Red Wolf’s Critical Endangerment
Introduction
According to various studies, the red wolf is one of the most endangered species in the world. The animal species are listed as endangered in the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). The species was once common in the northeastern Carolina and the central United States. However, the species is designated as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Hinton defines “critically endangered (CR) species” as that which is facing an extremely high probability of extinction. The purpose of this report is to examine the problem of critically endangered species of the red wolf. The report includes a brief history, discussion of the causes, and effects of the problem.
History
The tracing of red wolves began about 100 years ago when their population was large. The red wolves were common in the New England, Florida, and the Central U.S. When the scientists discovered the presence of a critical problem with the red wolves, they were almost extinct (Waples et al., 590). However, although the actual number of red wolves in the early centuries remains unknown, it is estimated that they began to reduce when the Europeans started to settle from Texas East. Research indicates that North Carolina’s courts would pay huge sums of money for the red wolves in the 1700s and by 1970, the species was almost declared extinct (Hinton et al., 180). By this time, only a hundred red wolves were left in Texas. The white settlers were the biggest threat to the red wolves in the 1600s to 1960s. Despite the little threat posed by this species to the livestock and people, the Europeans poisoned, tortured, and shot them with the religious mind to cleanse the land of fur and fang. Records indicated that only 14 red wolves had remained in the world in 2019.
Causes of the Red Wolf Extinction
The problem of red wolf extinction has been associated with various factors. Firstly, human activities have been the most threatening factors in these species. According to Waples, et al., (591), the Europeans from Texas East started settling in the areas where red wolves were highly populated. While the animals were considered as a threat to human lives and their livestock, the habitats advocated for their hunting and trapping to eliminate them. This included poisoning and shooting them. The clearing of forests for human habitation and agricultural purposes also interfered with the lives of the red wolves such that they could not reproduce due to the insecurity imposed on them. As a result, the red wolves would concentrate on any available thick forest. Consequently, such a concentration posed as a win for the human attackers as they could easily kill large numbers of wolves in a short duration. Hybridization is another cause for the red wolf extinction. Captive-breeding programs have been established such as in the Wolf Conservation Center in New York, where the red wolves have been interbred with coyotes and other species (Fredrickson, 309). This has led to the extinction of the red wolf because such interbreeding cuts off the generation of the actual ancestors. The mismanagement of the wildlife conservation centers has also contributed to the extinction of these wolves. Such may involve the illegal killing of the animals and ignorance to administer veterinary services to them that triggers mortality. Mismanagement also involves improper feeding which leaves the animals weak and unhealthy and eventually dies.
Effects of the Red Wolf Extinction
The central U.S. and North Carolina upholds tourism as a valuable source of income and hence the extinction of red wolves pose a major economic concern to these regions. Red wolves have both intrinsic and aesthetic value which affords them the contribution to the biodiversity of the ecosystem. For instance, red wolves are naturally beautiful which attracts more tourists. As travelers tour orphanages that preserve this animal, they earn the countries’ significant incomes. In this regard, the extinction of red wolves imposes a significant negative impact on the host country’s economy. Red wolves are known to be effective predators and hence play the role of maintaining a healthy ecosystem. By preying on other animal species, they promote a balanced population. They prey on rodents which when left to multiply to large numbers overfeed on the plants and make the land bare. As a result, the songbirds disappear from the deserted places and this affects adversely the hydrological pattern of such areas (Hinton et al., 178). Additionally, the extinction of red wolves has led to the invasion of coyotes into the habitats they formerly occupied (Arbogast et al., 285). Consequently, the population of other animal species like white-tailed deer has heightened following the lack of predators. Such deers have caused the rise of car accidents as they incautiously cross the roads.
Conclusion
Generally, the red wolves used to be valuable animal species in the world in the early centuries. However, increased human activity such as deforestation has initiated a possibility of their extinction. As a result, their role in enhancing the ecosystem balance has been interfered with. In this regard, viable solutions are vital to avoid causing the end of the existence of the red wolves. The wolf recovery programs should be implemented to ensure that the available species are preserved and allowed to reproduce.