news-record.com

Conflicts over red wolves in northeastern North Carolina aren’t as simple as some people make them out to be.

“We hope the investigation yields results and that the message is crystal clear,” Tim Gestwicki of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation said Monday: “Killing red wolves in North Carolina will not be tolerated.”

The investigation concerns the shooting deaths of two red wolves in Hyde County. They were part of a population of about 120 red wolves living on the 1.7 million-acre Albemarle peninsula.

The species was nearly extinct in the wild 23 years ago when 14 red wolves were reintroduced in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Their numbers have increased, with occasional additions from captive populations. But survival is tough, particularly with a toll of six to eight animals taken by humans each year.

Killing red wolves, an endangered species, can bring large fines and even prison time. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation has contributed to a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the latest killings.

Proving intent could be tricky, however, because of the growing numbers of a similar animal that’s considered a nuisance: coyotes. They can be difficult to distinguish from red wolves; worse, the two sometimes interbreed. Is it illegal to kill a coyote-red wolf mix?

Red wolves should be protected, but that may require separating them from coyotes — no easy task.

The best hope may be promoting the red wolves as an attraction for tourists interested in wildlife. The Red Wolf Coalition offers weekly “howling safaris,” The Charlotte Observer reports, and is raising money to build a viewing center. A little money could help simplify some of the red wolf problems.