# Maned Wolf — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Chrysocyon brachyurus*

> A maned wolf is the tallest wild canid in the world, a long-legged, reddish-coated omnivore native to the grasslands of central South America — especially Brazil's Cerrado — that despite its name is neither a true wolf nor a fox but the only species in the genus Chrysocyon.

**IUCN status:** Near Threatened (IUCN, 2015) — declining Cerrado habitat  ·  **WARN range:** Brazil

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Lifespan | ~6–7 yr median in captivity; up to 12–15 yr |
| Weight | 20–30 kg (44–66 lb) |
| Shoulder height | Up to ~110 cm (43 in) — tallest wild canid |
| Body length | ~100 cm head-and-body, plus ~45 cm tail |
| Diet | Omnivore — ~50% fruit (lobeira) plus small animals |
| Gestation | ~65 days |
| Young per birth | 2–3 pups average (range 1–5) |
| Baby name | Pup |
| Social/group name | Largely solitary; monogamous breeding pair |
| CITES | Appendix II |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Carnivora
- **Family:** Canidae
- **Genus:** Chrysocyon (monotypic — the only species)
- **Species:** Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815)

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Near Threatened
- **Population:** ~17,000 mature individuals (IUCN, 2015); over 90% in Brazil
- **Trend:** Unknown / likely declining
- **Assessed:** 2015
- **CITES:** Appendix II
- Listed Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List in 2015. Brazil's Cerrado is the species' stronghold; ongoing habitat conversion, roadkill and disease from domestic dogs drive concern about future declines.

## Key facts: Maned Wolf
- It is the tallest wild canid on the planet, standing up to about 110 cm at the shoulder, yet weighs only 20–30 kg.
- Despite the name it is neither a wolf nor a fox — it is the only living species in the genus Chrysocyon.
- Its disproportionately long legs are an adaptation for seeing over and moving through tall Cerrado grasses, earning it the nickname 'fox on stilts.'
- It is an omnivore: roughly half its diet is fruit, especially the tomato-like lobeira, alongside small mammals, birds and insects.
- The IUCN classifies it as Near Threatened (2015), with an estimated 17,000 mature individuals and Brazil as its stronghold.
- Main threats are Cerrado habitat loss to agriculture, road collisions, persecution and diseases caught from domestic dogs.

## Why it matters and why it's threatened
The maned wolf is the flagship mammal of the Cerrado, the vast tropical savanna that covers much of central Brazil. The Cerrado is one of the world's most biodiverse savannas, yet it has been reduced to a fraction of its original extent as land is converted to soy, sugarcane and cattle pasture. As habitat is fragmented, wolves are forced across roads — where vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death — and into closer contact with farms, where they are sometimes killed in retaliation for taking poultry and where they catch diseases such as parvovirus and distemper from domestic dogs. The IUCN assessed the species as Near Threatened in 2015, estimating roughly 17,000 mature individuals with an uncertain, likely declining trend driven by this ongoing habitat loss.

## Behaviour and ecology
Maned wolves are largely solitary and crepuscular, most active at dusk and through the night. A breeding pair shares and defends a territory of around 30 square kilometres but the two animals typically forage alone rather than as a pack. They are true omnivores: fruit makes up about half the diet, with the lobeira ('wolf's fruit') a favourite, supplemented by rodents, rabbits, armadillos, birds, reptiles and insects. To hunt, a wolf rotates its tall ears to pinpoint prey in the grass, then taps the ground with a forefoot to flush it before pouncing. Their long-distance 'roar-bark' calls and pungent, skunk-like scent marks let widely spaced individuals communicate across the open landscape.

## Reproduction and life cycle
Maned wolves are monogamous. After a gestation of about 65 days, the female gives birth to a litter averaging two to three pups (range one to five), usually during the dry season. Pups are born dark-coated and helpless; they nurse for around four weeks before being weaned onto regurgitated and brought food, with the male known to provision the litter in both wild and captive settings. Young typically disperse at about one year old. In captivity the median life expectancy is roughly 6 to 7 years, with some individuals reaching 12 to 15 years; lifespan in the wild is shorter and poorly documented because of roadkill and disease.

