Red Wolves return to Northeast Arkansas
by Dr. Richard Grippo

            What's in a name?  In March, 2008, Arkansas State University changed the nickname and mascot of the school’s athletic teams from the Indians to the Red Wolves. Some ASU fans were understandably upset, as the Indians have been part of the school’s identity for over 75 years. It is evident from many of the comments sent in by readers of Jonesboro’s daily newspaper, The Jonesboro Sun, and other forums for discussion of the mascot change, that most people know very little about the Red Wolf and why it may be an ideal nickname to usher in a new era in Arkansas State athletics.

The red wolf (Canis rufus) is a member of the family Canidae, which includes wolves, coyotes, jackals, and the domestic dog. It was thought to have evolved in North America approximately three million years ago. It is an important top carnivore that inhabited the woodlands, wetlands, and scrublands of the eastern and southeastern U.S. from Pennsylvania to the Florida Everglades and from North Carolina to Texas. 

The red wolf is smaller than the northern gray wolf, following the normal trend of species from the north being larger than their brethren in the south. They stand about two feet tall at the shoulder and weigh approximately 65-85 pounds. 

Like all wild canids, the red wolf has relatively long legs and a streamlined, muscular build, enabling it to pursue fast-running prey at high speed for extend periods of time. Red wolves may hunt alone for small mammals such as rabbits, raccoon, or nutria, but when tackling larger animals such as deer, they will usually form small packs. 

The size of the pack can range from five to eleven, depending on the local population density of wolves. An established chain of command is formed within the pack to help it function as a cohesive unit. As the wolves chase down their food, they will take turns at the front of the pack, working in unison to tire out and finally overcome their prey.

Pair-bonding is strong in red wolves and they usually mate for life. One to three pups are born yearly in the spring time. The parents work together to help to raise the pups, who strike out on their own at about six months of age. Red wolves use scent markings, facial expressions, and vocalizations to communicate with each other. As with all canids, howling is the mode of communication used over long distances. One can only imagine what it would have been like to hear the howling of red wolves on Crowley’s Ridge as they called to other wolves located in the bottomlands of the Arkansas Delta.

Habitat destruction, predator eradication programs, and interbreeding with the coyotes that began to occupy territory formerly controlled by wolves pushed this magnificent animal to the brink of extinction. At one point, the total wild population was down to fewer than 100 animals. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stepped in and captured most of the remaining wild red wolves and began the slow process of rebuilding the population through a captive propagation program. Initially, this captive breeding program was located only in Tacoma, Washington, but today 38 facilities, many of them located in the southeast, have built the population back up to more than 300 animals.  

This success has led to the reintroduction of red wolves back into the wild in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina, along with reintroduction into several other national wildlife refuges. The number of wolves in the wild is now more than 100 animals, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a long-range management plan in place to ensure the future protection of this endangered species.

The red wolf is an animal that uses teamwork, speed, endurance, cunning, and controlled aggression to work towards the common goal of overcoming swift and athletic prey. Red wolves do not want to become the losers in encounters with prey. This would appear to be exactly what an athletic team strives to achieve. One would be hard put to find a more fitting nickname for Arkansas State University’s athletic teams than the Red Wolves.

Red wolves are making a comeback and are in a stadium near you! 

Photos by Barron Crawford (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

[Click here for information on the roll-out of ASU's Red Wolves mascot]