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Originally, the range of the
maned wolf extended from the northern tip of Brazil, along the edge
of the Amazon Basin, and south into the northern parts of Paraguay,
Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay. Today, the Maned Wolf is located
only in Brazil, and parts of Argentina and Peru. The largest population
is found in the Sierra da Canastra National Park, created in 1972
by Brazilian federal decree. |
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The
body of the Maned Wolf is covered with long, reddish-yellow hair.
Its legs, feet and mane (erectile hairs along the upper portion
of the back and neck which give the species its name) are black,
Its black muzzle is long and pointed and it has extremely large
ears. The hair is white under the chin, inside the ears and on the
tip of the tail. |
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The Maned
Wolf can stand three feet high at the shoulder and weigh 50 pounds.
The legs of the maned wolf are so long that its height is greater
than the length of its trunk! |
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The Maned
Wolf will prey on small mammals like field mice during the dry season.
The Maned Wolf is also a notorious chicken thief, who, to the dismay
of many a farmer, preys wholeheartedly on domestic chickens. Unfortunately,
small mammals are in short supply in the Maned Wolf's home range,
so, duringDuring the daylight hours Maned Wolves prefer tp rest
the wet season Maned Wolves eat fruit such as Solanum lycocarpum,
the "loberia", the "fruit of the maned wolf".
They are omnivores in the strictest sense: they will eat anything! |
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During
daylight hours, the Maned Wolf likes to rest in thick cover either
in the forest or in grass and shrubs near streams. It hunts and
forages at night. |
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Maned
Wolves live in monogamous male-female pairs. Together, they defend
permanent territories of up to forty miles. Often the two come together
only during the breeding season - from April through August. It
is then that the pregnant females give birth to 1 to 2 pups, after
a 65 to 70 day gestation period. Both the male and the female are
known to care for the young. The den is usually made from tall grass
or thickets. |
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The
Maned Wolf marks its territory with urine, which has a strong odor,
that warns other animals to keep away. |
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The
Maned Wolf has an unusual gait in that it moves both legs on one
side of its body at the same time. This gives it a characteristic
rolling or rocking motion as it runs! |
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The long
legs of the Maned Wolf help it to see over the tall grass of the
South American savannahs where it lives! |
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Legend has it that the mere gaze of the Maned Wolf can kill a
chicken! |
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Maned Wolves are endangered
for the following reasons:
1. Loss of natural habitat - effects of agriculture
- overgrazing by cattle, annual burning of pasture and soil erosion
- leave less food and territory for the wolf.
2. Maned wolves are often shot by farmers
who say the wolf is killing livestock. The weak jaw of the Maned
Wolf prevents it from killing anything but small mammals, reptiles
and birds - a fact that does not keep farmers from blaming the Maned
Wolf for the deaths of calves and colts. |
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