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| Common Name: | Maned wolf | Family: | Canidae |
| Latin Name: | Chrysocyon brachyurus | Diet: | Omnivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Grasslands |
| Native To: | South America | Social Unit: | Individual or pairs |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Near threatened |
Maned wolves at Edinburgh Zoo
As of 2009, Edinburgh Zoo has two female maned wolves, which are mother and daughter. The mother was born in 2006 and her daughter was born in 2009.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
Our maned wolves’ enclosure is at the north end of the park. They share an enclosure with our giant anteaters.
Maned wolves in the wild
Maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) are native to central South America, where they inhabit grassland and scrub forest habitats. Their range includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Peru. They belong to the Canidae family, which is the biological family of the dogs. The Canidae family includes wolves, foxes, coyotes and jackals. The individual member species of this family are called canids. The maned wolf is the largest canid in South America.
Maned wolves are well adapted for life in the grasslands, having long, stilt-like legs. These long legs enable the maned wolf to see over the long grasses of its habitat when hunting prey, whilst at the same time, keeping itself hidden amongst the vegetation. In fact, the maned wolf is sometimes described as a “red fox on stilts” because of the similarities in the two species’ colouring and appearance. However, the maned wolf is much larger than the red fox and is of a different genus entirely.
Maned wolves are true omnivores, taking full advantage of their lush habitat. They eat small rodents and hares, armadillos, birds, fish, insects, and vegetable matter such as sugar cane and tubers. They are especially fond of the “Wolf apple,” a fruit that is common to the Brazilian savannah. This fruit and other vegetable matter can make up to 50 percent of the maned wolf’s diet. Maned wolves do not form packs like other canids. They tend to live and hunt alone or in monogamous pairs.
Maned wolf populations are facing a severe threat from the drastic reduction of their habitat, mainly due to the repurposing of land for farming. Domestic dogs chase and kill maned wolves, as well as spreading disease to the maned wolf population. Many maned wolves living near roads are killed in traffic. Because of these threats and the projected decline in the number of maned wolves in the wild, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the maned wolf as Near Threatened, meaning that the species is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
Breeding programme category: EEP
IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened
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