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Wolfwatcher

5 hours ago

Maned Wolves

Maned wolves are more closely related to the forest fox and the bush dog. (Chrysocyon brachyurus.)
A maned wolf is really not a wolf or a fox – in fact they unique in the animal world, and the only species left in their genus.
Maned Wolf is Sometimes Called
Guara wolf or “lobo-guara” in Brazil. Their other nicknames include “fox-on-stilts” for their long legs, and for "fruit wolf" their penchant for fruit. Some people call them: “skunk fox” because of the very strong distinctive odor of the urine they use to mark territory.
How Many Maned Wolves Are Left in the Wild?
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there is an estimated 26,000 maned wolves left in the wild and a few hundred in captive breeding programs in zoos. See: "Encouraging News" below for more information. Maned wolves are found in the grasslands of Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, and northern Argentina. They are extinct in Uruguay.
Maned Wolf Conservation Notes
Habitat loss from encroaching human populations, including deforestation and the burning of their grassland habitat for farm use, plus the diseases introduced by domesticated animals, including dogs, have all taken a heavy toll on the maned wolf. Along with more humans came hunting encouraged by myth and erroneous beliefs: the first was the idea that maned wolves’ organs were medicinal (the teeth) or lucky (the right eye ball); the second is that maned wolves killed livestock and chickens. In truth, this animal’s organs are only useful to the individual maned wolf to which they are connected. As for killing livestock, aside from small rodents, fish, and some birds, these animals are mostly vegetarian. Physically, although the manned wolf is large enough, his small teeth and jaws make it highly improbable, if not impossible, for him to kill any livestock other than the occasional newborn lamb, pig, or free range chicken. See below "On the Menu" for more information. Aside from being hunted, another human born threat is the motor vehicle. Farms, ranches, and mineral mines are fast breaking up huge expanses of the Cerrado. New roads follow human settlement, and traffic follows the new roads. Vehicles on the Trans-Chaco highway are responsible for killing numerous maned wolves every year.

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