A Maned Wolf in Brazil - Observation of the Week, 8/7/19

Our Observation of the Week is this Maned Wolf, seen in Brazil by @edufranco!

Chrysocyon brachyurus, known in English as the Maned Wolf, is actually not a wolf but is the sole member of its own genus, and has not been shown to be closely related to any existing canid. A large animal, adults stand at about one meter at the shoulder, but this solo hunter specializes in bringing down smaller prey, such as birds, lizards, and rodents. It supplements its carnivorous diet with a large amount of plant material, including fruits, tubers, and even sugar cane. Hunted in the past, the Maned Wolf is now threatened mainly by habitat loss, disease (spread by domestic dogs), and vehicles.

The Maned Wolf shown above was photographed by Eduardo Franco at the Caraça Sanctuary Complex in Brazil, where priests have been leaving out trays of food for the animals since 1982. Eduardo’s ethology work with Black-fronted Titi Monkeys (Callicebus nigrifrons) brought him to the sanctuary around 2006.

In 2008, Eduardo (above) says “I had my first contact with birding and I fell in love. Never stopped.” He has since become a nature photography tour company, Destinos MG Tourism and Nature Photography. He joined iNaturalist this past November, and says

I always looked for a place where I could deposit images of all living things I found in the field. INaturalist came up to solve this problem. Scientists, naturalists and enthusiasts from around the world connected in one place is a dream come true. I try to contribute a little with images and help on identifications.

- by Tony Iwane

- Here's a video with some nice Maned Wolf information and a recording of its "roar bark".

Posted on August 8, 2019 02:28 AM by