An endangered red wolf was hit by a vehicle and killed on U.S. 64 earlier this month.
Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the wolf was killed on June 5 near Buffalo Road; it is the third endangered wolf killed on the road since September.
The wild population of red wolves live on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Tyrrell County.
Another breeding male was killed last September, and a third was killed in April.
There are only about 20 red wolves in the wild, but 13 puppies were born in the wild this spring. They won’t be added to the population count until they are a year old.
Another 257 red wolves live in captivity.
