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By – Vinuri Randula Silva,
maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is a large canine of South America. The maned wolf is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is neither a fox nor a wolf. It is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon (meaning "golden dog").
It is the largest canine
in South America, weighing 20–30 kg (44–66 lb) and up to 90 cm
(35 in) at the withers. Its long,
thin legs and dense reddish coat give it an unmistakable appearance. The maned
wolf is a crepuscular and omnivorous animal
adapted to the open environments of the South American savanna, with an
important role in the seed dispersal of
fruits, especially the wolf apple (Solanum
lycocarpum). The maned wolf is a solitary animal. It communicates primarily
by scent marking, but also gives a loud call known as
"roar-barking".
This mammal lives
in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with
scattered bushes and trees, in the Cerrado of south, central-west, and
southeastern Brazil; Paraguay;
northern Argentina; and Bolivia east
and north of the Andes, and far
southeastern Peru (Pampas
del Heath only). It is very rare in Uruguay, possibly
being displaced completely through loss of habitat. The International
Union for Conservation of Nature lists
it as near threatened, while it is considered a vulnerable species by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural
Resources. In 2011, a female maned wolf,
run over by a truck, underwent stem cell treatment
at the Zoo
Brasília, this being the first recorded case of the use of stem
cells to heal injuries in a wild animal.
The species was described in 1815 by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger, initially as Canis brachyurus. Lorenz Oken classified it as Vulpes cancosa, and only in 1839 did Charles Hamilton Smith describe the genus Chrysocyon. Other authors later considered it as a member of the Canis genus. Fossils of Chrysocyon dated from the Late Pleistocene and Holocene epochs were collected in one of Peter Wilheim Lund expeditions to Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais (Brazil). The specimen is kept in the South American Collection of the Zoologisk Museum in Denmark. Since no other record exists of fossils in other areas, the species is suggested to have evolved in this geographic region.
The maned wolf is the tallest of the wild canids; its long legs are likely an adaptation to the tall grasslands of its native habitat. 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 marked further with a whitish tuft at the tip of the tail and a white "bib" beneath the throat. The mane is erectile and typically is used to enlarge the wolf's profile when threatened or when displaying aggression. Melanistic maned wolves do exist, but are rare. The first photograph of a black adult maned wolf was taken by a camera trap in northern Minas Gerais in Brazil in 2013.
The skull can be
identified by its reduced carnassials, small upper incisors, and long
canine teeth. Like other canids, it has 42 teeth with the dental formula 3.1.4.23.1.4.3 × 2 = 42.
The maned wolf's rhinarium extends
to the upper lip, similar to the bush dog, but
its vibrissae are longer. The skull also features a
prominent sagittal crest.
The maned wolf's
footprints are similar to those of the dog, but have disproportionately small
plantar pads when compared to the well-opened digit marks. The dog has
pads up to 3 times larger than the maned wolf's footprint.
These pillows have a
triangular shape. The front footprints are 7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in)
long and 5.5–7 cm (2.2–2.8 in) wide, and those of the hind feet are
6.5–9 cm (2.6–3.5 in) long and 6.5–8.5 cm (2.6–3.3 in)
wide. One feature that differentiates the maned wolf's footprint from those of
other South American canids is the proximal union of the third and fourth digits.The maned wolf also is known for the
distinctive cannabis-like odor
of its territory markings, which has earned it the nickname "skunk
wolf".
Their mating season ranges
from November to April. Gestation lasts 60 to 65 days, and a litter may have from two
to six black-furred pups, each weighing roughly 450 g (16 oz). Pups
are fully grown when one year old. During that first year, the pups rely on
their parents for food.
Data on the maned wolf's
estrus and reproductive cycle mainly come from captive animals, particularly
about breeding endocrinology. Hormonal changes of maned wolves in the wild
follow the same variation pattern of those in captivity.Females ovulate spontaneously,
but some authors suggest that the presence of a male is important for estrus
induction.
Captive animals in the
Northern Hemisphere breed between October and February and in the Southern
Hemisphere between August and October. This indicates that photoperiod plays
an important role in maned wolf reproduction, mainly due to the production
of semen.
Gerally, one estrus occurs
per year. The amount of sperm produced by the maned wolf is lower compared
to those of other canids.
Copulation occurs during
the four-day estrus period, and is followed by up to 15 minutes of sexual intercourse. Courtship is similar to that of other canids,
characterized by frequent approaches and anogenital investigation.
