Facts About Red Wolf

Red Wolf, scientifically called Canis rufus, is the species of wolf that is widely found in United States, Florida and Texas. The present red wolf shares many similarities with the Eastern Wolf, Coyote and the Gray Wolf. It is slighter smaller than the gray wolf and has an elongated head and a more slender build. The species is listed in the endangered group as its number has declined drastically, owing to the hunting and clearing of the forest. It is a typical carnivore and inhabits the forests, bush lands and swamps. Red wolf is also known to be the most cunning of all the animals. Read on to know some more interesting facts and amazing information on red wolves.

Facts About Red Wolf

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Genus: Canis

Species: C. rufus

Binomial Name: Canis rufus

Length: 4 feet long from its nose to the tip of its tail

Weight: 50-80 pounds

Height: About 26 inches

Life Span: 6-8 years in the wild; about 15 years in captivity

Diet: Carnivores

Range: America, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida

Habitat: Forests, wetlands, swamps and bush lands

Call: Howling and growling

Age of Sexual Maturity: 22 months; some specimens reach sexual maturity as early as10 months

Mating Season: February and March

Gestation Period: 61-63 days

Number of Offspring: 1-10 per litter

Interesting & Amazing Information On Red Wolves

Since red wolf is a close relative to other wolf families, it bears several characteristics that are similar to them.
The wolf has a short coat that bears reddish brown fur, from which it got its name - red wolf.
Unlike the coat covering its body, the part of the coat lying on the chest of a red wolf is cream in color. The fur present in this region is comparatively thicker and serves to prevent the loss of heat in the chilly winters.
Like all other wolves, the red wolf has bushy tail that is distinctively black in color.
It represents a crepuscular species, which is more active at dawn and dusk.
The red wolf has an inbuilt resistance to heartworm infestations, which is much higher than most other canids.
The wolf is a carnivorous animal that finds its food in small animals like rabbits and birds. However, if these wolves assemble and form a pack, they can even hunt a big deer.
Red wolf hunts during the day and rests in the night.
The wolf usually lives in a pack of 5 to 8 individuals, which consist of an adult breeding pair and their offspring of different ages.
Red wolves communicate with other wolves by howling and growling. They can also communicate by reading each other’s expressions.
After the reproduction, female red wolves are seen building up several dens. They keep shifting their pups from one to den to another.
Generally, red wolf makes its den amongst dense vegetations. It also finds a den in the hollows of large trees, deep burrows between fields and canal banks.
The pups of a red wolf disperse and start hunting on their own once they are about 2 years old.
Red wolf marks its territory and aggressively reacts if a wolf from any other pack intrudes into the same. It has a strong sense of scent and thus, can establish its territory perfectly.

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