Red Wolf

Scientific Name: Canis rufus
Classification: Endangered; state listed as threatened
Occurrence: Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties

History

The red wolf was extensively killed throughout its range in North America for many years.

In 1987, the red wolf was introduced by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists as part of an experiment to examine the feasibility of restoring the population in the wild.

Appearance

The size of the red wolf falls somewhere between the coyote and the gray wolf.  

Compared to a coyote, the red wolf has a wider head with a broad muzzle and is larger, taller, and heavier than a coyote. Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage to see more comparisons between red wolves and coyotes.  

Color varies somewhat among red wolves, though it is usually a combination of cinnamon buff or tawny, or cinnamon red, with gray or black on the back and tip of the tail. The red wolf’s undersides vary in color from near white to a pinkish buff.

Diet

Predators, such as red wolves, help maintain the overall health of the prey populations they feed upon.

Their diet typically consists of White-tailed deer, raccoons, rabbits, nutria, and smaller rodents. Wolves also eat carrion and seasonally rely on insects, berries, and other plants.

Habitat and Habits

Red wolves inhabit upland and bottomland forests, coastal prairies, swamps, and marshes. These animals require dense vegetation to protect denning sites and resting areas.

The red wolf is secretive and mostly nocturnal, with much of its activity concentrated around dawn, dusk, and early evening. 

Hunting and Trapping

There is no hunting or trapping season.

For additional resources, check out the Protected Species of North Carolina.

Before You Shoot, Know the Difference between a Red Wolf and a Coyote

Due to the high variation in coloration and body size overlap between the species, it can be difficult to distinguish between coyotes and red wolves in the field. We have provided typically representative examples for both species, but there exists substantial variation between both coyotes and red wolves.