The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) is the rarest wolf and is one of the most endangered animals in the world. It once roamed throughout Southeastern United States. Aggressive predator control programs, hunting and agriculturalization have combined to bring the red wolf near to extinction, because it was thought to be a threat to livestock. http://www. ... Qutaibi (Arabic: []) or the Qutaibi Sheikhdom (Arabic: مشيخة القطيبي []) was a polity in the western Aden Protectorate. ... Marvel Comics (Stan Lee is behind many of the superheros) is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... Red Wolf is the name of a number of fictional charcters in the Marvel Universe. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3000x2004, 935 KB) Description: Red wolf Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Date: February 12, 2002 Photographer: Curtis Carley File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Wolf... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... . ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Animalia redirects here. ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses Subclass Allotheria* Order Docodonta (extinct) Order Multituberculata (extinct) Order Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Order Triconodonta (extinct) Order Volaticotheria (extinct) Subclass Prototheria Order Monotremata Subclass Theria Infraclass Trituberculata (extinct) Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in females for the nourishment... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or IPA: ; from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Cynotherium † Dusicyon † Dasycyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Wikispecies has information related to: Canidae Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ... Species Canis adustus Canis aureus Canis dirus (extinct) Canis latrans Canis lupus Canis mesomelas Canis simensis   † also includes dogs. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... John James Audubon John James Audubon[1] (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a Franco-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. ... Rev. ...

It is thought that its original distribution included much of eastern North America, where Red Wolves were found from Pennsylvania in the east, Florida in the south, and Texas in the west. On the basis of further study, its historic range is now thought to have extended further north into the northeastern USA and extreme eastern Canada. Only about 270 wolves remain^{[citation needed]}. For decades, the Red Wolf has been indistinguishable genetically from either the Gray Wolf or the Coyote.^{[ 2 ]} The Red Wolf breeds with both species and may again be in peril as contact with other species in the wild resumes.^{[ 5 ]} World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Official language(s) English, Pennsylvania Dutch Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ...

Traditionally, three subspecies of Red Wolf are recognized. Two of these subspecies are extinct. Canis rufus floridanus has been extinct since 1930 and Canis rufus gregoryi was declared extinct in the wild by 1970. Canis rufus rufus, the other surviving subspecies, was extirpated in 1980, although that status was changed to "critical" when 100 wolves were reintroduced in North Carolina. In zoology, as in other branches of biology, subspecies is the rank immediately subordinate to a species. ... Extirpation is the localized extinction of a species. ...

In 1987 approximately 100 were reintroduced into the wild as the first island propagation project in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge off the coast of North Carolina. In 1989 the second island propagation project initiated with release of a population on Horn Island of the Mississippi coast. This population was moved in 1998 because of a likelihood of encounters with humans. The third island propagation project introduced a population on St. Vincent Island, Florida offshore between Cape San Blas and Apalachicola, Florida in 1990 and in 1997 the fourth island propagation program introduced a population to Cape St. George Island, Florida south of Apalachicola, Florida. There are 170 in captivity. Historical habitats included forests, swamps and coastal prairies, where it was an apex predator. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Horn Island is a long, thin barrier island off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, near Pascagoula. ... St. ... Cape Can Blas, Florida. ... The mouth of the Apalachicola River, looking towards the Bay. ... Cape St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Coastal prairie may refer to either: The California coastal prairie, a plant community found along the coasts of California and Oregon The Western Gulf coastal grasslands of Louisiana, Texas, and Tamaulipas This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Anatomy

The Red Wolf is a medium-sized canid, smaller and more slender than the Grey Wolf but larger than the Coyote. Adult males weigh between 25 - 35 kilograms (60 - 80 lbs) and have a very large head, while females are generally two-thirds this range. Their coats may take a variety of colors: black, brown and grey through cinnamon and yellow. The reddish coats for which they are named was typical of some Texan populations. In the wild average life spans are estimated as low as four years; in captivity this rises as high as fourteen years. Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Dusicyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ...

Habits and social structure

Red Wolves are shy and wary creatures. They prefer to hunt alone or in small family groups; pack sizes are smaller than those of their grey cousins, consisting often of one adult pair and their offspring.

As in other canids pair-bonding is strong and Red Wolves mate for life. They mate yearly and two or three pups are usually born in the spring. Both parents help raise the offspring who are mature enough to leave behind parental support at six months of age.

Their diet consists of small animals, including rabbits, raccoons and rodents. They occasionally bring down deer with the help of other wolves and they supplement their diet with insects and berries. Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. ... Type species Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 Species Procyon cancrivorus Procyon insularis Procyon lotor A raccoon (also spelled racoon) is a nocturnal mammal in the genus Procyon of the Procyonidae family. ... Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents. ... “Fawn” redirects here. ...

