Ask a Keeper: Where Are the Red Wolves Hiding?

By American Trail keepers Sarah Snider-Keys and Ashley Graham

The next time you find yourself strolling through American Trail, discovering some of the animal species native to North America, look up into the shady hillside near the seal pool. If you look closely, you might see a pair of amber-colored eyes staring back at you...or you might not!

Our pair of red wolves, Kiawah and Redford, are experts at staying out of sight. Due to their hunter’s instincts, camouflage coats, and the tree cover inside the exhibit, it can be a real challenge for guests to spot them inside their zoo habitat.

To help make the most of your next visit to the American Trail, here are some tips to help you find the wolves as they hide out in their habitat. 

Red wolves have a reddish-gray coat of fur that allows them to easily blend in among fallen leaves in the forests where they are naturally found. This makes them excellent hunters—in the wild, they can easily sneak up on deer, opossums, raccoons, and other prey animals.

At the Zoo, it might take several minutes for visitors to locate them in their habitat, especially if the wolves are laying down. They wouldn’t be good hunters if they didn’t have the ability to stay out of sight! As they observe their environment, you might catch one of their heads emerging from the dug-in dens on the hillside. Make sure you check each one.

The natural features of the exhibit offer plenty of places for the wolves to hide. Here are some helpful tips for locating them: 

1. Check their favorite hangout spots. If you’re standing on the main pathway of the American Trail and looking up into the exhibit, you might be able to spot Kiawah napping in front of the den on the right side of the habitat yard. If you’re trying to find Redford, look up the hill and close to the fence line. He likes to lay in front of the middle den near the fence.
2. If you’re not seeing the wolves from where you’re standing, try looking from another angle. You might have better luck if you’re checking from a different direction.
3. Be quiet. Red wolves are shy, and their instincts tell them to hide when they hear a lot of noise.
4. Ask a keeper! Our staff are very knowledgeable about each animal’s behavior and might point you to an unexpected place. 

Both red wolves sport the trademark reddish-brown fur coloration that makes their species unique, so you’ll have to use your ‘I-spy’ skills to pick out the differences between the two.

Here’s an easy tip: Kiawah is larger than Redford. She has a lighter coat coloration. Redford is slightly smaller, with a darker coat and a narrow head. If you’re able to see the two up close, you’ll notice Kiawah has a broader head than her pack mate. 

• Both wolves share a birthday! Kiawah was born May 2, 2012, and Redford was born May 2, 2015.
• They howl with each other. They’ll often start howling around 6:30 in the morning, and then they might howl again around lunch time or in the late afternoon.
• Just like domestic dogs, they like to hide their bones to save for later. Keepers often discover bones and other diet items tucked away under leaf piles, logs, or buried in holes in the ground.
• They’re one of the most endangered animals on Earth. Only about two dozen red wolves are left in the wild, and a few hundred remain in human care at zoos and wildlife protection centers. 

Historically, red wolves thrived across the southern United States and were found from Pennsylvania to Texas. However, human-wildlife conflict has decimated their numbers. Now, the only place red wolves exist in the wild is a small peninsula in the eastern part of North Carolina.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute works together with other wildlife facilities to study and protect red wolves. Our researchers and animal care specialists are engaged in efforts to help increase the captive population of this critically endangered species, with the goal of seeing these incredible animals thrive in the wild once again.

Part of the Smithsonian’s conservation efforts include connecting animals like the red wolves with millions of guests each year. Discover how you can help save species. Plan your visit today.