Maned wolf
Chrysocyon brachyurusIn spite of its name, the maned wolf looks more like a fox than a wolf, and it has been described as a red fox on stilts. Contrary to what many believe, the long legs aren’t for speed – they are an adaptation to life in tall grass.
Length: 130 cm Withers height: 70 - 80 cm
The maned wolf is the least social of the canines. A female and a male may share a territory, but they are solitary for most of the time and meet only during mating in the winter. The territory is scent-marked with strong-smelling urine.
Maned wolves are nocturnal animals and roam far and wide in search of food. Their diet comprises everything from sugar cane, fruit and tubers to rodents, armadillos and rabbits.
Despite their long legs, maned wolves don’t run particularly fast. They hunt by sneaking up on their prey.