Canis rufus, the red wolf, is the wolf species indigenous to the Southern United States. Once found from Central Texas to the eastern seaboard and up through the Smoky Mountains these beautiful canids according to science hybridized with coyotes and create a genetic mutt so to speak.
Because of this they were the first mammal listed as a federal endangered species and were declared extinct in the wild in 1980. Recent research however suggests the red wolf might have been a fertile hybrid all along and even more interesting is the continued sightings of red wolf-like animals in their former range.
Are they the exact same thing genetically as the animals in the federal captive breeding program? Probably not.
One thing is for sure however-they are not coyotes.
I have probably conducted more research into this area than any other and think you will find these photos, writings and videos intriguing.
Click here to see photos and video
Source: Kingdom Zoo