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Red Wolf Facts

Red wolf profile.

Red wolves are an attractive member of the wolf family native to southeastern United States. These canids are smaller than their close cousin, the grey wolf and considerably larger than a coyote. Once considered to be a subspecies of the grey wolf, they are now accepted as a separate species.

The red wolf is a lean, relatively long-limbed wolf, with a tawny coat, a black-flecked back and a generally thinner coat than the grey wolf. They closely resemble the domestic dog, sometimes compared to the German shepherd breed with their relatively large ears and broad muzzle.

Although they historically inhabited a variety of different habitats, red wolves are most commonly found in mountainous forests and swamp areas. However where human disturbance is low, they can also thrive in prairie and wetland habitats.

Red Wolf Facts Overview

They are incredibly shy wolves and tend to avoid any areas where people frequent and thus are very rarely seen in the wild. Their shy and stealthy nature makes red wolves superb predators, able to move large distances without being seen or heard. Along with the grey wolf and black bear, the red wolf is considered a top predator in its habitat.

Hunting in small packs or alone, red wolves are mostly active during the night but will hunt at any time of the day when undisturbed. These skilled hunters may travel over 30km in a single day in search of prey, which mainly consists of small mammals, such as rabbits, and raccoons.

They are generalist in their prey choice and will eat prey as small as insects, as large as deer and will also readily feed on carrion. Red wolves catch prey in a variety of ways; they may chase prey to exhaustion, catch animals through quick chases or even ambush unsuspecting prey from concealed viewing spots.

Compared to the coyote, the red wolf is a far more social canid, living in small packs of around 6 individuals, usually consisting of a breeding pair and their pups. These family groups are highly territorial and will attack other wolves who venture into their territory.=

Once prevalent throughout several states across southeastern United States, the red wolf population now comprises of only around 16 individuals living in the wild (as of April, 2023). In the past the red wolf was ruthlessly hunted as part of predator control programs and this coincided with huge losses of habitat within their range.

As recently as 1980 the red wolf was declared extinct in the wild, but thanks to conservation breeding programmes, they are now found in the wild in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina and are being breed in captivity for planned reintroduction into other protected areas.

Interesting Red Wolf Facts

1. the red wolf is closely related to the coyote and the grey wolf.

Red wolves share many similarities with grey wolves and coyotes. 1

2. They can breed with coyotes

Hybridisation with coyotes is one of the biggest threats red wolves face.

3. Some scientists believe red wolves are a subspecies of the grey wolf

Grey wolves and coyotes can produce fertile offspring and some scientists believe this gave rise to the red wolf. 2

4. They feed on animal matter, but may eat fruits when hungry

Red wolves are skilled predators and can catch animals as large as deer but they will also feed on carrion, as well as berries when prey is in short supply.

5. Packs will chase off other wolves from their territory

Even though they are smaller, red wolves will readily attack grey wolves if they stray into their territory. 3 4

6. They help control the spread of invasive rodents 

Nutria or coypu are highly destructive, invasive rodents and red wolves help control their populations. 5

7. Red wolves live in very close-knit packs 

They communicate with one another through scent marking, body language and vocalisations, which all pack members are able to interpret.

Pack members will help care for injured members as well as working in teams to catch larger prey, such as white-tailed deer.

Red wolf pups are raised by the whole pack until they reach around 1 year old and then they leave to create their own territory.

8. Males and females are monogamous 

Breeding pairs will remain together their entire lives. In the wild, red wolves breed only once a year, producing an average of 5 pups in a litter.

Dens are well hidden and are usually made in depressions in the ground either under tree roots, along river banks and sometimes in fallen, hollow trees.

9. They learn to hunt from a young age 

Young red wolves are taught to hunt once they are old enough to leave the den. Play is crucial in developing the physical skills needed to catch prey and when still relatively young, red wolves spend much of their time playing just outside their den.

Once they begin exploring with the pack, they learn how to track and catch prey and how to work together to tackle larger target animals.

When chasing white-tailed deer for example, red wolves will attempt to confuse the deer by attacking from various points, before tiring the animal and then working as a group to pull the animal down.

10. They actually help livestock farmers 

Red wolves will chase any coyotes from their home range and this benefits farmers as coyotes can become nuisance killers of livestock.

11. The population of red wolves has increased as a result of conservation efforts

Although there are likely fewer than 20 wild red wolves, more than 200 live in special red wolf breeding centres. 6

12. Some of the wild red wolves are collared to help keep track of them

Information from radio collars help us better understand red wolves. The collars also reflect light, making it easier for drivers to avoid any wolves on roads.

13. Red wolves help increase the numbers of birds in their habitat

By feeding on rodents, who kill bird chicks and eat bird eggs, red wolves help bird species such as quail flourish.

14. Red wolves are possibly the most endangered canid in the world

Yet, as with many carnivores, they play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced ecosystem.

As excellent hunters, they are able to control the populations of rodents and rabbits that would otherwise have an extremely detrimental effect on the ecosystem. Once considered to be a ruthless killer of livestock, it has now been established that they have a negligible impact on livestock and this in turn aids in red wolf conservation efforts.

If reintroduction plans are successful the red wolf may once again inhabit large areas of its historical range. 7

Red Wolf Fact-File Summary

Scientific classification, fact sources & references.

• “ Red Wolf ”, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
• “ Red wolves” , National Geographic.
• “NATURAL HISTORY-Red Wolf ”, Center for Biological Diversity.
• “Red Wolf”, The National Wildlife Federation.
• “Red Wolves in North Carolina ”, North Carolina Wildlife federation.
• Joseph W. Hinton (2013), “ Red Wolf (Canis rufus) Recovery: A Review with Suggestions for Future Research ”, NIH.
• Lauren K. Toivonen (2022), “ An Initial Habitat Suitability Analysis for the Red Wolf Across its Historical Range” , Meridian Allenpress.

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Canis rufus

• Conservation

Physical Description

Red wolves have a distinct reddish tinge to their coat, particularly on the ears, head and legs. Adult red wolves tend to resemble their cousins, the gray wolves, but are usually smaller, and with longer, lankier legs, taller ears and a thinner body. They are often described as resembling a mix between a gray wolf and a coyote.

Despite the name, their coats can vary quite a bit in color. Some have tawny or cinnamon-colored fur, while others have more gray and black tones mixed into their coats. Their undersides are usually colored white or pinkish-red.

Native Habitat

Communication.

Red wolves use a wide variety of vocalizations to communicate with each other, including barks, growls and yaps. Like other wolves, they can communicate over long distance through their howl—these howls are used as a social rally call, a hail to hunt or as a territorial expression. A wolf’s howl can be heard from several miles away.  

They also communicate through physical gestures, such as swishing their tails and twitching their noses, or by scent marking their territory with urine and gland secretions.

Food/Eating Habits

Red wolves are carnivores, eating up to five pounds of meat a day. In the wild, they hunt in packs, ranging up to 20 miles a day within their home territories to find prey. Capable of running up to 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) and swimming for long periods of time, they can move quickly throughout their territories, which range up to 30,000 square miles (75,000 square kilometers) in size.

As apex predators, they help maintain the population levels of the other animals within their native habitat, which in turn keeps the local ecosystem in balance. Common prey animals include white-tailed deer, raccoons, turkeys, opossums, nutria, and smaller animals like rabbits, birds and mice. They will also eat carrion and have been known to eat insects, berries and some plant materials.

Sleep Habits

Red wolves are crepuscular and nocturnal, meaning they are active at nighttime but usually peak in activity around dawn or dusk. Red wolves usually sleep close together with their pack mates.

