Reestablishment of Wolves

Abstract

Originally, the territory of red wolves in the United States of America ranged from Pennsylvania in the north to Florida in the south, and as far west as Texas. Due to land development and large-scale predator control programs by the 1930s, only a few populations existed in the wild (in the Ozarks, Louisiana, and Texas). By 1967, the red wolf was listed as an endangered species. Also by this time, extensive hybridization had taken place between coyotes and red wolves as the coyotes invaded the former red wolf range. By 1975 it was believed that in order to save the species from extinction, it was necessary to capture a few of the remaining red wolves and breed them in captivity. Forty-three animals that were assumed to be red wolves were placed in captivity, but genetic analysis revealed that only 17 of these were “genetically pure” (nonhybrid) red wolves. A captive breeding program began, and in 1987, red wolves were released at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. In 1991, reintroduction began at Cades Cove, a part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). The expressed goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) was to eventually have 220 red wolves living in the wild at three different locations, with 320 wolves breeding in captivity to sustain the wild populations.1