Physical Characteristicsīody length is between three and four feet, and they can reach three feet at the shoulder. Half of their diet is comprised of fruit and plants. These canids are omnivorous, eating rodents, armadillos, and birds as well as eggs.

Maned wolves are found in grasslands, plains, and forests throughout South America. However, many zoos and conservation programs are working together to educate people and maintain healthy assurance populations. Additionally, some of the wolves’ body parts are sought due to their supposed supernatural properties. Their habitat has been lost to agriculture and pasturelands, and ranchers often kill them out of fear they will prey on livestock. Human activity is the maned wolf’s largest threat. Maned wolves mark their territory with scent glands, as well as urine and feces deposited around the perimeter. Pups mature in about a year.Īt the Zoo, you will likely smell the maned wolves before you see them. The Maned Wolf is the tallest of the wild canids its long legs are likely an adaptation. Its shoulder height is from 74 to 90 centimeters (2.4 to 2.9 feet), and its weight from 20 to 26 kilograms (44 to 57 pounds). The mother is the primary caregiver, but the male helps by hunting and regurgitating food for the pups. The Maned Wolf ranges from 125 to 130 centimeters (50 to 52 inches) in length, excluding the 3045-centimetre (12-18-inch) tail. After a gestation of about two months, two to five pups are born. Maned wolves are monogamous, although the male and female are rarely together outside of the breeding season. Individuals will share their range with a mate, but they travel, hunt, and rest alone. The maned wolf’s favorite fruit is the “wolf apple” ( Solanum lycocarpum), a tomato relative that looks like a husk-less tomatillo and smells like an apple. At least 50 percent of their diet is fruit and plant matter. They also dig up burrows to reach rodents and leap into the air to catch birds and insects. Maned wolves will tap the ground to flush out prey and rear up to pounce with their forepaws like a fox. They are nocturnal, solitary, ambush hunters and use their large ears to pinpoint the location of prey. Exceptionally long, slender legs allow these wolves to see over the tall grasses of their Cerrado (savanna) habitat. It is named for the long, dark mane that stands up when this animal senses danger. The Maned Wolf is part of our Wild Safari Wildlife collection.This member of the canine family from South America is sometimes described as a “fox on stilts.” However, genetic studies show that it is neither a wolf nor a fox, but a unique species that belongs in its own genus.Size: The Maned Wolf figure is about 4 inches long and 3 ½ inches tall.

It’s sculpted in a walking pose, with its head turned quizzically to the left. Characteristics: This Maned Wolf figure is accurate and detailed, with the animal’s characteristic long legs and neck mane well represented.Some scientists think it is the sole survivor of a group of large canids that lived in South America during the Pleistocene Epoch, which ended over 11,000 years ago. In fact, it is not closely related to any other member of its family, Canidae. Though its orange-red coloration resembles a fox, and it is called a wolf, it is not closely related to either animal. Its long legs help it navigate the tall grass of its habitat, while its distinctive black mane help it to appear larger when threatened by a predator. The Maned Wolf of South America is the tallest canid – a group that contains wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes and dogs.

Maned wolf