Things you Ought to know about Endangered Red Wolf
posted in Animal Species |After reading all the interesting facts in the previous article: The Endangered Red Wolf , there are many question still unanswered. One of the most prominent questions is: What are the possible reasons or factors responsible for endangering red wolf? Some of the factors have lead to endangering red wolf are listed below:
- First and the major factor is the loss of their natural habitat. With the extension of human invasion and growing population forests which are the natural habitat are destroyed.
- Extensive hunting of red wolf by humans especially as a part of predator control program.
- Increased disease susceptibility also decreased their number and made them endangered.
- Hybridizing red wolf with coyotes also decreased the number of red wolf.
All the listed factors in combination made red wolf one of the endangered species.
Second question arises is: How many wolf species are living at present? Presently there are only 2 species living: Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) and Red Wolf (Canis rufus). Scientists have discovered 3 subspecies of red wolf and 15 subspecies of gray wolf. Scientists believe that there were at least 24 subspecies of gray wolf earlier. The wolf species are spread all over the world: South America, Canada, Italy, Iran and other countries.
Third question: What are the conservation programs for the recovery of red wolves? It is believed that the original distribution of red wolves spreads around eastern North America. According to the reports approximately 300 red wolves are surviving around the world and out of 300, 220 are in captivity.
- In 1987, in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, 100 red wolves were introduced under 1st island propagation project.
- The 2nd island propagation project was held in Horn Island, Mississippi Coast in the year 1989.
- In the year 1990, 3rd island propagation project was introduced in St. Vincent Island, Florida.
- In the year 1997, 4th project was introduced in Cape St. George Island, Florida.
Initially these conservation programs were successful but with the relocation of wolves in 1998 to North Carolina ended the efforts of re-introduction of wolf species to parks.