Red Wolf Facts
October 13, 2019
Red wolves, canis rufus, are one of two species of wolves in the whole world with the other being the grey wolf. They are 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) in length and stand about 26 inches (66 centimeters) tall at the shoulders. They are more slender than their grey wolf relatives and weigh about 40 to 90 pounds (18 to 41 kilograms). They have large ears for the size of their head, which they use to cool down whenever it is hot and/or humid. Red wolves got their name because of the red fur found behind their ears as well as along their neck and legs.
Red Wolves are only found in North America, specifically North Carolina (United States). They live in dens that are usually located in stream banks, sand knolls and hollow trees. They are active during the night and will rest during the day. Red wolves will either hunt alone or in packs, which usually consists of a breeding adult pair and their offspring. They are able to communicate with one another through body posture, scent marking, vocalizations (which includes howling) and even facial expressions.
The diet of red wolves consists primarily of small mammals like hares, raccoons, birds, rats, and other rodents. They will also eat things like insects and berries should the opportunity present itself. When hunting in a pack, Red wolves have even been known to take down and eat a deer. They do this by carefully using the members of the pack to confuse and put the prey in a corner where they take the deer down.
Red Wolves begin to breed during the late winter months of February and March. Females have a gestation period of around 60 to 63 days. They give birth to anywhere from 1 to 10 pups. Red wolf pups are blind at birth and are nursed by the pack until they are able to hunt for themselves. When they get old enough, they will either remain with their parents or leave to start their own pack.
Not too long ago, red wolves were once labeled extinct in the wild with all known individuals (about 17) put in captivity to try and repopulate the species. Thankfully, such measures have been somewhat successful and in 1987, some individuals were reintroduced into the wild. As of 2007, there are more than 100 red wolves in the wild and around 207 captive ones in breeding facilities across the United States. The wild ones roam an area of more than 1.7 million acres throughout northeastern North Carolina. Hopefully, continued effort can bring the red wolf back from the brink of extinction. After all, such a unique creature deserves to live for many years to come.
Works Cited
"Red Wolf" 26 November 2010
"Red Wolf" 26 November 2010
"Red Wolf Facts" 26 November 2010
"Red Wolf" 26 November 2010
