IUCN Conservation Status –
Least Concern
Extinct In The Wild
Class: Mammals
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Maned wolves are extremely shy, secretive animals. You may need to be patient to see our maned wolves, Tolock and Lua!
The largest canid in South America, the maned wolf prefers habitats of tall grasslands and the scrub-edge of forests.
They have a varied diet of small mammals, fish, vegetables and fruit, making them omnivores. Our maned wolf enjoys quail and chicken as the main part of his diet!
Interesting facts!
- Despite their look and name, this species is neither a wolf or a fox! They are part of their very own genus, Chrysocyon.
- Maned wolves are not social animals. They like to lead a quiet, solitary lifestyle, and often hunt at dawn or dusk.
- As well as different vocalisations, maned wolves also communicate through scent marking with their urine. This has a very pungent odour that you’re sure to smell when walking through the zoo!
Conservation
The main threat to maned wolves is loss of their habitat and fragmentation, with grasslands often being converted to farmland. The species is protected against hunting across South America.
Our maned wolf is a part of the EAZA ex-situ breeding programme (EEP) for the species.