to another area.

Wolves will mate for life and travel in small family groups, which are led by the dominant, alpha male and his mate. They breed with their mates once yearly, and they reach sexual maturity at around two years of age. Wolf cubs are born in dens, which can be made from hollowed-out trees and may be taken over from some other animal. The pregnancy usually lasts for about 60-63 days, and a typical litter usually consists of four to six pups, but there can be as many as 11. The pups are usually weaned after 8-10 weeks. Because of the dwindling population, many wolves turned to coyotes for mating, and there are several species of mixed wolf and coyote living in the wild.
 

Further Information on the Red Wolf:

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Bibliography:
Red Wolf. Encarta Encyclopedia, © 2000.
The Wild Ones. Red Wolf, © 2000. Accessed on 08/05/04 at http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/redWolf.html
Paul Massicot. Animal Info - Red Wolf, © 2004. Accessed on 08/05/04 at http://www.animalinfo.org/species/carnivor/canirufu.htm
National Parks Conversation Association. Red Wolf. Accessed on 08/05/04 at http://www.npca.org/wildlife_protection/wildlife_facts/redwolf.asp