Scientific Classification

Common Name

maned wolf

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Canidae

Genus Species

Chrysocyon brachyurus

Fast Facts

Description

The maned wolf has a reddish-tan coat with a thick, black mane running along the back of their neck and over the shoulders. The muzzle and lower legs are black and the throat and tail are lighter in color..

Size

Head & body length: 95 to 1,320 cm (3 to 4.3 ft.)
Tail length: 28 to 49 cm (1 to 1.6 ft.)
Shoulder height: 74 to 90 cm (2.4 to 2.9 ft.)

Weight

20 to 26 kg (44 to 57 lbs.)

Diet

Small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, fruit and other plant material.

Incubation

62 to 66 days

Nursing Duration

Weaned by 15 weeks

Life Span

Approximately 15 years

Range

The maned wolf is found primarily in Brazil but there are also populations in Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina.

Habitat

Maned wolves inhabit open habitat types favoring grasslands, shrub habitats, woodland with an open canopy, mixed forest and grassland, and wet fields. Rocky fields associated with open grasslands in higher altitudes 1,000 to 2,000 m (3,250 to 6,500 ft.) can be an important habitat for the species in some areas.

Population

Global: The current population of maned wolves is estimated at approximately 17,000 mature individuals with over 90% of the population in Brazil. The population is not severely fragmented.

Status 

IUCN: Near Threatened
CITES: Appendix II
USFWS:  Endangered

Fun Facts

1. The maned wolf is the largest canid in South America. This species is the only member of its genus. Technically, it is not a fox or a wolf.
2. The particularly long legs of the maned wolf are likely an adaptation which allows them to see above the tall grass in which they often hunt.
3. Maned wolves exhibit monogamous pairings, with breeding pairs defending a territory averaging 27 km² (17 mi^2.). Despite the concerted defense of territory, male and female wolves typically only associate closely during breeding season.
4. In a zoological setting, male maned wolves have been observed regurgitating food for their young. This may indicate that the male plays a significant role in the care of young in the natural environment.

Ecology and Conservation

The maned wolf is subject to many threats, including deforestation, loss of grasslands, road kills, direct persecution by humans, and disease due to contact with domestic animals.

Maned wolves are protected by law in many parts of their range and are classified as Endangered in Argentina. Hunting is prohibited in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina.

The maned wolf may already be extinct in Uruguay.

Bibliography

Nowak, Ronald M. Walker's Mammals of the World - Volume I (Sixth Edition). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991.

Paula, R.C. & DeMatteo, K. 2015. Chrysocyon brachyurus (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T4819A88135664. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T4819A82316878.en/. Downloaded on 18 October 2018.