Red wolves were hunted to near extinction by early European settlers to eastern North America - they were considered a threat to the expanding colonial livestock infrastructure. Wolves in general have fallen prey to the peculiar "demon-hunting" mindset which often underlies, and justifies, the excessive hunting of anthropomorphized, "evil" predators. Although the red wolf's status as a distinct species is currently a source of controversy, these canids are the continual focus of conservation efforts at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina, where less than 150 of these wolves are maintained. Approximately 50 red wolves live elsewhere in the wild.
For an interesting read on the current state of Red Wolf controversy and conservation: "What is a Species, Anyway?" by Ben Crair, New Republic, Dec.6, 2015
One in a series of nine, this original elongated penny was designed by Bec Young, and made on a machine created by Stuart O. Anderson and Justseeds member Shaun Slifer. While currently producing small runs of single-sided penny editions, the completed machine will produce double-sided pennies matching extinct and critically endangered animals with urban wildlife. Read more about the project...
Please note: while these pennies were all cleaned prior to rolling, each will bear individual variations as a result of their former existence as circulated currency, showing various patinas and markings per penny.