Taxonomy

The taxonomic status of the Red Wolf has long been controversial: the original view, based on morphologic research by Nowak^{[ 6 ]} is that the red wolf is a distinct species. More recent genetic research^{[ 2 ]} and cross-breeding potential^{[ 3 ]} indicates that the Red Wolf is simply a recent hybrid between the Grey Wolf and the Coyote. Genetic comparison is considered by modern biologists to be superior to morphological comparison. In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... “Gray Wolves” redirects here. ... Binomial name Canis latrans Say, 1823 Coyote range The coyte (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog) also prairie wolf [2]) is a member of the Canidae (dog) family and a close relative of the Gray Wolf. ...

On the whole, genetic evidence does not support the view that there has been a distinct Red Wolf population^{[citation needed]}, but much confusion and not a little controversy remains. There seems little doubt that there has been considerable hybridisation between Red Wolves, Grey Wolves and Coyotes, and that in recent years the Red Wolf has declined and been replaced over most of its range by Coyotes. The Red Wolf and the Coyote have not reached a sufficient state of reproductive isolation to be considered biological species - that is, each one forms a distinct evolutionary lineage. Over time the Red Wolf lineage would probably be absorbed back into those of the other two species, as it still can hybridize with both. An important concept in evolutionary biology, reproductive isolation is a category of mechanisms that prevent two or more populations from exchanging genes. ...

In 1999, Brad White of McMaster University and Paul Wilson of Trent University found evidence suggesting that the wolves of south-eastern Canada (previously assumed to be Grey Wolves) were in fact Red Wolves, a view which has since found support in fossil, genetic and morphological evidence. The Eastern Canadian Wolf, as this population has been named, ranges from Minnesota to Quebec. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... McMaster University is a medium-sized research-intensive university located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with an enrollment of 18,238 full-time and 3,836 part-time students (as of 2006). ... Trent University is a liberal arts oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. ... The Eastern Canadian Wolf, Canis lycaon, is a newly recognized wolf species identified as early as 1970, but was not genetically confirmed until 1999. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ...

A red wolf

The taxonomic debate is not simply a matter of accurate classification. Although the actual patterns of evolution are complex and subtle, human classification schemes usually rely on relatively simple, hard-edged divisions, such as the concept of species. It remains a crucial concept, as many environmental policy decisions revolve around the species concept and the result of this debate determines the expenditure of money by the EPA to preserve this potential species, thus removing that money from the efforts to preserve other endangered animals. In law, a distinct "species" is much better protected than a "subspecies". The Grey Wolf-Red Wolf-Coyote dilemma is a striking example of the influence of political rhetoric and fiduciary decisions on the outcomes of scientific research and evaluation. According to http://www. ... According to http://www. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... In zoology, as in other branches of biology, subspecies is the rank immediately subordinate to a species. ...

References

1. Kelly et al (2004). Canis rufus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 05 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is critically endangered
2. ^  Roy, M.S., Geffen, E., Smith, D., Ostrander, E.A. & Wayne, R.K. (1994). "Patterns of differentiation and hybridization in North American wolflike canids, revealed by analysis of microsatellite loci.". Molecular Biology and Evolution 11 : 553–570.
3. ^  Roy, M.S., Girman, D.G., Taylor, A.C. & Wayne, R.K. (1994). "The use of museum specimens to reconstruct the genetic variability and relationships of extinct populations.". Experientia 50 : 551-557.
4. ^  Wayne, R.K. & Jenks, S.M. (1991). "Mitochondrial DNA analysis implying extensive hybridization of the endangered red wolf Canis rufus". Nature 351 : 565-568.
5. ^  Wayne, R.K., Lehman, N., Allard, M.W. & Honeycutt, R.L. (1992). "Mitochondrial DNA variability of the grey wolf - genetic consequences of population decline and habitat fragmentation". Conservation Biology 6 : 559-569.
6. ^  R. Nowak, R.M. (1992). "The red wolf is not a hybrid.". Conservation Biology 6 : 593-595.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... GFDL Wikispecies logo File links The following pages link to this file: Solanaceae Species Asterias Homo (genus) Human Wikipedia:Template messages/Links Wikipedia:Template messages/All Homo floresiensis User talk:Tuneguru Template:Wikispecies Categories: GFDL images ... Wikispecies is a sister project supported by the Wikimedia Foundation that anybody can edit with a great potential use to students and researchers. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

External links

• Summary of Red Wolf Genetic Analysis
• ARKive - images and movies of the Red wolf (Canis rufus)
• Red Wolf Species Overview at Enature.com
• The Wolves of Algonquin Provincial Park ? A Report by the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group (PDF)
• Wolf added to Species at Risk list: Ontario must act
• Click for Wolves Wolf News and Resources
• The Red Wolf Coalition
• WolfSource
• Field Trip Earth