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John,
The lethal impact of a fast-moving car. The sharp crack of a gun shot. A patch of woods lost forever to development. On any given day, America's last red wolves may face one or more of these threats, driving them closer to extinction.
With only an estimated 28 red wolves left in the wild, it's past time that Americans learned more about these creatures.[1]
Here's what you need to know:
Red wolves used to roam the Southeast, from North Carolina to Texas. And, they're the only large carnivore that exists solely in the United States. Now, they're limited to just two wildlife refuges in North Carolina.[2]
Smaller than the gray wolf, the red wolf is highly social within its tight-knit pack, but very shy around humans.
In 1973, the red wolf became one of the first species added to the Endangered Species list. Their population has fluctuated since then, rarely exceeding 100. In recent years, it's dropped dramatically, to the current estimate of just 28 wolves.[3]
In part, the red wolf decline is driven by poaching. Throughout the 20th century, red wolves were seen as a threat to livestock, so the government ran hunting programs to reduce their population.[4]
To this day, red wolves are also shot by accident, with the shooter mistaking them for coyotes. Just two years ago, a red wolf was shot and killed in North Carolina.[5]
And, red wolves were born to roam -- but they don't know where their small refuges end and developed areas begin. So, they wander onto highways and meet a dangerous fate. Between June 2023 and June 2024, five red wolves were killed by vehicle collisions.[6]
Right now, we're urging Congress to approve funding to build wildlife crossings in more states, protecting red wolves, other wildlife and people from dangerous vehicle collisions. In North Carolina, we're also urging the state to build wildlife crossings for the red wolf.
And we're supporting House Resolution 642, which calls for a federal commitment to repopulation and recovery efforts for red wolves. The resolution is a step, and it does enjoy bipartisan support -- a rarity in Washington, D.C., these days.[7]
But the first step is raising awareness. If more people know about red wolves, and the challenges they face, perhaps we can give them a fighting chance to survive.
Thank you,
Lisa Frank
Executive Director
P.S. With your support, we can expand and continue our campaigns to protect red wolves and other vulnerable species. Make a contribution today to support our wildlife protection work.
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1. "Red Wolf Recovery Program," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last accessed October 21, 2025.
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2. "Red Wolf Recovery Program," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last accessed October 21, 2025.
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3. "Red Wolf Recovery Program," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last accessed October 21, 2025.
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4. "Red Wolf," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last accessed October 21, 2025.
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5. "Federal Officials Seek Assistance in Investigation of Red Wolf Death," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, August 7, 2023.
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6. "Our most endangered wolves should never end up as roadkill," Environmental Action, July 15, 2024.
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7. "H.Res.642- Expressing support for continued Federal commitment to repopulation and recovery efforts for the red wolf in North Carolina and across the country," Congress.gov, August 8, 2025.
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