RANGE Central and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina
HABITAT Open forest, savanna, and marshland
DIET Small mammals, insects, reptiles, birds, bird eggs, fruits, and vegetation
Maned wolves resemble a red fox on stilts, although they are not related to foxes or members of the wolf family.
Their long legs enable them to see above the tall grass, which helps them hunt for food and avoid predators.
The maned wolf's urine has a strong distinctive smell similar to skunk spray. Like many animals, the maned wolf uses urine to mark the boundaries of its territory. Zoo guests often smell the strong odor before they can see the maned wolf.
At birth, the pups weigh around 13 ounces. Their eyes and ears open by day nine. By week four, their ears stand upright, and they will take regurgitated food. Their coat changes from black to red by week 10, and they are weaned by 15 weeks.
The most significant threat to their population is the drastic reduction of habitat, especially due to conversion to agricultural land. They are also victim to roadway mortality.
Domestic dogs compete with maned wolves for food, spread diseases, and may even pursue and kill them. Humans kill these wolves for their body parts, believed to have magical properties.
