An endangered red wolf was killed by vehicle strike along Highway 264 in December, marking the third red wolf in six months to die from a vehicle collision.
The unnamed female pup, wearing radio collar 2501F, was an eight-month-old juvenile from the Milltail pack and daughter of Hope and Airplane Ears.
Three months earlier, 2501F’s father was also killed by vehicle collision near Highway 64 in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. A third red wolf was killed this summer in a vehicle collision.
Vehicle strikes are the leading cause of mortality for red wolves since 2020. (Gunshot is still the leading cause of death.) Fewer than 25 red wolves now remain in the wild.
The loss of Airplane Ears to vehicle strike may have contributed to the death of 2501F. After Airplane Ears was killed in September, many of his pups have been observed wandering closer to roads.
Wildlife crossings in the red wolves’ last refuges are urgently needed to prevent even more red wolf deaths from vehicle strikes. The new Red Wolf Recovery Plan will bring between 180 – 280 red wolves to Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the coming years, which will significantly increase the likelihood of more vehicle strike deaths.
Wildlife crossings will benefit other species at the Alligator River and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges, including river otters, bobcats, and black bears that often cross major roads.
Wildlife crossings also protect human lives. Wildlife collisions claim the lives of hundreds of people each year, and they cause billions of dollars in damages. Wildlife crossings would safeguard the health of critically endangered red wolves and an increasing number of motorists traveling to and from the Outer Banks.
Reduced speed limits, road signage, and other safety measures will also protect red wolves. Reducing speed limits on Highway 64 and Highway 264 through the refuge will have a negligible effect on commute times while protecting endangered wolves and motorists.
Significant new federal funding is now available for wildlife crossings, and wildlife crossings in the red wolf refuges should be a national priority. With fewer than 25 red wolves in the wild, wildlife crossings are urgently needed in the red wolves’ refuges.
TAKE ACTION: Click here to send a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and North Carolina Department of Transportation supporting wildlife crossings in red wolf territory.
