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Red wolves (Canis rufus), formerly ubiquitous across the southeastern US, now exist in an experimental population in North Carolina and a captive breeding program (CBP) involving zoos across the country. The origin and validity of the species have been long contested. Some have proposed that the species is not valid but is a hybrid between grey wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (Canis latrans). Others disagree, though are not in consensus about whether red wolves descended from the Bering Land Bridge crossing wolves. With questions of species validity come uncertainty about status on the Endangered Species List. Being listed as endangered since 1967 has kept the species alive with protection from hunting and funding for the populations. In the last few years, grey wolves were delisted and relisted, which upset conservation efforts and briefly allowed hunting. If red wolves and grey wolves are the same …