A captive breeding program was introduced to try and save the animal from extinction. By 1973 there were only around 100 of the wolves left. They were hunted to near extinction by people in the 1800s and 1900s. Red wolves are currently on the critically endangered list.

When they have grown to maturity, they may venture out on their own to form their own pack. As they grow up, the entire pack will help in taking care of them and protecting them. They are entirely dependent on their mothers for protection and food. When born, the pups are tiny and their eyes are still closed. Red wolf puppies are born in litters of 2 to 8 pups. Usually only the dominate pair of wolves will have puppies. In each pack, there is a dominant male wolf and a dominant female wolf that lead the pack. For example, the dominant leaders will lift their tails and stand tall when facing another wolf. The wolves communicate through a variety of noises such as howling, scent markings, facial expressions, and body movements. They sometimes hunt alone or together with the pack. The wolf pack will have a territory that it will defend from other packs. Yes, red wolves live and travel in packs of five to eight animals. Red wolves prefer the habitats of forests, costal prairies, and sometimes swamps. Since then they have been reintroduced into the wild and now live in protected areas in North Carolina. Fortunately, there were still some red wolves living in zoos. At one time there were red wolves over much of the Southeastern United States, however, due to habitat loss and hunting, they became extinct in the wild in 1980. Their primary food consists of small rodents, rabbits, raccoons, and deer. Red wolves are carnivores and, therefore, mostly eat meat. The females are slightly smaller than the males. They are smaller than gray wolves, but bigger than coyotes. The males grow to around 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh around 60 to 80 pounds. They are similar in size to a German shepherd dog. Often the fur behind their legs and ears will have a reddish tint. Back to Animals What does the red wolf look like?ĭespite their name, red wolves can have a variety of coat colors including yellow, black, brown, gray, and red.

Red wolf size