Southeast Wolf Management and Policy


Management and Policy

To ensure achievement of red wolf population goals, additional suitable habitat for red wolves must be identified to address the recovery criteria, which calls for the “establishment of 220 red wolves in the wild and 330 individuals in captivity” in at least three reintroduction projects within the historic range of the red wolf.

Defenders urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to address this commitment and examine potential restoration areas.

Currently, only 100 red wolves roam a five-country region of northeastern North Carolina. With such small numbers in the wild, the population is in constant danger of extinction from several factors, including human-caused mortalities, habitat loss, natural disasters and interbreeding with coyotes.


Threats to Red Wolves

Human-caused mortality

Historically, red wolves were removed from the Southeast largely due to human-caused mortality. This factor, including deaths caused by motor vehicles, legal depredation control measures and illegal takings, continues to be the leading cause of red wolf deaths even while under federal protection.

Further, negative human attitudes, which result in unnecessary legal and illegal killing of wolves, continue to play an important factor threatening the species.

In addition, the similarities in appearance between red wolves and coyotes have resulted in red wolves mistakenly killed by coyote hunters.

In 2004, 50% of the red wolf mortalities caused by gun shots occurred during the three-month rifle season period. To address this issue, Defenders collaborated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Red Wolf Recovery Team and the Red Wolf Coalition to produce a hunter education card, informing hunters about the location and appearance of red wolves to prevent this occurrence.

Natural Disasters

Severe weather patterns have proven to be a formidable threat to the red wolf recovery program. In September of 2003, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the recovery program suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Isabel, resulting in the loss of two red wolves and destroying the Sandy Ridge captive red wolf breeding facility. Future catastrophic events remain a constant uncontrollable threat to the species recovery.

Hybridization

Hybridization between coyote and red wolf populations has remained a constant threat to the recovery of this imperiled species. As a result, FWS implemented an adaptive management plan to minimize hybridization that has shown initial promise.