After an Increase in 'Ghost Wolf' Deaths, Texas Officials Are Taking Action to Protect the Species from Traffic

After an Increase in 'Ghost Wolf' Deaths, Texas Officials Are Taking Action to Protect the Species from Traffic https://ift.tt/C0BYqdk

The hybrid-gene species carries DNA from the critically endangered red wolf

An image of three ghost wolves on Galveston Island
Credit: Texas DOT

NEED TO KNOW

• Texas officials installed wildlife crossing signs on Galveston Island to protect "ghost wolves" and reduce vehicle collisions
• "Ghost wolves" are coyote-wolf hybrids carrying genetic traces of the critically endangered red wolf species
• The initiative follows years of research on coyote deaths and concerns about development's impact on local wildlife

Texas officials have installed new wildlife crossing signs along a coastal highway to reduce vehicle collisions and protect a rare population of animals known as "ghost wolves."

According to a press release from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) published Thursday, April 2, the signage recently added along FM 3005 on Galveston Island, a barrier island along the Texas Gulf Coast, follows years of concern from researchers about rising coyote deaths in the area.

The island animals, also called "ghost wolves," are believed to carry genetic traces of the critically endangered red wolf, a species that once roamed the region but largely disappeared in the late 1900s. Over the years, red wolves began to crossbreed with coyotes, keeping those genetic traces alive through the resulting hybrids. These mixed-breed animals were named "ghost wolves."

The road safety initiative is a collaboration between local wildlife experts and TxDOT, which began studying the issue after being contacted by researchers with the Gulf Coast Canine Project in 2024.

From there, transportation officials analyzed coyote mortality data collected between 2020 and 2025 to pinpoint where car crashes were happening most frequently. The results led to the installation of 10 wildlife crossing signs across a 19-mile stretch of FM 3005, with placements designed to alert drivers in both directions.

Officials say the goal is straightforward: reduce vehicle crashes that can be dangerous for both drivers and animals. The new signs should benefit not only ghost wolves but also other wild animals that cross the roadway.

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PEOPLE reached out to the Texas Department of Transportation for comment and has yet to receive a response.

The effort also reflects growing concern about how development is impacting wildlife on the island. Researchers and community members raised the issue during a 2025 town hall focused on protecting the elusive "ghost wolves," whose genetic link to red wolves has made them of growing scientific interest.

Still, for researchers, the project marks an important step in preserving what remains of the red wolf's genetic legacy.