This Land, Your Land

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the death of a red wolf found Monday in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Dare County.

Officials have not said how the wolf died, but they suspect someone is responsible for illegally killing it, the Virginian-Pilot said.

Two red wolves, each wearing a radio collar, were found dead in different parts of Hyde County in April.

The red wolf (Canis rufus), once considered extinct in the wild, is protected under the Endangered Species Act. The maximum criminal penalties for the unlawful taking of a red wolf are one year imprisonment and $100,000 fine per individual.

Contact Sandra Allred at (919) 856-4786 or Jay Eddy at (252) 216-8724 if you have pertinent information about any red wolf death.