To the Editor:

The red wolf, which once ranged from Pennsylvania to Texas, is now battling extinction in the wild for a second time. Less than 30 individuals remain, found only in eastern North Carolina.

Like its gray wolf cousin, the red wolf faced mass extermination for hundreds of years thanks to human development and widespread misconceptions. 

By the time they were brought into captivity, only a handful of survivors remained. To restore the species to its rightful place, a small population was released within the North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in 1987. The population increased in size for decades, peaking at around 150 animals.

However, over the past few years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, facing political pressure, has lost sight of its mission and turned its back on the red wolf. By eliminating the strategies that allowed them to grow the population, the red wolf population has plummeted. Recently, the agency proposed throwing in the towel and sending most of the last wolves off to zoos. 

North Carolinians should be outraged. The red wolf is part of our state’s natural legacy and deserves one last place in the wild, where it can hunt and howl as it has for thousands of years. 

If you care about North Carolina’s wildlife and heritage, please do your part to reverse the decline of this species. Call or email USFWS Acting Regional Director, Michael Oetker and urge him to recommit to red wolf recovery. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 404.679.4000

Christopher Lile

Waynesville