Maned Wolf
http://artsofthelife.blogspot.com/2013/09/maned-wolf.html
Maned Wolf
The maned wolf is the largest canid of South America, resembling a large fox with reddish fur.
The maned wolf bears minor similarities to the red fox, though it should be noted that it belongs to a completely different genus. The adult animal stands 65 to 105 cm tall at the shoulder, averages 125 cm in head-and-body length and weighs 20 to 35 kg .The maned wolf is the tallest of the wild canids. The long legs are probably an adaptation to the tall grasslands of its native habitat. The tail measures 25 to 45 cm in length. Fur of the maned wolf may be reddish brown to golden orange on the sides with long, black legs and a distinctive black mane. The coat is further marked with a whitish tuft at the tip of the tail and a white "bib" beneath the throat.
The maned wolf is also known for its distinctive odor, which has earned it the nickname "skunk wolf."
Unlike other large canids such as the gray wolf, the African hunting dog, the maned wolf does not form packs. It hunts alone, usually between sundown and midnight. It kills its prey by biting on the neck or back, and shaking it violently if necessary.
Unlike other large canids such as the gray wolf, the African hunting dog, the maned wolf does not form packs. It hunts alone, usually between sundown and midnight. It kills its prey by biting on the neck or back, and shaking it violently if necessary.
Gestation lasts 60 to 65 days, and it has from 2 to 6 black-furred pups, each weighing about 450 g . These pups are fully grown in about one year. During that year, the pups are known to rely on their parents for food.
The maned wolf specializes in small and medium-sized prey, including small mammals , birds, and even fish. A large fraction of its diet over 50%, according to some studies is vegetable matter.
Although the maned wolf displays many fox-like characteristics, it is not closely related to foxes The maned wolf's evolutionary relationship to the other members of the canid family makes it a unique animal. Electrophoretic studies did not link Chrysocyon with any of the other canids studied. One conclusion of this study is that the maned wolf is the only survivor of the late Pleistocene extinction of the large South American canids.
The maned wolf is not closely related to any other living canid. It is not a fox, wolf, coyote, dog, or jackal, but a distinct canid, although previously it had been placed in Canis and Vulpes genera based on morphological similarities.
The maned wolf specializes in small and medium-sized prey, including small mammals , birds, and even fish. A large fraction of its diet over 50%, according to some studies is vegetable matter.
Although the maned wolf displays many fox-like characteristics, it is not closely related to foxes The maned wolf's evolutionary relationship to the other members of the canid family makes it a unique animal. Electrophoretic studies did not link Chrysocyon with any of the other canids studied. One conclusion of this study is that the maned wolf is the only survivor of the late Pleistocene extinction of the large South American canids.
The maned wolf is not closely related to any other living canid. It is not a fox, wolf, coyote, dog, or jackal, but a distinct canid, although previously it had been placed in Canis and Vulpes genera based on morphological similarities.
