Common Name(s): Maned Wolf
Scientific Name: Chrysocyon brachyurus

Current Status: endangered

Population: There are approximately 2000 individuals in northern Argentina and 2500 in Brazil.

Habitat:, The maned wolf once occupied the highlands of central South America, mainly the grassland and cerrado forest of the Brazilian Central Highlands. Presently, they inhabit Central South America south of the Amazon rain forest. Ironically, the destruction of the rain forest land has helped the maned wolf to extend its territory. The climate of this region is subtropical having defined wet and dry seasons.

Range: Note: Central and southern Brazil, Paraguay, northern Argentina, eastern Bolivia and southeastern Peru.

Description: weighs 50 pounds, and is about 1-3.5 feet long from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. Tail 18 inches long. Red coat with black legs, muzzle and "mane" (patch of long, erect hairs across the shoulders); white under chin, inside ears and tip of tail. No underfur. Pups born black with white-tipped tail. Largest canid in South America.

Niche: Omnivorous opportunist: feeds on small mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, as well as insects and seasonally available fruit. Usually nocturnal and shy, but will be active during the day in areas uninbited by humans. Solitary territorial pairs appear to be monogamous, but avoid each other except during breeding season. Zoo animals are kept successfully in pairs.

Reproduction: Between 2-5 pups are born blind, usually June-September. Litter is weaned after 15 weeks and pups mature in 1 year. Young are raised in a den made in tall grass or thickets. Males help to care for young and will regurgitate food for them in captivity, but little is known of parenting behavior in wild pairs. Captive lifespan 12-15 years.

Threats: The biggest threat is destruction of its natural habitat arising from human agricultural development. It is these long term effects that are most hazardous. Extensive overgazing by cattle, annual burning of pasture land, the cutting of land and induced erosion take away the maned wolves food and territory. There is less unused land, a problem for the maned wolf's need for a broad range in which to live. This may lead to reproductive isolation, inbreeding and possibly extinction of the population. Although they are not hunted for sport, they are occasionally directly killed by farmers and ranchers in retribution for preying on domestic livestock such as chickens. They seem to incorporate humans into their range and do not avoid areas with humans. However, aside from a female maned wolf and her pups, the wolves are timid. The peoples themselves of the Serra de Canastra region interact little with maned wolves.

Conservation: Fortunately, maned wolves are flexible in their food and habitat requirements. One place making use of this is thie Smithsonian's Conservation Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia which is just one of 25 North American institutions doing so. The North American, captive maned wolf population has steadily increased over the last 5 years to 91 wolves. Although this in itself is not enough to maintain a self-sustaining population, North American only accounts for one quarter the world's population. The Australian Zoo Association and the Zoo Association in Brazil also have maned wolf programs and with cooperation between these programs 90% of the original gene diversity can be maintained for the next 100 years. In the wild, there may be about 2000 individuals in northern Argentina and 2500 in Brazil. Many who are injured in this region (from vehicles or any farmers) end up in captivity. They are considered endangerered in Brazil.