Imagine a wild animal with long, thin legs, that evokes the impression of a moose or a camel when it walks, yet has reddish fur and a face that belong on a fox. This sublime canine calls parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and (maybe) Uruguay, home. Chrysocyon brachyurus, common name ‘maned wolf’, is neither a wolf nor a fox. It is the only species in its genus, Chrysocyon, which is Latin for ‘golden dog’. An adult can be almost 3 feet tall at the withers yet weighs as little as 20–30 kilograms (44–66 lbs).
The maned wolf does have fur resembling a mane but it’s only obvious when the animal senses danger or feels threatened or angry, at which time the hair of the mane stands erect.
Unlike other canids which are social animals such as wolves and domesticated dogs, the maned wolf prefers to live a solitary life, only pairing with another maned wolf for mating and raising pups. Afterwards, the empty nesters go their separate and solitary ways once more. However, it’s not uncommon for several members of the species to converge on an area conducive to easy hunting, such as a clearing.
Though not an endangered species, their numbers are limited in the wild to a few thousand members.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Caninae
Tribe: Canini
Genus: Chrysocyon
(Smith, 1839)
Species: C. brachyurus
Binomial name: Chrysocyon brachyurus
(Illiger, 1815)
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“Rescued Maned Wolf saying hi (Chrysocyon brachyurus)” (1:00)
