Nearly extinct only a few decades ago, the red wolf has begun to recover with the help of reintroduction and zoo breeding programs. Originally, the red wolf roamed the southeast U.S., as far north as Pennsylvania and as far west as central Texas. Now, the reintroduced wolf populations are confined to highly protected areas in North Carolina and coastal islands off Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

However, the red wolf is still endangered at this time. Learn how you can support the red wolf by making a donation through Friends of the National Zoo's ADOPT A SPECIES program! A special $50 Valentine's package to adopt the red wolf is being offered for February.