Social Structure

Red wolves are highly social animals. In the wild, they live in family groups, or packs, that can number between two to ten individuals. These packs usually include a pair of breeding adults and their offspring, who travel with the pack while young and leave to form their own packs once they reach adulthood. They are very territorial and will defend their established range from other animals, but they are quite shy around humans.

Reproduction and Development

Red wolves are monogamous, remaining with the same mate for their whole lives.

Pairs usually mate once a year, giving birth to a litter of four to six pups in April or May. Dens are hidden away among hollow trees, sandy knolls, stream banks or piles of debris. Both parents help raise their young, bringing food back to the den until the pups are old enough to join the hunt. Other members of the pack—usually offspring from a previous litter—help protect and care for the young pups.

Red wolves grow to their full size after about one year and become sexually mature around two to three years old. However, disease, predation from other animals and lack of food resources mean that only about half of all cubs reach adulthood.

Conservation Efforts

American red wolves used to be found across the eastern United States, but in 1980, after decades of habitat loss and hunting, America’s only endemic wolf was declared extinct in the wild. The current wild population is found only in coastal North Carolina and is the result of a careful captive breeding and reintroduction program supported by zoos and wildlife conservation organizations.

Help this Species

• Practice ecotourism by being an advocate for the environment when you’re on vacation. During your travels, support, visit or volunteer with organizations that protect wildlife. Shop smart too! Avoid buying products made from animals, which could support poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
• Support organizations like the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute that research better ways to protect and care for this animal and other endangered species. Consider donating your time, money or goods .
• Are you a hunter? You can be an incredible ally for conservation! Check the conservation status of the animals you hunt and use methods that don’t impact other animals.
• Share the story of this animal with others. Simply raising awareness about this species can contribute to its overall protection.
• Try fundraising for conservation organizations in new and fun ways. You could donate your birthday to conservation, host a bakesale to benefit wildlife or Adopt a Species !
• Share the story of this animal with others. Simply increasing awareness and educating others about the threats invasive species pose to local ecosystems can help protect native environments.

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Red Wolf Tour

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Red Wolf Facts

Written by Facts Chief

Modified & Updated: 30 Dec 2023

Reviewed by Sherman Smith

• Animal Conservation Facts
• Biodiversity Facts
• Endangered Species Facts
• Predator Facts
• Wildlife Facts

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Carnivora
• Family: Canidae
• Species: Canis rufus
• Native to: The southeastern states of the USA
• Size: Adult Male approx. 4.5-5.5 ft long
• Weight: 40-80 lbs
• Diet: Rabbits, rodents, nutria, deer, berries, insects
• Status: Endangered, declared officially extinct in the wild in 1980
• Biology: The Red Wolf Is a Relation of the Gray Wolf
• Biology: Taxonomical Controversy Surrounds the Red Wolf
• Environment: The Red Wolf Is Native to the South-eastern USA
• Endangered Species: The Red Wolf Was Almost Driven to Extinction
• Endangered Species: Programs to Protect the Red Wolf Began in 1973
• Endangered Species: There Are Now at Least 38 Red Wolf Protection Facilities in the USA
• Food: Red Wolves Primarily Eat Small Mammals
• Reproduction: Red Wolves Mate for Life
• Biology: Red Wolves Are Smaller than Gray Wolves
• Behavior: Red Wolves Can Be Shy

The Cherokee People Believed That the Red Wolf Was Sacred

Red wolves aren’t too fussy about habitats, red wolves live longer in captivity, the red wolf is an excellent communicator, red wolves can travel for 20 miles a day, red wolves always walk on tiptoe, william bartram was the first to write about the red wolf, red wolves mate with coyotes − but reluctantly, red wolves are more scared of you than you are of them, you could be paid to host a red wolf pack, red wolf infographics.

The Red Wolf Is a Relation of the Gray Wolf

The most basic of red wolf facts relate to its biological classification. The red wolf is a  carnivorous mammal  of the canidae family, which includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes and domestic dogs among others. Although the red wolf is related to the gray wolf, it is generally smaller and less sociable. The red wolf is named for the reddish tone of its coat. It has a silvery-grey forehead, white legs with darker markings and a creamy belly. It also has long ears and legs. The red wolf is native to southeastern parts of the USA , but has been declared  extinct in the wild  and is now bred in captivity, with projects underway to restore a wild population.

Taxonomical Controversy Surrounds the Red Wolf

There is a lively debate surrounding the biological red wolf facts which scientists have gathered, and what they tell us about the ancestry of the wolf. In fact, some would argue that we should hardly be discussing red wolf facts at all, but rather, red coyote facts ! This is because the wolf is morphologically  intermediate  between the coyote and the gray wolf. This is not disputed, since the wolf clearly shares so many characteristics of both species, and is intermediate in size, looks and behaviors between the two. In addition, however, a 2011 genetic study implied that the red wolf could actually be a  hybrid species , created through breeding between the gray wolf and the coyote. A 2012 study, on the other hand, concluded that the red wolf is a distinct species which diverged from the coyote and the eastern wolf 150000-300000 years ago. This study has not been universally accepted by scientists, and the red wolf remains a taxonomically controversial creature.

The Red Wolf Is Native to the Southeastern USA

Originally, red wolf facts suggest that this canid was native to  southeastern states  within North America, from Florida to Pennsylvania, and as far west as Texas . However, the wolves became almost extinct by the middle of the 20th century, and were officially declared extinct in the wild in 1980. Red wolf populations are now flourishing in several National parks, including an area of 1.7 million acres of North Carolina which incorporates the Pocosin Lakes and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuges.

The Red Wolf Was Almost Driven to Extinction

Throughout the 20th century, one of the saddest red wolf facts is that the species almost became completely extinct. This was due to a combination of aggressive  predator control programs , along with the destruction of their natural habitats. To counter this, in 1973 the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  began a formal effort to save and protect the species. At the Point Defiance Zoological Gardens, Tacoma, a  captive breeding program  was established. Four hundred wolves were captured in Louisiana and Texas but, after extended analysis, only 43 were thought to be red wolves. These were sent to the breeding facility, where the first litter was born in 1977. However, in this litter, several pups were considered to be hybrids rather than pure red wolves, and were removed from the program. Eventually, only 17 wolves were left. Of these 17, only 14 were able to breed. A further problem was that these 14 were closely related, meaning the genetic effect was as if there were only 8 wolves.

Programs to Protect the Red Wolf Began in 1973

Given that the red wolf facts collected from this initial program were not particularly encouraging, it might have been tempting to give up. Instead, however, many new programs were established. In 1976 two wolves were released into a wildlife refuge in  Bulls Island , South Carolina. These were monitored closely, and several more pairs were introduced at different times. A larger project in 1987 was launched to permanently reintroduce a population of wolves into the  Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge  in North Carolina. Eventually, Bulls Island became a breeding ground for red wolf pups, which were then relocated to North Carolina . This continued until 2005.

There Are Now at Least 38 Red Wolf Protection Facilities in the USA

Several other projects were soon underway, encompassing up to  1.7 million acres of land  in North Carolina, on a variety of sites, from wildlife reserves to a military bombing range. Several more island propagation projects have also occurred in locations such as  Horn Island , Mississippi, along with  St. Vincent  and  Cape St. George  islands, both off the coast of Florida . According to figures released in 2007, there are around 300 red wolves left in the world. This number includes 207 captive wolves at 38 different facilities across the USA, and over 100 that have now been released into the wild. In 2010, it was estimated that 110-130 wolves were now in the wild, including 26 packs. These red wolf facts are generally encouraging, but threats to the success of the programs include interbreeding with coyotes, disease and the destruction of habitats.

Red Wolves Primarily Eat Small Mammals

Red wolf facts suggest that, in the wild, these carnivores generally  hunt small mammals , such as rabbits and rodents. They have also been observed eating insects and berries on occasion. In the restored population currently existing in nature reserves, however, it has also become common for the wolves to hunt white-tailed deer, raccoons and nutria (a large semi-aquatic rodent). Red wolves generally hunt alone or in small packs.

