- The Maned Wolf is a misnomer. Although a canine, it is the only living member of the genus Chyrsocyon. While it looks like a "fox on stilts," it is most closely related to the Bush Dog
- It's name in Portuguese is the lobo-guará
- The Maned Wolf lives in various habits and its range extends from Central Brazil to Southeastern Peru. It prefers grasslands, and is therefore one of the few species that might benefit from the conversion of forests into farmland.
- Maned Wolves are not fierce predators. They are quite shy and secretive, and are true omnivores. Over half their diet is comprised of fruit, especially the lobieria (fruit of the wolf), a fruit closely related to tomatoes.
- Important adaptations are:
- stilt-like legs: allow them to see above grass
- mane: raise it in order to increase their size. Maned Wolves are not very aggressive, and usually this will be enough to avoid a conflict
- "roar-bark": very few recordings; rarity may be due to the fact that maned wolves rarely use this in captivity
- stinky urine: maned wolves are territorial and solitary animals. While a male and female may share a territory, they will rarely spend time together except during the breeding season. They are considered to be monogamous.
- They are considered near-threatened. Many ranchers perceive them as a threat to their livestock, when in reality, maned wolves rarely go for anything bigger than birds or small rodents. Automobile accidents and habitat fragmentation also contribute to this status.
- Sadly, lots of superstition surrounds the Maned Wolf. The roar bark is believed to indicate a change in weather and many of their body parts are sold because of their "magical powers."
I found these animals to be incredibly beautiful and interesting in their unusual behavior for canines its size. Although the chances of seeing one are low because of their secretive demeanor, we may get lucky!
-Catie
(for a complete list of sources please look at the prezi I emailed out)
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