## What rescue and conservation involve
Protecting maned wolves is less about removing animals from the wild and more about keeping the Cerrado intact and survivable. Effective work combines safeguarding and connecting blocks of savanna habitat, reducing road mortality with wildlife crossings and signage, vaccinating and managing domestic dogs near wolf range to cut disease spillover, and easing conflict with farmers so wolves are not killed. Rescue in the literal sense usually means treating animals injured on roads or orphaned pups, then rehabilitating and releasing them where possible. Because the species ranges across several countries, the most durable gains come from supporting local teams who monitor populations and work directly with the communities sharing the landscape.

## Maned wolf vs. red fox: why the 'fox on stilts' is neither
| Feature | Maned wolf | Red fox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Chrysocyon brachyurus | Vulpes vulpes |
| Shoulder height | Up to ~110 cm | ~35–50 cm |
| Weight | 20–30 kg | 3–7 kg |
| Closest relatives | Sole member of genus Chrysocyon | True foxes (genus Vulpes) |
| Range | Cerrado of central South America | Across the Northern Hemisphere |
| IUCN status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |

## What WARN does
WARN CIC is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that funds local partner shelters, sanctuaries and rescue teams in five countries — Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and Colombia. Brazil holds more than 90% of the world's maned wolves, so it sits squarely within WARN's funded focus: the model is to channel donor support to Brazilian partners who can respond to road-injured or orphaned wolves, reduce conflict with farmers and protect Cerrado habitat. The maned wolf's wider range also reaches Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru, which fall outside WARN's current funded countries; there our role is education and awareness rather than direct funding. We are careful not to overstate this work — it is early-stage and partner-led.

More than 90% of the world's maned wolves live in Brazil — one of the five countries where WARN funds local partner rescue teams. Your gift helps those partners treat road-injured wolves, ease conflict with farmers, and protect the Cerrado grasslands this fox-on-stilts depends on.

## Frequently asked questions: Maned Wolf
### How long do maned wolves live?
In captivity the median life expectancy is about 6 to 7 years, with some individuals reaching 12 to 15 years. Wild lifespan is shorter and poorly documented, largely because of roadkill and disease.

### What do maned wolves eat?
They are omnivores. Roughly half their diet is fruit — especially the tomato-like lobeira or 'wolf's fruit' — with the rest made up of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.

### How big is a maned wolf?
It is the tallest wild canid in the world, standing up to about 110 cm (around 3.5 feet) at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length near 100 cm. Despite its height it weighs only 20–30 kg (44–66 lb).

### Are maned wolves dangerous to humans?
No. Maned wolves are shy, solitary and not considered a threat to people; they avoid humans and there are no records of them being dangerous. They can occasionally take poultry, which sometimes brings them into conflict with farmers.

### How many maned wolves are left?
The IUCN's 2015 assessment estimated about 17,000 mature individuals, with more than 90% of them in Brazil. The species is classified as Near Threatened.

### Why is the maned wolf endangered or threatened?
Its main threats are loss of Cerrado habitat to agriculture, deaths on roads, persecution by people, and diseases such as distemper and parvovirus caught from domestic dogs. It is currently listed as Near Threatened rather than Endangered.

### What is a baby maned wolf called?
A baby maned wolf is called a pup. Litters average two to three pups, born dark-coated after a gestation of about 65 days.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Chrysocyon brachyurus (Maned Wolf), 2015 assessment](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4819/88135664)
- [Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute — Maned wolf](https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/maned-wolf)
- [CITES — Appendix II listing (Canidae)](https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php)
- [U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Maned Wolf species profile](https://www.fws.gov/species/maned-wolf-chrysocyon-brachyurus)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Chrysocyon brachyurus](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chrysocyon_brachyurus/)
- [IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group — Maned wolf](https://www.canids.org/species/view/PREKGA855611)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/maned-wolf