Editing Red wolf (section)

===Coyote × re-introduced red wolf issues===
Interbreeding with the coyote has been recognized as a threat affecting the restoration of red wolves. Adaptive management efforts are making progress in reducing the threat of coyotes to the red wolf population in northeastern North Carolina. Other threats, such as habitat fragmentation, disease, and human-caused mortality, are of concern in the restoration of red wolves. Efforts to reduce the threats are presently being explored.<ref name="ref22"/>

By 1999, introgression of coyote genes was recognized as the single greatest threat to wild red wolf recovery and an [[adaptive management]] plan which included coyote sterilization has been successful, with coyote genes being reduced by 2015 to less than 4% of the wild red wolf population.<ref name=Gese>{{cite journal |first1=Eric M. |last1=Gese |first2=Fred F. |last2=Knowlton |first3=Jennifer R. |last3=Adams |first4=Karen |last4=Beck |first5=Todd K. |last5=Fuller |first6=Dennis L. |last6=Murray |first7=Todd D. |last7=Steury |first8=Michael K. |last8=Stoskopf |first9=Will T. |last9=Waddell |first10=Lisette P. |last10=Waits |display-authors=6 |year=2015 |title=Managing hybridization of a recovering endangered species: The red wolf ''Canis rufus'' as a case study |journal=[[Current Zoology]] |volume=61 |number=1 |pages=191–205 |doi=10.1093/czoolo/61.1.191 |doi-access=free |url=http://www.currentzoology.org/temp/%7BD773D858-9D90-417A-B60E-C28FCB137D42%7D.pdf |access-date=2016-02-21 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172203/http://www.currentzoology.org/temp/%7BD773D858-9D90-417A-B60E-C28FCB137D42%7D.pdf }}</ref>

Since the 2014 programmatic review, the USFWS ceased implementing the red wolf adaptive management plan that was responsible for preventing red wolf hybridization with coyotes and allowed the release of captive-born red wolves into the wild population.<ref>{{cite press release |first=Tom |last=MacKenzie |date=30 June 2015 |title=Service halts red wolf re‑introductions, pending examination of recovery program |website=fws.gov |publisher=U.S. [[Fish and Wildlife Service]] |url=http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=456CB36D-F587-7CD1-7021195729AF7928 |access-date=2023-11-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304121843/http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=456CB36D-F587-7CD1-7021195729AF7928 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Since then, the wild population has decreased from 100–115&nbsp;red wolves to less than&nbsp;30.<ref>{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Rumsey |date=14 August 2017 |title=2015&nbsp;Brings no conclusions on Red Wolf Recovery Program in eastern NC |type=radio news clip & transcript |website=[[WFAE]] 90.7&nbsp;FM (wfae.org) |place=Charlotte, NC |url=http://wfae.org/post/2015-brings-no-conclusions-red-wolf-recovery-program-eastern-nc |access-date=2023-11-30}}</ref> Despite the controversy over the red wolf's status as a unique taxon as well as the USFWS' apparent disinterest towards wolf conservation in the wild, the vast majority of public comments (including NC residents) submitted to the USFWS in 2017 over their new wolf management plan were in favor of the original wild conservation plan.<ref>{{cite press release |first1=Haley |last1=McKey |first2=Ron |last2=Sutherland |first3=Kim |last3=Wheeler |first4=Collette |last4=Adkins |first5=Maggie |last5=Howell |date=14 August 2017 |title=Public overwhelmingly supports protecting wild red wolves |website=www.biologicaldiversity.org |publisher=[[The Center for Biological Diversity]] |place=Washington, DC |url=https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/red-wolf-08-14-2017.php |access-date=2023-11-30 <!-- old 2017-09-25 url still redirects to new link, but still replaced it = https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/red-wolf-08-14-2017.php --> }}</ref>

A 2016 genetic study of canid scats found that despite high coyote density inside the Red Wolf Experimental Population Area (RWEPA), hybridization occurs rarely (4% are hybrids).<ref name=Justins2016_07/>