Which wolf species is considered the most endangered?

The red wolf is considered the most endangered wolf species. Its scientific name is Canis rufus, and it is native to the southeastern and south-central United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service describes it as the world’s most endangered wolf, while the IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered.

Red wolves once occupied a broad range stretching from Texas and Oklahoma to the Atlantic coast. Predator-control programs, habitat destruction, persecution, and interbreeding with coyotes reduced the species to a tiny remnant population. In 1980, it was declared extinct in the wild, but captive breeding allowed conservationists to begin reintroductions in North Carolina in 1987.

The red wolf is often confused with the gray wolf, coyote, or hybrid “coywolf” because of its intermediate appearance and disputed taxonomic history. Regardless of those debates, recognized red wolves face an extraordinarily high risk of extinction. Their recovery remains difficult because the wild population is small, habitat is fragmented, and accidental shootings, vehicle collisions, and coyote hybridization can remove breeding animals.