Red Wolves Mate for Life

One of the more heart-warming red wolf facts is that, generally, these mammals mate for life. Once the pair have bonded, they breed  once a year . The mating season for red wolves is during the late winter, from January to February. The gestation period for wolf pups is around  60-63 days , and litters usually contain  2-8 pups . They are born in a den which the parents make, in sites such as hollow tree trunks, sand knolls and the abandoned dens of other animals. Both parents raise the young, which mature and leave their parents at 6 months old. They reach full size after 1 year, and become sexually mature at the age of 3.

Red Wolves Are Smaller than Gray Wolves

As our previous red wolf facts have shown, the red wolf is closely related to both the gray wolf and the coyote. It also measures up as between the two in size, smaller and more slender than its cousin the gray wolf, yet larger than a coyote. On average, an adult male red wolf weighs around  40-80 lbs , is  4.5-5.5 ft  long and is  15-16 in  high at the shoulder.

Red Wolves Can Be Shy

There are many red wolf facts relating to the animals’ behavior in the wild. One behavior which clearly distinguishes the red wolf from other species of wolf is their shyness. They generally hunt alone, or in  small packs , which often include a mated adult pair, who are the  alpha male and female , along with their offspring. The pack is a complex and hierarchical social structure, and its size varies depending on the availability of prey. Red wolves are primarily nocturnal, but they are also known as a crepuscular species, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk.

Wolves play an integral part within many stories in Native American mythology, and the red wolf is no exception. One of the most intriguing red wolf facts is the part it plays in Cherokee folklore. According to the mythology of this culture, the red wolf, known as  wa’ya , is the companion of the hunter  Kana’ti . Kana’ti is known as the father of the Aniwaya or Wolf Clan. The wolf’s reddish color was seen as a symbol of war, along with a sacred and beloved nature. Because of these stories and beliefs, the Cherokee people would generally avoid killing red wolves. They believed that to kill a red wolf would risk vengeance from the other members of the pack.

As our red wolf facts have explained, this creature once ranged across many southeastern states in North America. The  wide distribution  caused them to develop an adaptability to a variety of habitats, including forests, swamps, wetlands, coastal prairie marshes and agricultural field lands. Red wolf facts collected by scientists suggest that the ideal habitat for red wolves was once  bottom land river forests  and  swamps , but the restored population in North Carolina have adapted to many different types of land. It has been concluded that, generally, the red wolf is able to thrive in most habitats, providing there is sufficient prey.

It is not the most surprising of red wolf facts that this canid would thrive better in captivity, given that controlled conditions can ensure regular and guaranteed prey populations and so on. However, it is intriguing to note just what a difference controlled conditions can make. In the wild, a typical red wolf might live for 6-7 years. But in captivity, their longevity can be  more than doubled , with wolves living to the grand age of 15 years old.

One of many fascinating red wolf facts concerns how these clever creatures communicate with one another. They do this using scent marking, body postures, vocalizations and facial expressions. And forget the old adage that wolves  howl at the moon  − ignoring lunar activity, they actually howl to communicate with each other. The reason the red wolf might often seem to be looking at the moon while howling is simply because the sound carries further when projected upward. Reasons for the red wolf to howl include a  rallying cry  for the pack to meet up, a  signal  to let another wolf know the howler’s location, or a  warning  for other wolves to stay out of a particular pack’s territory.

One of the red wolf facts which can be exhausting even to think about is just how far these animals travel. Within its territory, a wolf can travel up to 20 or more miles per day in search of food. Generally, this distance can be covered by an energy-saving trot at a speed of around  5 mph  (8 kph). But red wolves can reach speeds of around  30 mph  (48 kph) while chasing prey in relatively short bursts. Red wolves are good runners, able to maintain their pursuit of prey over distance and across rough terrain.

The red wolf has a very specific physiology to make it ideally suited to  running and hunting . Red wolves make contact with the ground with only their toes, and have their heels elevated. The elbows of a red wolf are also turned slightly inward, and their chests are narrow. This allows them to be quick and agile.

The first recorded written red wolf facts we have are from the works of William Bartram, the American naturalist from Pennsylvania . He first encountered the red wolf in the state of Florida, and wrote about it in his 1791 book, known as  Bartram’s Travels . In it, he notes that the red wolf is smaller, and lighter in color than the gray wolves he had previously seen in Canada and Pennsylvania. And Bartram was not the only writer to describe the red wolf in the 18th and 19th centuries. The red wolf was given the trinomial name  canis lupus rufus  by John James Audubon in 1851. This writer also claimed that red wolves had been seen eating corpses on the battlefield during the Mexican-American War, and noted its  sneaking, cowardly yet ferocious disposition .

All members of the canidae family − which includes dogs, wolves, coyotes and so on − are capable of interbreeding or  hybridizing  with each other. They prefer not to, however, and given a choice, red wolves will choose to mate with other red wolves. Interbreeding tends to occur in circumstances when this isn’t possible; for example, when a  lone wolf  cannot find a mate. These marginal cases do not affect the genetic integrity of either species. However, the territorial structures which usually halt instances of interbreeding were compromised in the 20th century for the red wolf. By the 1960s, numbers of red wolves were very low, and many would not have been able to  find a mate  within their own species. This led to one of many surprising red wolf facts. The red wolves did begin to breed more regularly with coyotes, and this hastened the move towards extinction of the genetically pure red wolf. In reintroduction programs, wolf numbers are managed so that red wolves can partner each other, and offspring found to have coyote genes are often removed.

In fairytales and folklore, we often depict wolves as fearsome creatures with sharp fangs and aggressive behaviors. However, this is a misconception, particularly in the case of the red wolf. Indeed, red wolf facts indicate that there are no recorded incidents of healthy red wolves attacking humans in North America. While perhaps in the times before modern weapons the wolf populations may have behaved more aggressively towards humans, nowadays they have learned to fear mankind. Generally, red wolves are rather shy, avoiding humans when possible.

There are many interesting red wolf facts relating to the  Red Wolf Recovery Program  and its impact on local ecosystems. One group who may not always feel that the protection of wild wolves is in their interest is  private landowners , such as farmers. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hope to incentivize landowners to tolerate the red wolf, and even help wolf populations to flourish. By offering to allow red wolf packs on their land, landowners can see several benefits; for example the reduction of pest populations such as raccoons , nutria and certain deer. There are also mechanisms in place to offer payouts to landowners who lose livestock or pets to the wolves. Currently, in eastern North Carolina, private lands provide around 35% of the available habitat in the Red Wolf Recovery Program, yet they sustain over 65% of the total red wolf population.

Red Wolf Facts – Facts about the Red Wolf Summary

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Wolf Facts: Gray Wolves, Timber Wolves & Red Wolves

Wolves are large carnivores — the largest member of the dog, or Canid, family. Wolves are common to all parts of the Northern Hemisphere. They are usually shy and cautious around humans, but unlike the dog, have not been domesticated at all.

There are three species and close to 40 subspecies of wolf, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), so they come in many different sizes. The most common type of wolf is the gray wolf, or timber wolf. Adult gray wolves are 4 to 6.56 feet (120 to 200 centimeters) long and weigh about 40 to 175 lbs. (18 to 79 kilograms). As its name indicates, the gray wolf typically has thick gray fur, although pure white or all black variations exist. 

Another species, the red wolf, is a bit smaller. They grow to around 4.5 to 5.5 feet long (137 to 168 cm) and weigh 50 to 80 lbs. (23 to 36 kg), according to the Defenders of Wildlife organization. 

