Karen Chavez
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are requesting assistance with an investigation involving the suspected poaching of a radio-collared red wolf that was found dead Sept. 30, east of Columbia, in Tyrrell County, N.C. A $2,500 reward is being offered.
The federally protected red wolf was found with an apparent gunshot wound. Based on body condition and field sign, the actual date of death is estimated to be Sept. 26.
This is the third red wolf death of 2014 resulting from a suspected gunshot. The previous two suspected gunshot deaths occurred in January and March.
A total of 10 wild red wolves were known to have died in 2014, including two struck and killed by vehicles, one died incidental to otherwise legal activities, one due to health reasons, three were confirmed or suspected gunshot deaths, and the causes of three incidents are currently unknown. Two of these cases are currently pending necropsies. The remaining wolf death for 2014 is undetermined.
N.C. Wildlife spokesman Geoff Cantrell said there are only about 100 red wolves in the wild, and all are exclusively found in five eastern counties – Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Tyrrell and Washington.
Additionally, there are nearly 200 red wolves in the Species Survival Plan managed breeding program in sites across the United States, including the WNC Nature Center in East Asheville.
The red wolf in North Carolina is protected under the Endangered Species Act as an experimental, non-essential population. This means that relaxed regulations allow landowners to kill a red wolf if it attacks their livestock or pets. Also, a red wolf that is taken incidentally to any type of legal activity (such as trapping coyotes following state regulations) on private lands in the red wolf recovery area does not constitute a violation of the federal regulation, provided that the taking is not intentional or willful, and is reported to the Service or the Commission within 24 hours.
The red wolf is one of the world’s most endangered wild canids. Once seen widely roaming the southeastern United States, red wolf populations have been decimated due to intensive predator control programs, hybridization with coyotes and loss of habitat. A remnant population of red wolves was found along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana and placed in a a restoration program on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern North Carolina in the 1970s.
If someone accidentally kills a red wolf, they must report it by calling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service toll-free at 855-4-WOLVES (855-496-5837) or the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission at 800-662-7137.
Anyone with information that directly leads to an arrest, a criminal conviction, a civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property on the subject or subjects responsible for the suspected illegal take of a red wolf may be eligible for a reward. The Service is offering a reward of $2,500 for information that leads to the successful prosecution in this case.
Anyone with information on the death of this red wolf or any others, past or future, is urged to contact Resident Agent in Charge John Elofson at 404-763-7959, Refuge Officer Frank Simms at 252-216-7504, or N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Officer Robert Wayne at 252-216-8225.
For up-to-date red wolf mortality information, visitwww.fws.gov/redwolf/Images/MortalityTable.pdf.