The maned wolf is the largest canid of South America. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is not a fox. It is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon.

RANGE:

This wolf lives in central and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina.

HABITAT:

The maned wolf inhabits open forest, savanna, and marshland.

DIET:

Maned wolves are omnivorous, eating small mammals, insects, reptiles, birds, bird eggs, fruits, and vegetation.

THREATS TO SURVIVAL:

Habitat destruction is the main threat to maned wolves. They have almost no natural enemies, but nevertheless are in great danger because they needs wide, uninterrupted spaces. In addition, people kill these wolves for their body parts, believed to have magical properties.

CONSERVATION:

The National Zoo has been working to protect maned wolves for nearly 30 years and coordinates the collaborative, inter-zoo Maned Wolf Species Survival Plan, which includes breeding maned wolves, studying them in the wild, protecting their habitat, and educating people about them.

Maned wolves rotate their large ears to listen for prey animals in the grass. They tap the ground with a front foot to flush out the prey and pounce to catch it.