Endangered Species Guide : Mammals : Animal Planet

Endangered Mammals

Pictures: iStockphotos |

RED WOLF (Canis rufus)

The red wolf is a small carnivore with a coat of mixed cinnamon, black and white fur. Similar to the gray wolf, it lives in highly organized social packs that cooperatively hunt small mammals. By the 1970s, the red wolf was believed to be extinct in the wild, primarily because of human persecution and interbreeding with coyotes. They currently exist in a reintroduced population in North Carolina.

NEXT MAMMAL: Ring-Tailed Lemur »

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
USFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Human persecution and habitat loss
Habitat: Mountains, lowland forests and wetlands
Location: Southeastern United States
Diet: Deer, rabbits, mice, raccoons and other mammals

Developed in partnership with

(R) WWF Registered
Trademark. Panda Symbol (C) 1986 WWF

Pictures: iStockphotos |

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS

HowStuffWorks | TreeHugger | Petfinder | PetVideo | Discovery Education

Visit the Discovery Store: Toys & Games | Telescopes | DVD Sets | Planet Earth DVD | Gift Ideas

By visiting this site, you agree to the terms and conditions
of our Visitor Agreement. Please read. Privacy Policy.
ATTENTION! We recently updated our privacy policy. The changes are effective as of September 10, 2008.
To see the new policy, click here. Questions? See the policy for the contact information.

Copyright © 2012 Discovery Communications, LLC.

The leading global real-world media and entertainment company.