You wouldn't know it today, but wolves in Arkansas used to be more than a college mascot. The state was once part of a territory for red wolves that stretched across the entire southeastern part of the United States. Now the animals are nearly extinct. There are around 20 left in the wild (in North Carolina).
There might be future plans to re-introduce red wolves at different locations across the southeast. And Arkansas might just get a chance.
The red wolf is no illegal immigrant. He's a native by birth. And he doesn't even like to travel to other countries.
But red wolves are the most endangered canid in the entire world. And if we're smart, we can save this American icon.
There's a specialist at Arkansas State University--Dr. Thomas Risch--and he's the vice provost for research and technology transfer and executive director of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute. If you want to know about red wolves, Dr. Risch is your guy. He's passionate about the animals and is working to help ensure they don't go extinct.
Dr. Risch said there's no concrete plans for re-introducing red wolves in Arkansas at the moment. Scientists have restarted populations in North Carolina in the last couple months. And there are conversations at the national level with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about other restoration possibilities in a range from southern New York through northern Florida to Texas.
There's also talk of establishing a red wolf breeding and research facility in Arkansas. "It's something we'd like to get done," Dr. Risch says, "but we have no concrete plans as of today."
Students at Arkansas State are involved in the process. There's a group called Red Wolves for Red Wolves. Dr. Risch said the group has done some fundraising and even visited local schools to discuss the wolf.
But the most interesting project Dr. Risch told us about is under the leadership of Dr. Kyle Gustafson. He got funding to look at coyote genetics in Arkansas. Why? Because before red wolves went extinct in this state, they bred with coyotes. Dr. Gustafson is looking to see how much red wolf DNA remains in coyotes across the Natural State.
If you see a coyote today in Arkansas, Dr. Risch said it likely contains red wolf genes. Apparently there's a larger research project that involves universities, state agencies and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that found hybrids with a high percentage of red wolf genetic material. That project was primarily focused in Louisiana and Texas. Some of the animals were over half red wolf.
"We would like to see what's represented in Arkansas," he said.
The larger project may have the overall goal of producing new founders through capturing red wolves in Louisiana. Or maybe it'll involve breeding experiments that target high percentage hybrids through generational breeding to produce a mostly red wolf animal.
Either way, it's important because all the red wolves in the world now come from 14 animals pulled out of the wild in the '70s and '80s. You don't need a science degree to understand that presents a limited genetic diversity. Family trees need more branches than that.
Researchers at Arkansas State are going to play a vital role by identifying the canids in Arkansas and understanding what's present.
"Are they coyote, or do we have hybrid populations out there?" Dr. Risch wonders.
One might wonder why coyotes are still in Arkansas if red wolves were hunted to extinction in this state. And the answer is pretty simple: For starters, coyotes are more adaptable to humans. They also have a higher reproductive rate than wolves, so even when they're hunted, they can recover quickly.
In addition, Dr. Risch said coyotes have smaller ranges and eat a lot of mice and rabbits. They don't need big ranges or a lot of deer.
Getting back to that possible breeding and research site for red wolves, Craighead Forest Park has apparently been brought up as a possible site, but again, nothing is final. The ASU campus has been ruled out, though. There aren't enough quiet areas tucked away.
If red wolves are ever re-introduced to Arkansas, Dr. Risch said the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains will provide the best habitats. "Where there's the fewest people," he said.
Some folks may oppose the re-introduction of red wolves to Arkansas. Folks might be worried about attacks on humans, or there being fewer deer for hunters. Ranchers might worry about wolves taking young livestock.
"They're all reasonable concerns the public would have," Dr. Risch said.
But education dispels most of these issues. There is no credible reported case of a red wolf attack on a person throughout history. Ranchers in Arkansas are already struggling with newborn calves being targeted by black vultures. Guard dogs would easily deter red wolves. And as for hunters, yes, red wolves will take whitetail deer (maybe one a week), but they're going to take down the sick and weak animals, leaving a healthier deer herd. Dr. Risch said in North Carolina there was no noticeable crash of deer populations.
The disappearance of red wolves has had some consequences on Arkansas' ecosystem. Before they went extinct in this state, Dr. Risch said Arkansas had a healthy fur trade. People were trapping raccoons, foxes and skunks. Red wolves kept some of those at bay. Without them, Arkansas has an explosion of raccoons, skunks, and foxes, and those critters are preying on turkey and quail, leaving fewer for hunters.
And doubtless you've heard about chronic wasting disease among deer in Arkansas. When you get into theoretical scenarios, red wolves might help keep diseases like that at background levels. Studies need to be done to see if CWD survives the digestive tract of the wolf.
Also, any person who lives in, or visits, rural Arkansas understands the feral hog problem. They're taking over. Any kind of additional predator to limit their numbers would benefit the rest of us.
One more possible benefit? Eco-tourism. Dr. Risch said Yellowstone National Park capitalizes greatly on wolf tourism. There's no telling how many folks might come visit Arkansas for a chance to see red wolves if they are introduced. And while they're here, those folks are going to stay in Arkansas lodges and eat at local restaurants. It could be a big win for Arkansas' already natural-based economy.
And speaking of tourism, we also spoke with Susan Altrui, director of the Little Rock Zoo.
She said the zoo has been working with Arkansas State on a long-term red wolf conservation plan (along with other agencies). And while ASU has plans to develop a red wolf conservation center in its corner of the state, the Little Rock Zoo has been in the planning stages of developing its own red wolf habitat and conservation program.
"As a matter of fact, it is part of our 10-year development plan for the zoo," Ms. Altrui said. "It will be a part of our North America section that will feature the American red wolf."
She explained it's a part of the Rebuild the Rock initiative that Mayor Frank Scott is proposing for the zoo (voting for that takes place on Sept. 14).
"This is a very exciting animal for us to bring to the Little Rock Zoo for a couple reasons," Ms. Altrui said. "First, the American red wolf is the only wolf that once roamed in Arkansas and the other southern areas of our country ... Next, our work with the red wolf offers the opportunity to participate in meaningful conservation work."
She hit on similar themes as Dr. Risch and said the red wolf is an important part of the food web, not just in Arkansas, but in sustaining the delicate balance of life in this state. And on this planet.