Wolves are found in North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa. They tend to live in the remote wilderness, though red wolves prefer to live in swamps, coastal prairies and forests. Many people think wolves live only in colder climates, but wolves can live in temperatures that range from minus 70 to 120 degrees F (minus 50 to 48.8 degrees C), according to the San Diego Zoo .

The Eastern wolf — also known as Great Lakes wolf, Eastern timber wolf, Algonquin wolf or deer wolf — has been deemed a distinct species from their Western cousins, according to a review by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists. Eastern wolves used to live in the northeastern United States, but now remain only in southeastern Canada.

In 2016, the Center Biological Diversity filed a notice of intent to sue the Fish and Wildlife Service to protect red wolves in the United States. According to research published in the journal Science Advances in 2016, though, there is only one type of wolf in North America. DNA testing found that only gray wolves are found on the continent. The research also found that red wolves and Eastern wolves may be hybrids of grey wolves and coyotes. 

Wolves hunt and travel in packs. Packs don't consist of many members, though. Usually, a pack will have only one male and female and their young. This usually means about 10 wolves per pack, though packs as large as 30 have been recorded.

Packs have a leader, known as the alpha male. Each pack guards its territory against intruders and may even kill other wolves that are not part of their pack. Wolves are nocturnal and will hunt for food at night and sleep during the day.

Wolves are voracious eaters. They can eat up to 20 lbs. (9 kg) of food during one meal. Since they are carnivores, their meals consist of meat that they have hunted.

Gray wolves usually eat large prey such as moose, goats, sheep and deer. Normally, the pack of wolves will find the weakest or sickest animal in a herd, circle it and kill it together. Wolves are known to attack and kill domestic animals as well as animals they find in the wild.

Red wolves eat smaller prey such as rodents, insects and rabbits. They aren't afraid of going outside their carnivorous diet and will eat berries on occasion, too.

Young wolves are called pups. The leader of the pack and his female mate are usually the only ones in a pack that will have offspring. They mate in late winter. The female has a gestation period of nine weeks and gives birth to a litter consisting of one to 11 pups.

When the pups are born, they are cared for by all of the adult wolves in the pack. Young pups start off drinking milk from their mother, but around five to 10 weeks they will start eating food regurgitated from adult pack members.

At six months, wolf pups become hunters, and at 2 years old they are considered adults. On average, a wolf will live four to eight years in the wild.

Classification/taxonomy

This the classification of wolves, according to ITIS:

Kingdom : Animalia Subkingdom : Bilateria Infrakingdom : Deuterostomia Phylum : Chordata Subphylum : Vertebrata Infraphylum : Gnathostomata Superclass : Tetrapoda Class : Mammalia Subclass : Theria Infraclass : Eutheria Order : Carnivora Suborder : Caniformia Family : Canidae Genus : Canis Species : 

• Canis lupus (gray wolf)
• Canis rufus (red wolf)
• Canis lycaon (Eastern wolf)

Conservation status

Though wolves once roamed far and wide, they are very scarce today. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) lists red wolves as critically endangered. According to the National Parks Conservation Association, there are 20 to 80 red wolves currently living in the wild. 

The Ethiopian wolf is also listed as endangered by the IUCN. The Eastern wolf is threatened and is protected in Canada.

Other facts

Packs of wolves don't like to stay in one place. They are known to travel as far as 12 miles (20 kilometers) per day.

Wolves have friends. Wolves howl to communicate with other members of the pack. Researchers have found that they howl more to pack members that they spend the more time with.

There are many names for gray wolves. Besides timber wolf, they are also called common wolf, tundra wolf, Mexican wolf and plains wolf.

To help with the red wolf population, wild wolves are given pups that are born in captivity. This is called "fostering."

Wolves also communicate by leaving scent marking such as urine or feces on a trail.

Wolves are very similar to dogs in behavior. They love to play, chew on bones but will growl or snarl when threatened.

Other resources

• National Geographic: Wolf
• World Wildlife Federation: Arctic Wolf
• World Wildlife Federation: Gray Wolf
• BBC Nature: Wolf

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The One Of A Kind Wolf Safari You Simply Must Take In North Carolina

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge offers unique tours, including the popular Red Wolf Howling treks, showcasing diverse habitats and endangered species.

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Perhaps nowhere else in North Carolina will you find more natural habitat diversity than in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge located in Dare and Hyde counties in Eastern North Carolina. Comprised of 152,000 lowland acres, the refuge is home to a variety of habitats and species.

Editor's Note: The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge no longer offers the Red Wolf Howling Safaris. 

The mainland portions of the refuge cover a massive area measuring approximately 28 miles by 15 miles.

There are many things to do and see at the Wildlife Refuge Center including canoe tours, van tours, tram tours and...

a few other wildly popular and unconventional tours that involve the permanent residents of the refuge.

But by far, the most popular of the programs offered by the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge are the Red Wolf Howling treks.

The howlings involve learning a bit about the endangered creature found within the refuge. And then taking a guided trek through for an adventure of a lifetime.

The Red Wolf is one of the most endangered species of wolves in the world. On this adventure, your guide will attempt to get them howling so you can hear the beauty of the beast.

The Red Wolf Howlings take place all year, but at different times and days depending upon the season.

During June, July and August the 90-minute adventure is offered on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. for a mere cost of $10 (children under 12 are free). During the off-season, the same program is offered for free on certain Saturdays. You can view those Saturday dates in the small box labeled "Other Programs" at this link .

No reservation is required. Find more information about the Red Wolf Howlings on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service official website here .

Interested in this adventurous trek into the refuge to hear the haunting howls of the endangered Red Wolf? Just meet at the Alligator Refuge Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot prior to the start time of the program. If paying in cash, you'll need to bring exact change. MC and Visa are also accepted forms of payment. The parking lot is located on Milltail Road in East Lake, North Carolina. Here's a link to the physical location on a Google Map.

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The Perfect North Carolina Getaways To Take If You Have Been Dreaming Of Europe

These European-style getaways in North Carolina offer journeys to other worlds without the expense and complications of traveling abroad. From the mountains to the sea, the locations look and feel like you're far away. Consider these perfect escapes if you've been dreaming of visiting Europe.

1. Little Switzerland Feels Like Switzerland

Located at Mile Marker 334 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Little Switzerland is only an hour away from Asheville. Visit Geneva Hall for mountain music and folk dancing, learn the history of mining at Emerald Village, and enjoy the fantastic cuisine at the local cafes and fine dining restaurants.

2. Shackleford Banks Feels Like Spain

See the magical wild horses that have provided a free show to residents and tourists alike for more than 400 years. We love that you arrive by ferry, adding more elements to the enchanting, old-world charm.

3. Lafayette Village Feels Like France

This charming French Village in Raleigh features one-of-a-kind shopping at small

boutiques, excellent meals in cozy restaurants,

and fabulous finds at an indoor/outdoor market.

4. Reynolda Village Shops & Restaurants Feel Like England

Visit Winston-Salem to experience Reynolda Village, offering an eclectic adventure from art galleries to furniture, home decor, and clothing. In addition, the shops sit in buildings modeled after an old English Village.

5. Castle McCulloch Feels Like Scotland

Reminiscent of something you would find in old Europe, this gorgeous destination sits in Jamestown, North Carolina. The incredible event venue captures the imaginations of old and young alike.

6. Old Edwards Inn and Spa Feels Like France

You'll find this picturesque jewel in Highlands along the scenic southwestern plateau of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The European-style property and mountain resort offers luxury suites, cottages, vacation homes, farm-fed restaurants, and a world-class spa.

7. Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery Feels Like Tuscany

Known as "Chianti in the Carolinas," this destination is located in the pastoral foothills of the Swan Creek Wine Appellation within the Yadkin Valley, bringing Tuscan charm to The Tar Heel State.

