We previously discussed the shameful loss of the famed Denali wolf pack to hunting and development. Now North Carolina is on the brink of losing the last of its wild population of endangered red wolves. These beautiful and iconic animals have been reduced to just a few dozen due to the failure of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials (and state officials) to take necessary action to protect them.
The last red wolves will likely disappear this decade. Only about 40 wolves remain in the wild in eastern North Carolina. That is an 80 wolf decline from a decade ago.
While the government spends about $1 million to protect the wolves, it is being sued for its failure to continue key programs to protect the population, including better enforcement and dealing with competing populations of coyotes.
The leading cause of death is hunters with more than 80 dying from gunshot wounds over the last 25 years.
We will waste billions in placed like Afghanistan or Iraq without a blink but we will not spend a few millions to preserve one of our greatest treasures from our forests. The loss of these magnificent animals in the wild is an indictment of both federal and state officials in North Carolina.