Gestation lasts
60 to 65 days and a litter may have from two to six pups. One litter of seven
has been recorded. Birthing has been observed in May in the Canastra Mountains,
but data from captive animals suggest that births are concentrated between June
and September. The maned wolf reproduces with difficulty in the wild, with
a high rate of infant mortality. Females can go up to two years without
breeding. Breeding in captivity is even more difficult, especially in temperate
parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
Pups are born weighing
between 340 and 430 grams. They begin their lives with black fur, becoming red
after 10 weeks. The eyes open at about 9 days of age. They are nursed
up to 4 months. Afterwards, they are fed by their parents by regurgitation, starting on the third week of age and lasting up to 10
months. Three-month-old pups begin to accompany their mother while
she forages. Males and females both engage in parental care,
but it is primarily done by the females. Data on male parental care have
been collected from captive animals, and little is known whether this occurs
frequently in the wild. Maned wolves reach sexual maturity at 1 year of
age, when they leave their birth territory.
The maned wolf's
longevity in the wild is unknown, but estimates in captivity are between 12 and
15 years. A report was made of an individual at the São Paulo Zoo that
lived to be 22 years old.
Diet
Fruit of the wolf apple, one of the main plant foods of the maned wolf
The maned wolf is
omnivorous. It specialises in preying on small and medium-sized animals,
including small mammals (typically rodents and rabbits), birds, and even fish, but a large portion of its diet (more than 50%,
according to some studies) is vegetable matter, including sugarcane, tubers,
and fruit. Up to 301 food items have been recorded in the maned wolf's
diet, including 116 plants and 178 animal species.
The maned wolf hunts by
chasing its prey, digging holes, and jumping to catch birds in flight. About
21% of hunts are successful. Some authors have
recorded active pursuits of the Pampas deer. They
were also observed feeding on carcasses of run down animals. Fecal
analysis has shown consumption of the giant anteater, bush dog,
and collared peccary, but whether these animals are actively hunted or
scavenged is not known. Armadillos are
also commonly consumed. Animals are more often consumed in the dry season.
The wolf apple (Solanum
lycocarpum), a tomato-like fruit, is the maned wolf's most common food
item. With some exceptions, these fruits make up between 40 and 90% of the
maned wolf's diet. The wolf apple is actively sought by the maned wolf,
and is consumed throughout the year, unlike other fruits that can only be eaten
in abundance during the rainy season. It can consume several fruits at a
time and disperse intact seeds by defecating, making it an excellent disperser
of the wolf apple plant.
Despite their preferred
habitat, maned wolves are ecologically flexible and can survive in disturbed
habitats, from burned areas to places with high human influences. Burned areas
have some small mammals, such as hairy-tailed bolo
mouse (Necromys lasiurus)
and vesper mouse (Calomys spp.) that they can hunt and
survive on.
Historically, captive
maned wolves were fed meat-heavy diets, but that caused them to develop bladder
stones. Zoo diets for them now feature fruits and vegetables, as well as meat
and specialized extruded diet formulated for maned wolves to be low in
stone-causing compounds (i.e. cystine).
The maned wolf is not
considered an endangered species by the IUCN because of its wide geographical
distribution and adaptability to man-made environments. But their populations
have been declining and the species may be in some threat category soon, so the
IUCN classifies it as a near-threatened species. This is mostly due to human
activities. Human activities like deforestation, increasing traffic in highways
resulting in roadkills and urban growth, populations and habitats of the maned
wolf are on decline(Vergara-Wilson et al., 2021, p. 51). Also, due to a
decrease in their habitat, they migrate to urban regions looking for easier
access to food which increases their contact with domestic animals, increasing
the risk of infectious and parasitic diseases amongst the wolves, leading to
death(Garcia et al., 2020, p. 1). Until 1996 the maned wolf was a vulnerable
species by the IUCN. It is also listed in CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade in
the species. The ICMBio list in Brazil that follows the
same IUCN criteria considers the wolf to be a vulnerable species. By these
same criteria, the Brazilian state lists also consider it more problematic: it
is a vulnerable species in the lists of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, while in
the lists of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul the maned wolf is
considered as "endangered" and "critically endangered"
respectively. In Uruguay, although there is no such list as Brazil and
IUCN, it is regarded as a species with "priority" for conservation.
In Argentina it is not considered to be in critical danger, but it is
recognized that its populations are declining and are fragmented. The
situation of the maned wolf in Bolivia and Paraguay is uncertain.
Even with these uncertainties the maned wolf is protected against hunting in
all countries. In Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay it is forbidden by law to hunt
the maned wolf. Conservationists are also taking other steps to ensure its
survival, especially as urbanization continues to spread in its natural
habitat.
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