These European-style getaways in North Carolina offer affordable adventures that are closer to home. During the holidays, explore the magic of a European Christmas village . And keeping with the theme, reserve this Scandanavian-style cottage on Vrbo .

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/north-carolina/enchanting-european-holiday-market-nc/

A Love Letter To My Favorite City In America: Asheville, North Carolina

I fell in love with travel much like you fall in love with a person – one moment of awe, one beautiful view, one cup of coffee at a time. It wasn’t until I moved from my home state of Minnesota to the Hawaiian Islands at 22 that I discovered how much I loved experiencing new places. While living on the island of Oahu, I made trips to the main Hawaiian Islands – the Big Island, Kauai, and Maui – plus trips to Seattle, Washington, Charleston, South Carolina, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, Nevada, and Southern California, among others. And while each trip was special, it was the general love for adventure that made the largest impact on my life.

When we decided to move to Maryland in 2021, I immediately began curating my bucket list. Over the next three years, there would be countless day trips to U.S. monuments, Smithsonian museums, charming cities, and small towns – like my favorites, Alexandria , Annapolis , and St. Michael’s . There were long weekend trips to New York City, Philadelphia , and Ocean City, plus New River Gorge and Shenandoah National Parks .

We traveled every chance we got, and, of course, as anyone with wanderlust does, I envisioned myself living in each destination. There was only one place that felt like home, though: the Smoky Mountains, and in particular, Asheville, North Carolina.

I first visited the Smoky Mountains while driving home from visiting family in Alabama for Christmas. We took our time, stopping in Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Gatlinburg. We witnessed the splendor of Ruby Falls, a true underground oasis, took a chair lift into the Smokies at Anakeesta, and drove through the National Park.

Yet it wasn’t until we were driving through the mountains from Johnson City, Tennessee, to Asheville, North Carolina, that something stirred in me. Something about the hazy foothills of the Smoky Mountains surrounding Asheville on that overcast December day piqued something in my heart; in an instant, I felt as though I was coming home, perhaps for the first time.

That love only grew stronger with each passing moment, each passing activity.

That first visit was only 24 hours, but as we strolled through the Grove Arcade, went shopping at the Kress Emporium, and enjoyed a scrumptious meal at Pack’s Tavern, I grew increasingly smitten. Head over heels in love with a city that, hours before, I had never stepped foot inside.

We enjoyed coffee and croissants in the morning at a cafe I can’t remember the name of before taking in the everyday beauty of Asheville as we drove to Carrier Park on the French Broad River – admiring the quaint houses downtown, picturing the houses we would love to see inside, and the ones we would love to get our hands on and renovate.

When I lived in Hawaii, I fell in love with the ocean and the mountains, but it wasn't until I spent time in the Smoky Mountains that I realized the mountains were more important to me.

Our final stop on the way out of Asheville was a short drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway north towards home, with a stop at the ultra-charming Folk Art Center.

We immediately started planning our return.

The next summer, we visited again, driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains, spending time in nearby Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, and venturing into Asheville for a retreat at Shoji Spa and one of the best meals I’ve ever enjoyed at Chesnut.

With scrumptious restaurants galore, abundant access to nature, a vibrant arts and music scene, and mild year-round weather, I never wanted to leave. Asheville was energetic but laid-back, eccentric but approachable, mysterious but homey.

Though I’m not sure if I will ever be able to live in Asheville, I hold such fondness for this small North Carolina city. It is the only place I have ever truly imagined living, the only place that has felt like home without actually being my home.

Have you ever fallen in love while traveling through the United States? We’d love to hear about it.

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Howling With Red Wolves (with video)

By Author cristina garcia

Posted on Published: July 21, 2013  - Last updated: March 24, 2023

Surely there is no sound that epitomizes North American wilderness like the howl of a wolf. To stand in a forest at dusk while a pack of wolves howls in the distance is a beautiful, eerie and unforgettable experience.

Thousands of people each year blast through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge on their way to the beaches of the Outer Banks, but very few realize that this stretch of wilderness is home to some of the world’s rarest predators. You’d never know that wolves prowled these forests if it weren’t for a few inconspicuous road signs. And you certainly wouldn’t guess that these wolves are the only ones of their kind in the entire world. Only about 130 Red Wolves remain in the wild, and they all live right here in a five county area of coastal North Carolina.

But these wolves may as well be ghosts. We’ve been here many times and have never seen one. Employees who’ve worked here for many years have never seen one. Seeing a red wolf in the wild is like winning the lottery: almost impossible. Last march we found a few scats that may have come from a wolf, but we’ll never know for sure. And we’ve definitely never heard a wild red wolf howl.

There’s only one way to experience the howling of red wolves, and that’s to join the Red Wolf Howling program in the Alligator River NWR, conducted by the US Fish and Wildlife Red Wolf Recovery Program.

Here is a video of the Red Wolves Howling in the Alligator River.

Trying to get wild wolves to howl is a controversial subject. For example, in Yellowstone National Park, any kind of attempt to get wildlife to respond  is illegal . This includes howling to wolves. That’s because it changes their behavior and the behaviors of other wildlife around you. In the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, the howling tours do not involve wild wolves . The howling is performed with wolves being held in the captive breeding program.

The howling tour works as follows:

• Meet at the Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot just off of Route 64 in the wildlife refuge at 7:30 PM on Wednesday nights June through August. The cost is $7 per person. • A half  hour talk is given by US Fish and Wildlife staff about the biology, ecology and conservation of the red wolf.

• Everybody gets in their cars to drive close to where the holding enclosure is located somewhere deep in the Alligator River NWR.

• Get out of your cars and walk toward the enclosure. You won’t get all the way to it. In fact, you’ll never actually see it or the wolves inside. (The wolves can’t be habituated to humans or they won’t be able to be released.) You’ll be standing in the middle of the forest at dusk while bats fly above your head and mosquitoes buzz all around you. Once there, everybody gathers quietly in a tight group and the howling starts. The group howls together and listens closely to see if the wolves respond. If it doesn’t work, the group tries again. For our group, the third time was a charm. Quietly in the distance a chorus rose up out of the darkness, six voices which sounded like dozens all around us. For nearly a minute the howls pierced the moonlit night.

Faces began to light with excitement and wonder. Kids looked at their parents in amazement. A few (including myself) became teary-eyed with emotion. Suddenly I knew there was hope for the red wolf. When so many people learn about the red wolf and connect with it in such a visceral way, feel the goosebumps on their skin and the smiles on their faces, they can’t help but care about the survival of this endangered species. The red wolf’s future is in good hands in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.

Cristina Garcia

Zoologist and wildlife photographer. She has worked in the field with jackals, wolves, cheetahs, & leopards. She serves on the Board of Directors of SEE Turtles , a non-profit sea turtle conservation organization.

Read her posts at Travel For Wildlife and see more of her work at Truly Wild , & Our Wild Yard .

Sunday 15th of March 2015

Very interesting post and video. Just out of curiosity what are your gears?

Charli | Wanderlusters

Monday 22nd of July 2013

What an experience, I can imagine how haunting the sound of the wolves' howl would be at dusk surrounded by forest. Such intelligent creatures. It's great to hear of the efforts to conserve their survival.

Hal Brindley

Wednesday 24th of July 2013

Thanks Charli, it really was moving. Now we're up in Ely, Minnesota visiting the International Wolf Center. We've finally entered Gray Wolf territory! I hope we hear some camping tonight...

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Project 543 tells the story of unique spots across North Carolina we hope will become some of your favorite places. Why 543? Because that’s the number of miles from Manteo, on the coast, to Murphy, in the mountains, and is traditionally considered to be the width of our state. The entries in this project are in no particular order, and we’ll add to them each week. Check in often to find inspiration for your next trip, or start planning today at VisitNC.com .

