Red wolves in Louisiana.

A video of two red wolves taken in Louisiana in 2009. The species is officially extinct everywhere in the South except North Carolina and one small offshore island in Florida.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWh1iAciHbA

The way they behave makes me think that a private reintroduction could have taken place.

13 Comments

  • Bob Berghaier

    Hi Jon. My friend Frank Vincenti of the Wild Dog Foundation, a small canid interest group, looked at the video. Frank is very familiar with North American canids and thinks the videos shows two wolf hybrids. He also suspects that the video was staged.

  • vdinets

    That’s entirely possible, of course. Identifying C. lupus-related canids is never 100% certain without a DNA test. They do look a bit too fluffy for C. rufus, especially for the southern subspecies. I was just interested to hear what people here would have to say.

  • mattinidaho

    Only somewhat related: I’ve seen some interesting genetic studies on the coyotes of Pennsylvania. They have colonized the state from 2 different pathways (north and west). Basically, as you go farther west, the coyotes have progressively more coyote genetics. In the eastern part of the state, the coyotes are 50/50 coyote & wolf.

  • Steve Parker

    If anyone knows who shot the footage, I’d really like to speak to them. I showed it to Dave Mech, Jim Shaw and other guys involved in the red wolf recovery program in the early 70’s and they all think that the animals in the video look like the animals they found in SE TX and SW LA in the early 70’s… Those animals became the founders of the captive breeding program. We’d really like to look at the animals over there to see if there might be a pocket of wolves. Any help finding the videographer would be greatly appreciated.

    • vdinets

      I don’t know, but I’ll ask in LA Naturalists group on Facebook – that’s where the link is from.

    • vdinets

      So far the only bit of info (provided by Blaise Pezold) is that the video is from Florida Parishes, probably from Washington/Tangipahoa/northern St. Tammany. I’ve been spotlighting in a wrong part of the state for the whole year!

      • Tina Pounds

        I found these posts tonight 11/28/13. I was researching wolves vs coyotes in Loranger LA. we have had a problem with coyotes this year. They have always been around but the are coming as close as the tractor barn out back and even the front yard. I am cautious because I have two mares in foal. A few days ago I saw a scrawny darker colored coyote but wonder if it was a coyote or something else. NOT A DOG. last year I found a beautiful large healthy looking coyote off the highway by the river dead. The past few nights we have had a white wolf? Coyote? Hanging around the back..suggestions thoughts.. how do i protect the horses and see exactly what I am dealing with. I have a ugly donkey now in an attempt to help. I am a lousy shot and don’t want to shoot the cattle in the back or the horses.

        • vdinets

          Can’t you just lock the horses inside the barn at night? Or is it of an open kind?
          You could hang an automatic camera outside to get some photos… These cameras have declined in price a lot. A white animal sounds more like a feral dog or a mix.

  • Blaisep

    Hi Guys,
    I have a map of where I think they might be. I based it on where the highway runs and what pockets of Long Leaf Pine and Bottom Land Hardwood are present. I am unable to upload it to this forum. If Y’all are interested in looking for them, to get a scat sample. I know people in the area. I love Red Wolves and would be very interested in helping collect samples.

  • Steve Parker

    Vidnets,

    Sorry I just saw your reply from July 2013. If you get this message, could you please email me at steve@steveparkerlaw.com or call my office at 281 334-1140 so we can communicate directly? Thanks. Steve

  • Dyrne

    This young lady near Lettsworth, Louisiana talks/complains pretty casually about wolves in her rabbit dog training video at 13:40 of:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otLhYju-5mY

  • Nicole

    I believe I saw a red wolf crossing highway 3 south of Plain Dealing in Louisiana . it was coming out of the area that is being cleared out for the new saw mill. Also in the same are there was a dead hog on the side of the road and 2 days later it was drug to the opposite side which could have only been done by something big

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