Page 6 - The Great Wolf Rescue: Saving the Red Wolves

Red wolves were named for the reddish
color of their fur, which shows up
strongest on their head and legs. Their
scientific name is Canis rufus. Canis
means “wolf” and rufus means “red.”

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Long ago, lots of red wolves lived in North America. They roamed from southern
New York throughout the United States as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas.
The red wolf was one of the main predators in the region, living alongside black bears and

mountain lions in much of its territory. Native peoples, including the Cherokee, also shared
the land with these wolves. They continue to consider them part of their cultural heritage,
believing red wolves originally taught humans how to hunt.
But European people who moved into those areas saw the red wolves as a threat to

themselves and to their livestock. During the 1800s and early 1900s, they shot and trapped red
wolves in large numbers, decreasing their population. The settlers also destroyed the red wolf’s
habitat by clearing land to farm and build homes. Worse, they spread out and built towns that
grew into cities. Eventually, red wolves struggled to survive where they had once thrived.

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