RALEIGH, N.C. — Five extremely endangered red wolf pups died in eastern North Carolina, one of their remaining wild locations.
The brood was born this spring to 2413F and 2444M, according to the USFWS. In early June, a vehicle killed the father wolf on U.S. 64 shortly after their birth.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: “Pup survival is always a concern after the mortality of one of the breeding pair, particularly red wolves with their first litter, such as was the case with this pair.
Red wolves mate for life and raise offspring with both parents, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. After her mate died, Chance, the 2-year-old mother wolf, was at a disadvantage in this litter.
“Chance was likely unable to feed and care for her pups alone as a first-time, single mother,” the center said.
The organization reported that vehicles had killed six red wolves in the last 14 months, making it the primary cause of death for the endangered animal. US 64 crosses across the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, the species’ last refuge, and killed most of them.
The Center for Biological Diversity’s senior scientist Will Harlan said in a release that wildlife crossings in red wolf area could have prevented the heartbreaking death of these five pups.
A single vehicle incident has ripple consequences on the highly endangered wild red wolf population, which is frightening. Wildlife bridges can rescue red wolves and people, but we must establish them now.”
The Center said that they and their partners are in charge of an effort to build overpasses for wildlife on U.S. 64.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are only 16 known or tagged red wolves left in the wild. By September 2024, they think there will be 17 to 19 left in total. The Red Wolf SAFE program has 290 animals, some of which are in the Triangle. It raises them in captivity.