Maned Wolf

What’s in a name? For this unique animal, it is a wolf in name only. It is however a canid, and therefore related to the wolf. Maned wolves are more closely related to the forest fox and the bush dog (canid species from South America).
Despite this relationship, the maned wolf is the only species in its genus. It has a very different appearance than the wolves we are used to seeing, and more closely resembles a fox than a wolf.
In fact, here’s a fun fact for kids. The maned wolf’s fox-like characteristics – such as a shaggy, white tipped tail and large ears – have earned it the nickname of “fox on stilts.”
The maned wolf is a South American native whose range extends from the Amazon basin rain forest in Brazil to the dry shrub forests of Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Maned wolves have chestnut red pelage over rather large bodies, and black pelage on their long, slender legs, feet and muzzle. They have long red fur covering necks, backs, and chests which they can stand on end to give the appearance of a mane.
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