Red Wolf

By 1960, red wolf numbers had been decimated by habitat loss, predator-control programs, and mixed-breeding with coyotes. In 1967, the red wolf was officially declared an endangered species. In 1973, the remaining red wolves were removed from the wild and a captive breeding program began to save the species; only 17 pure red wolves were found, 14 of which could be bred, and they became the founders of all wild and captive red wolves in the United States today. In 1977, the first litter of captive red wolf pups was born at Port Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Seattle, Washington. In 1980, red wolves were declared extinct in the wild. In 1987, four red wolves were reintroduced to the wild at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Manteo, North Carolina. By 2002, the entire red wolf population living there was wild-born. In 2005, three red wolf pups were born at Roger Williams Park Zoo. By 2010, roughly 100 wild red wolves roamed eastern North Carolina, while an additional 150 lived in captive facilities nationwide, more than 40 of which supported captive breeding, and wolves were establishing territory along the North Carolina coast.

Providence, Rhode Island · United States