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Howl with a red wolf

In the 1980s, the red wolf was declared extinct in the wild, but its howls can still be heard in only one untamed place on the entire planet. Visitors searching for a unique animal experience can go on a Red Wolf Howling Safari  in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The 152,000-acre refuge in northeast North Carolina has successfully restored the critically endangered red wolves to the area through a captive breeding program. About 40 red wolves roam their native habitats in five northeastern North Carolina counties encompassing the refuge. The refuge conducts Red Wolf Howling Safaris to listen to the “music” of the wolves. The two-hour safari educational programs are offered throughout the summer and on select evenings in the fall, winter and spring. Visitors will most likely not see the wolves, as few people ever do, but they typically hear them howl. Safari leaders call to the wolves with a human-produced sound and the wolves howl back. The Alligator River is also one of the last remaining strongholds for black bear on the East Coast and offers other programs for visitors to experience wildlife in its own element, including guided kayak tours .

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, East Lake, NC

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How to save the red wolf from going extinct—for a second time

After decades of growth, the world’s last population of wild red wolves has plummeted. Can we get back on track and save this critically endangered species?

With a total population below 20 individuals, the world’s most endangered wolf lives only in a small area in and around the Alligator River and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges in eastern North Carolina.

Called “America’s wolf,” the red wolf ( Canis rufus ) is the only large predator whose historic range is found entirely within the United States, stretching from Texas to New England. But hunting gradually reduced its range, and it was declared extinct in the wild in 1980. In a ground-breaking successful experiment, eight captive wolves were released in 1987 into North Carolina, eventually growing into a population over 100. But poaching and management changes enacted by the Fish and Wildlife Service resulted in their numbers plummeting.

In the spring, conservationists celebrated a small bit of good news when four captive-born pups were placed into a den and successfully adopted by a wild red wolf mother. Meanwhile, another four adults were released into the wild. The pups are thought to be still alive and healthy. But the adults didn’t fare as well. In the months after release, three were struck by cars and killed, and the fourth was fatally shot on private land.

To boost the population after these deaths, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in November that it plans to release nine adult red wolves into their recovery area this winter, land within and surrounding two wildlife refuges. The service also recently announced it would withdraw a 2018 proposal to shrink the red wolves’ protected area in North Carolina by 90 percent, after a lawsuit accused the agency of violating the Endangered Species Act.

Ron Sutherland of the Wildlands Network, who is based in the red wolf’s last stronghold of North Carolina, says it’s crucial that the feds have abandoned this wrong-headed proposal. And yet “the situation now is even more urgent than it was in 2018—this should launch the conservation community in the U.S. into crisis mode to save this species and bring it back from the brink.”

“We are committed to continuing to work with stakeholders in identifying ways to encourage and facilitate more effective coexistence between people and red wolves,” Emily Weller, red wolf recovery lead for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said in an email to National Geographic .

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Here are the latest steps conservationists, researchers, and the federal government are taking to help rescue imperiled red wolves, such as releasing more wolves, better preparing them for the wild, trying to reduce vehicle collisions, and educating locals about this critically endangered species.

Born to be wild

In addition to the current small population in North Carolina, some 240 red wolves now live under human care at zoos and nature centers across the country. These facilities are part of the red wolf’s Species Survival Plan (SSP), which includes captive breeding to help rebuild their population and maintain genetic diversity. ( Learn more: Eight red wolves released into wild provide hope for species .)

Chris Lasher , an animal management supervisor with the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro and coordinator of the Red Wolf SSP, says that researchers would like to grow the captive population to a total of 400 individuals, an important step for preventing their extinction.

Next, more wolves need to be released, according to advocates like Sutherland and the Southern Environmental Law Center, whose lawsuit on behalf of conservation groups is what instigated the recent court-mandated releases. These releases need to continue, he says, “until the wild population hits 40 to 50 animals again and shows signs of taking off.” At this point, the red wolves can be best supported “by fostering captive pups into wild litters rather than releasing adult and adolescent wolves.”

This includes adults and pups. Perhaps the best way for red wolves to become savvy about their environment is from their parents, who ideally would pass on generations of learned wisdom about avoiding roads, how to hunt, and where to den. The process of pup fostering has a 100 percent success rate with red wolves and helps promote genetic diversity in the population.

It’s a difficult and time-sensitive procedure, however, and there must be wild litters on the landscape in order for it to be possible. 2019 and 2020 were the first years in the history of the red wolf recovery program—begun in 1987—in which no pups were born in the wild. But 2021’s foster effort appears to have been a success, and it remains to be seen if some of the pairs to be released this winter will produce more litters in the spring.

Better preparing wolves for release is another ongoing process. To do so, the animals are kept in large enclosures containing landscape features they would encounter in the wild. Roads are difficult to prepare them for—but keepers carefully experiment with potential forms of “negative enrichment,” which can be as simple as letting captive wolves associate car noises with semi-stressful experiences like health exams. In contrast, positive enrichment uses things like novel scents, natural objects, recorded animal sounds, hidden food and whole prey carcasses to provide mental and physical stimulation, says Regina Mossotti , Animal Director of the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri.

Feeding times are varied to prevent captive red wolves from associating humans with food. When possible they are also housed in family groups, Lasher says, “that would be similar to what they would experience in the wild.”

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The Fish and Wildlife Service is also developing strategies to reduce vehicle strikes, working   on things like motorist signage, wildlife crossings, road reflectors, and aversive conditioning—helping red wolves learn to avoid cars and roads, according to the agency. The Service plans also to modify the tracking collars of future red wolf releases to include orange reflective material, making them more visible on roadways at night, and more easily identifiable to hunters.

Like the ones slated for this winter, future releases will also take place outside the agricultural growing season, when there should be less traffic on nearby farm roads as well as on Highway 64, a main route to the Outer Banks, a popular vacation destination. Coordinating with the state’s Department of Transportation, the Fish and Wildlife Service purchased four portable electronic message boards to be used at various locations to urge people to drive with caution.

In November, the Senate passed, and President Biden signed, a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which includes $350 million to help states fund the construction of wildlife crossings. The bill also calls for a nationwide study of wildlife-vehicle collisions and guidance on how to prevent or reduce them. Wildlife crossings go over or under existing roads and have been shown effective at reducing car-caused fatalities—but they are expensive. Newly designated federal funds may enable the state’s Department of Transportation to add some on Highway 64, which cuts through the refuge. Some have already been designed by the state.

Staying alive

One critical part of saving red wolves is helping people to understand they belong on the landscape—and pose no threat to human life. ( Learn more: Red wolves are a unique species, authoritative study shows .)

Red wolves are legally protected under the Endangered Species Act, but a recent study published in the journal Biological Conservation found that a small minority of humans in their recovery area are the main factor driving this species toward extinction. Despite a majority of locals reporting positive impressions of red wolves, eleven percent of area hunters said that if they encountered a wolf, they would kill it. Among other conservation groups, the Wildlands Network has been working for years to teach the truth about red wolves—that they aren’t dangerous to humans, and don’t harm local wildlife resources .  

Federal agencies and conservation groups are hoping to work together through outreach programs, some of which have been hindered by pandemic restrictions. These include virtual information sessions, billboards and other publicity campaigns, as well as Prey for the Pack, a program in which local landowners are offered incentives in exchange for agreeing to create and maintain habitat beneficial for red wolves, and to allow red wolves on private property. The Fish and Wildlife Service now has around a thousand acres of privately owned land under agreements via Prey for the Pack, and is working to secure more, the agency said in an emailed statement.

The Fish and Wildlife Service recently assembled a team of experts to develop an updated recovery plan for the red wolf, which in large part will have to involve more successful reintroductions. The plan will also include research into other potential sites within the red wolf’s historic range—outside of eastern North Carolina—where a wild population could thrive.

