The Scout Bracelet

“Tracking Red Wolves allows scientists to gather accurate data, which helps provide protective measures for their success in the wild. Mark Twain said, “Supposing is good, but finding out is better.” Famed Gray Wolf biologist Dr. Doug Smith believes that if we don’t track wolves to get accurate data, then inaccurate data may be gathered and the wolves won’t get the protection they need.”

To learn more, visit our partner directly at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.

“Red Wolves wear orange radio collars that transmit by VHF (very high frequency) or GPS (global positioning system). Tracking allows scientists to monitor population dynamics, preferred habitats, home ranges, and movement.

To learn more, visit our partner directly at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.

“Tracking does not harm the Red Wolves and enhances their chance for survival in the wild.”

To learn more, visit our partner directly at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.

“We assess “threats” during our determination of whether a species is threatened or endangered due to any of these 5 factors:

- The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range

- Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes

- Disease or predation

- The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms

- Other natural or manmade factors affecting its survival

Below are past, current, and future factors that have, are, or could affect the Red Wolf (both the SAFE and wild populations). Threats are not mutually exclusive, as one can trigger another or exacerbate the impacts of another. 

- Small population size and associated inbreeding depression that decrease species resiliency and exacerbates impacts of other threats (SAFE and wild populations)

- Anthropogenic-related mortality, including gunshot, vehicle strikes, management mortality, poisoning and other suspected illegal activity (wild population)

- Coyote hybridization/introgression (wild population)

- Negative public perception of canids that may undermine recovery efforts and could exacerbate some threats above (wild population)

- Future habitat loss from sea level rise and increased flooding (wild population)

- Future habitat loss from development (wild population)

- Disease and parasites (SAFE and wild populations)

- Intraspecific strife, including territorial competition between Red Wolves (SAFE and wild populations)”

[From USFWS Revised Recovery Plan 2023]

To learn more, visit our partner directly at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.

“As of August 2024, there are 292 American Red Wolves under human care in 50 partner institutions across the United States. Approximately 20 known wolves make up the wild population in North Carolina. The in situ population is referred to as the Eastern North Carolina Red Wolf Population (ENC RWP).”

To learn more, visit our partner directly at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.

Trapping, poaching, and habitat loss are primarily to blame for the Red Wolves’ endangered status—they are now the most endangered wolf species in the world. Red Wolves once occupied space as far south as Texas all the way to New York, but in the 17 and 1800s, intensive hunting and predator control programs nearly wiped out the species entirely. 

Zoos stepped up to establish a population in human care in 1969 to attempt to preserve the population by breeding and increasing the population to later be released back into the wild. During this time, Red Wolves received additional protections courtesy of the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service knew the wild population was on the brink of extinction and set out to capture the last remaining wild Red Wolves to help secure the breeding program in zoos. Through all of the trapping efforts, they only found 14 remaining pure Red Wolves, which they captured and safely brought into zoos.

The Cherokee recognize and honor the Red Wolf’s personhood, that’s why we capitalize Red Wolf—to emphasize that honor and equality. American Red Wolf SAFE recognizes that the story of the wolf, and fostering that understanding and empathy, is a critical component to Red Wolf recovery.

To learn more, visit our partner directly at fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program.