Home › Mammalia › Canidae › Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Chrysocyon
IUCN STATUS
Near Threatened
CONSERVATION STATUS
Near Threatened
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Central South America
DIET
Omnivorous
HABITAT
Cerrado grassland and scrub
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Canidae
GENUS
Chrysocyon
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 1 m at shoulder; 20-30 kg
COLORATION
Golden-red coat with black legs and a dark mane
ADAPTATIONS
Very long legs to see over tall grass; not a true wolf
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Cerrado grassland and scrub
DIET
Omnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Central South America
REPRODUCTION
2-6 pups per litter
DIET DETAILS
Fruit (esp. lobeira), small mammals, birds
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat loss, roads, disease
💡 Interesting Facts
1
The tallest wild canid in South America, it looks like 'a fox on stilts'.
2
Its territorial scent famously smells of cannabis, earning it the nickname 'skunk wolf'.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Serra da Canastra NP
Caraça Sanctuary
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
May-September
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch open grassland at dusk near reserves like Serra da Canastra; some lodges offer night viewing.