The service also says they are recommitting to capturing and sterilizing coyotes to help red wolves hold territory and avoid hybridization—a successful measure that they had abandoned in recent years.

While red wolf recovery might seem in a sense to be “starting over,” as the nearly restored species once again teeters on the brink of extinction, biologists and experts have gained a wealth of insights over the past three decades about what must be done for the species to succeed.

Despite unfortunate missteps, setbacks, and challenges still ahead, Mossotti says it’s inspiring to see many people “working to help restore the species to its native range…and finding new reasons to hope.”

Jessica Suarez is a National Geographic Explorer, wildlife and conservation photographer and filmmaker based in Atlanta, Georgia. Follow her on Instagram . The National Geographic Society, committed to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world, has funded Suarez’s work. Learn more about the Society’s support of Explorers.

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The capital city of Ulyanovsk oblast .

Ulyanovsk - Overview

Ulyanovsk is a city in Russia located about 870 km southeast of Moscow, the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast. It is named in memory of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), a native of this city.

The population of Ulyanovsk is about 622,900 (2022), the area - 316 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 8422, the postal codes - 432000-432073.

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Ulyanovsk city latest news and posts from our blog:.

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Ulyanovsk in the 17th-19th centuries.

In 1648, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the fortress of Sinbirsk was founded on the right bank of the Volga River in order to protect the eastern borders of the Tsardom of Russia from the raids of nomadic tribes (Nogai Tatars), as well as to colonize the Volga region.

In the fall of 1670, Sinbirsk was unsuccessfully besieged by the army of Stepan Razin - the Don Cossack, who was the leader of the 1670-1671 uprising, the largest in the history of pre-Petrine Russia. In 1678, 1,579 people lived in Sinbirsk.

In 1729, the coat of arms of Sinbirsk was approved - a white pillar topped with a golden crown in the azure field. In 1780, Sinbirsk was renamed Simbirsk. In 1793, 13,317 people lived in this town.

In 1812, Ivan Goncharov, a famous Russian novelist and critic, was born in Simbirsk. In 1836, Emperor Nicholas I visited Simbirsk and made a lot of orders for the construction of new buildings in the town, especially in its central part. In 1840, the Simbirsk Theological Seminary was opened.

More Historical Facts…

In 1845, a monument to Nikolay Karamzin (1766-1826) was opened - the author of one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia and a reformer of the Russian literary language, who was born near Simbirsk. Today, this monument erected in Karamzin Public Garden is one of the symbols of Ulyanovsk. In 1848, one of the first libraries in the Volga region was opened in this town - the Karamzin Public Library.

In the summer of 1864, a terrible fire occurred in Simbirsk, which lasted 9 days. Only one fourth of the town buildings survived. In 1867, the merchant Yurgens opened the first bookstore in Simbirsk. In 1870, the future “leader of the world revolution” Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) was born in Simbirsk. Alexander Kerensky, a prominent Russian politician and statesman, was born here in 1881. According to the 1897 census, 43.3 thousand people lived in Simbirsk.

Ulyanovsk in the first half of the 20th century

From 1908 to 1912, Igor Kurchatov, the future creator of the Soviet atomic bomb, lived in Simbirsk with his parents and studied at the local gymnasium. In 1916, the construction of the Imperial Bridge over the Volga River was completed in Simbirsk. With a length of 2,089 meters, it was the longest bridge in the Russian Empire at that time.

After the First World War and the Russian Civil War, the city’s industry was in ruin. During the war years, not a single building was constructed in Simbirsk, street lighting disappeared, boulevards and parks fell into disrepair, up to a hundred residential buildings were destroyed.

On May 9, 1924, in connection with the death of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin), Simbirsk was renamed into Ulyanovsk, and Simbirsk Governorate - into Ulyanovsk Governorate. Other proposed options for the new name of the city were such as “Lenin”, “Leninsk”, “Ilyich”.

By the end of the 1930s, almost all churches in Ulyanovsk were destroyed or used for other purposes. On the eve of the Second World War, Ulyanovsk was a provincial city with a population of about 110 thousand people. There were no large industrial enterprises, with the exception of the 3rd State Plant named after Volodarsky (Ulyanovsk Cartridge Plant) - one of the oldest defense enterprises in Russia, specializing in the production of cartridges for rifled weapons.

During the Second World War, Ulyanovsk became the place of evacuation of 17 industrial enterprises from the occupied regions and the front line. The Minsk Tank School, renamed the 2nd Ulyanovsk Tank School, was relocated from Minsk, the Mogilev Military Infantry School, which became the Ulyanovsk Military Infantry School, was relocated from Mogilev. In 1942, a medical institute evacuated from Voronezh began to work in Ulyanovsk.

From October 1941 to August 1943, the Moscow Patriarchate was in evacuation in Ulyanovsk, headed by Metropolitan Sergius. From 1942 to 1945, Andrei Sakharov, the future creator of the hydrogen bomb, academician and human rights activist worked at the Ulyanovsk Machine-Building Plant.

On January 19, 1943, Ulyanovsk became the center of the newly formed Ulyanovsk Oblast. From the second half of 1941 to the beginning of 1942, the population of Ulyanovsk, due to the evacuees, doubled and amounted to more than 200 thousand people. By 1945, as a result of re-evacuation, it decreased by 50 thousand and amounted to 152 thousand people.

Ulyanovsk after the Second World War

In the post-war period, Ulyanovsk became an industrial city. In 1953, during the construction of the Volga cascade of hydroelectric power plants, part of Ulyanovsk was included in the flooding zone of the Kuibyshev reservoir. In 1957, the Ulyanovsk airport was built. Since the 1960s, thanks to the high rates of housing and industrial construction, Ulyanovsk began to grow rapidly both in area and in population. On May 5, 1967, the 300,000th resident of the city was born.

In the 1969-1970s, in honor of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin, the historical center of Ulyanovsk was built up with modern buildings: the hotel “Sovetskaya”, the House of Artists, the Memorial Center of Vladimir Lenin, the hotel “Venets”, the new railway station Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny, the new river station, the central airport Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny, the central department store, the central bus station, the Palace of Pioneers, the park “Friendship of Peoples”, etc.

With the construction of the Memorial Center of Vladimir Lenin, Ulyanovsk became one of the main tourist centers of the USSR, after Moscow and Leningrad. The city was not closed to foreigners, which distinguished it from many other industrial regional centers, but foreign tourists were not allowed to deviate from the route. On June 1, 1973, the 400,000th resident of Ulyanovsk was born. On April 16, 1982, the population of Ulyanovsk exceeded 500 thousand people.

On June 5, 1983, in Ulyanovsk, the river cruise ship “Alexander Suvorov” crashed into the railway bridge across the Volga (the Imperial Bridge). By mistake of the crew, the ship tried to pass under the non-navigable span of the bridge. As a result, more than 170 people died. The large number of casualties is explained by the fact that at the time of the collision, most of the passengers were in the movie theater and on the dance floor on the upper deck, which was completely destroyed by the collision with the bridge girder.

On July 17, 1987, the 600,000th resident of Ulyanovsk was born. The city’s tourist significance declined sharply after the collapse of the USSR. In 1998, Ulyanovsk celebrated its 350th anniversary.

In the 2000s, there was a discussion about the reverse renaming of the city to Simbirsk, but the residents of Ulyanovsk for the most part did not support this proposal. In 2009, the arches of the old railway bridge were replaced. On November 24, 2009, the Presidential Bridge across the Volga was opened, the second longest in Russia, with a length of about 6 kilometers.

