How long has the wolf?

The dire wolf evolved more rapidly and coexisted with the gray wolf, but the species is now extinct. The gray wolf became the predominant canine predator in North America some 7,000 years ago. While humans present a threat to gray wolf habitats, the species is considered a species of least concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. read more

The gray wolf is the ancestor of the domestic dog. It is also closely related to the eastern wolf, the red wolf, the coyote and the golden jackal and can produce fertile hybrids with any of these species. Gray wolves have the widest range of any canid species and are the only canids found in both the Old and New Worlds. read more

Sadly, the red wolf was declared extinct in the wild by 1980, with only a few red wolves in captivity. The Endangered Wolf Center received its first pair of red wolves in 1981. It was the first facility to breed both endangered red and Mexican gray wolves in captivity. read more