Meet the solitary, nocturnal maned wolf

Issue: Winter 2023

What species looks like a fox, walks like a deer, and barks like a dog? It’s not a riddle or a mythical creature. It’s the maned wolf—a spindly-legged, red-coated canid found in Brazil’s Cerrado grasslands. But despite its name and characteristics, the maned wolf isn’t a wolf at all. Rather, it’s the only member of a unique genus: Chrysocyon, meaning “golden dog.”

MANED WOLF

Chrysocyon brachyurus

RANGE Central and eastern South America
WEIGHT Around 50 lb.
LIFE EXPECTANCY 12–15 years
THREATS Habitat loss due to land conversion for agriculture
HEIGHT About 3 ft. tall at the shoulder

COAT Rust-colored, with a raised black mane from which the animal gets its name
EARS Large and pointed; can rotate to better locate prey
LEGS Long and stilt-like; likely evolved to help the animal move through tall grasses while hunting

WOLF PLANT

Maned wolves eat small mammals, reptiles, and birds, but about half of their diet consists of fruits and vegetables. One of their favorite foods is the tomato-like fruit lobeira, or “wolf plant.”

MANE SQUEEZE

While these nocturnal canids are largely solitary, they do form monogamous, lifelong bonds. Partners share overlapping territory, meeting only to mate during the breeding season.

MEASURING UP

Here’s how the towering height of the maned wolf compares to some other animals’.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi | 1 ft.

Red Fox | 1.5 ft.

Golden Retriever | 2 ft.

Grey Wolf | 2.6 ft.

MANED WOLF | 3 ft.

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About: World Wildlife magazine provides an inspiring, in-depth look at the connections between animals, people and our planet. Published quarterly by WWF, the magazine helps make you a part of our efforts to solve some of the most pressing issues facing the natural world.