Streets of Ulyanovsk

General view of Ulyanovsk

Author: Vladimir Kropotin

Soviet architecture in Ulyanovsk

Hotel Venets in Ulyanovsk

Ulyanovsk - Features

From 1648 to 1780, the name of Ulyanovsk was Sinbirsk, and from 1780 to 1924 - Simbirsk. This name was given to the town by its founder, Bogdan Khitrovo, after the name of the settlement of Sinbir (named after the Bulgarian prince Sinbir), the remains of which were located nearby. In 1924, after the death of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), Simbirsk was renamed into Ulyanovsk.

Ulyanovsk is located in a forest-steppe zone on the Volga Upland, on both banks of the Volga River (Kuybyshev Reservoir). The climate is moderately continental. The average temperature in February is minus 10.4 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 20.2 degrees Celsius. A characteristic feature of Ulyanovsk is the constant winds blowing from the Volga.

This city is a major transport point, lying between central Russia and the Urals. Neighboring regional centers are three to five hours away by car. There are two international airports near the city - Ulyanovsk-Central (ULV) and Ulyanovsk-Vostochny (ULY).

The banks of the Volga in Ulyanovsk are connected by two bridges. The old railway bridge was officially opened in 1916 and was named “Imperial of His Majesty Nicholas II”. In 1917, it was renamed Freedom Bridge. In 2009, it again began to be called “Imperial Bridge”. The new bridge (also called “Presidential Bridge”) was commissioned on November 26, 2009.

Public transport is represented by trams, trolleybuses, buses, and minibuses. In Ulyanovsk tram lines are located exclusively in the right-bank part of the city and trolleybus lines are in the left-bank part. In the last years of the USSR, it was planned to build a subway in Ulyanovsk.

It is a multi-ethnic city. The ethnic composition according to the 2010 All-Russian Population Census: Russians (77.65%), Tatars (12.64%), Chuvash (5.02%), Mordovians (1.4%). The economy of the city is based on the enterprises of the automotive industry, engine building, aircraft building, instrument making, machine building, and metalworking.

Ulyanovsk has a high potential for the development of the tourism industry. The tourist image of Ulyanovsk as “The Birthplace of Vladimir Lenin” is supplemented with some new ones now: “Russian provincial town of the 19th century”, “Homeland of Oblomov”, “Architectural Museum in the Open Air”.

The City Day of Ulyanovsk is traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday in September.

Main Attractions of Ulyanovsk

Lenin Memorial - a whole museum complex dedicated to Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) and his family. This is one of the largest historical and museum complexes in the Volga region. The main building was constructed for the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birth in 1970.

This is the only museum in the world that reflects the entire life of Lenin. It has more than 70 thousand exhibits including authentic belongings of the Ulyanov family, documents, photographs, and other items related to different periods of Russian history. Lenin Square, 1.

House-Museum of Vladimir Lenin . The exhibition of this museum is located on the territory of a wooden estate - a monument of urban architecture that belonged to the Ulyanov family at the end of the 19th century. Lenin spent his childhood and youth here. Lenina Street, 68.

Novy Venets Boulevard - a pedestrian street in the center of Ulyanovsk located on the highest point of the city. From here you can see the Volga, Imperial Bridge, and city districts. The boulevard was finally built up in the 1960s. The construction of many buildings was related to the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birth.

Museum of Local Lore named after Ivan Goncharov . This museum occupies a beautiful mansion with an elegant tower built as a monument to the great Russian writer Ivan Goncharov. The exhibition halls display archaeological artifacts and fossils. A significant part of the exposition is devoted to the life and work of Ivan Goncharov. An interesting numismatic collection and an exhibition of folk costumes also attract the attention of visitors. Novy Venets Boulevard, 3/4.

Historical and Memorial Museum of Ivan Goncharov - a magnificent building, which is a historical and architectural sight of Ulyanovsk. In 1812, the famous Russian writer Ivan Goncharov was born in one of its rooms. The exposition occupies all three floors of the building. A separate hall is dedicated to the history of the building itself, in the remaining halls there are thematic exhibitions related to the personality of the writer and his family. There are also halls that house historical collections and a collection of merchant household items. The tower of the building houses the Museum of the History of the Simbirsk Town Clocks. Goncharova Street, 20.

Museum “Simbirsk Classical Gymnasium” . Simbirsk was one of the first Russian cities to introduce secondary education for children. The museum exposition is dedicated to the history of the development of education in the Russian Empire. It is located in a former gymnasium, where Vladimir Ulyanov and Alexander Kerensky studied at one time. Inside, the atmosphere of the 19th century has been recreated. The interiors of classrooms, halls, dressing rooms, and a gym have been restored. The building that houses the museum was constructed in 1790. Spasskaya Street, 18.

Museum “Fire Department of Simbirsk-Ulyanovsk” . The exposition of this museum is located in the 19th century building previously occupied by the town fire brigade. The museum was opened after the restoration of the building in 1979. The collection consists of pre-revolutionary and Soviet sections. In the central part there is a diorama depicting the fire of 1894 in Simbirsk. Lenin Street, 43.

Historical and architectural complex “Simbirsk Fortified Line” . At the time of the foundation of Ulyanovsk, the Simbirsk line protected the Russian land from the raids of nomads from the east. Today, you can find a unique historical and architectural museum here. It features a defensive fortress and an earthen rampart, which were restored based on historical documents and remains found by archaeologists in Simbirsk. The exposition includes examples of Russian weapons, old documents, maps, diagrams, decrees, and a model of a water mill. Leo Tolstoy Street, 43a.

Museum of the History of Civil Aviation . This museum located near the airport Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny has an airfield and 4 halls with exhibits illustrating the history of aviation from the time of the Russian Civil War to the present day. In terms of the total number of exhibits (about 9 thousand), it is the country’s largest aviation museum. One of the unique exhibits is the Tu-144 supersonic airliner. Aviatsionnaya Street, 20a.

Balalaika Museum - a unique museum with a collection of the rarest balalaikas (a musical instrument very popular in pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia). The guests of the museum are invited to immerse themselves in the world of village music, to hear the sound of real peasant balalaikas. Here you can also taste tea made from herbs collected in the forests of the Ulyanovsk region. Bebelya Street, 19.

Savior Ascension Cathedral - a picturesque Orthodox church of sky-blue color built in the Baroque style in the 2000s to replace the demolished Ascension Cathedral (albeit in a different place). Ulyanovskaya Street, 2.

Holy Resurrection-Germanovsky Cathedral - one of the oldest churches in Ulyanovsk built in the early 18th century. During the years of Soviet power, it was closed and used as the state archive. In 2003, the building was returned to the Orthodox diocese. Gogolya Lane, 11.

House of Merchant Bokounin - a beautiful monument of wooden architecture, one of the architectural gems of Ulyanovsk. It was erected at the beginning of the 20th century on the territory of the estate of the Ulyanovsk merchant Sergei Bokounin. Part of the premises is occupied by the restaurant “Teremok”. Radishcheva Street, 4.

The Volga River (Kuibyshev Reservoir) - the largest artificial reservoir on the Volga created in the 1950s. The reservoir is 500 km long, with a maximum width of 44 km. Its powerful water resources are used to generate electricity. Due to its gigantic size, it significantly affected the Volga itself, changed the flow regime and began the processes of coastal washout. Home to many species of fish, the reservoir attracts fishing enthusiasts to its shores.

Ulyanovsk city of Russia photos

Ulyanovsk views.

Ulyanovsk Agricultural Academy

Architecture of old Simbirsk

Lenin is everywhere in Ulyanovsk

Sights of Ulyanovsk

Monument to Bogdan Khitrovo - the founder of Simbirsk (Ulyanovsk)

Author: Vladimir Baboshin

Tank IS-3 in Ulyanovsk

Light and music fountain Tornado in Ulyanovsk

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