You’ve heard a lot about different members of the Canidae family, like wolves, foxes, and coyotes. But there are many others in this family that you may not be as familiar with. Let’s check out three of them – the Maned Wolf, the Dhole, and the Sechuran Fox!
Maned Wolf
Maned Wolf
These canids are the largest ones in South America. They can be found in certain areas of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru.1 They are reddish in color, with black fur on their legs and face. They can raise the fur on their backs and chest, which makes it look like they have a mane.2
These are very different animals from the wolves we find in North America. They are shy and tend to be solitary unless they’re paired with a mate.1&2 They are omnivores and love to eat birds, rodents, avocados, bananas, and more.2 According to the IUCN, they’re Near Threatened but are considered Endangered by the Brazilian Red List and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.1 A lot of this is due to habitat loss as humans move in, disease, and hunting of them to use their body parts for medicine.2
Ussuri dhole (Cuon alpinus alpinus), also known as the Indian wild dog.
Dhole
These dogs live throughout Asia from Siberia to the Malay Peninsula. As they’re very adaptable, they can be found in many different habitats, from forests to steppes to alpine regions. These guys are social just like wolves are and live in packs to survive. They’ll also be friendly with neighboring packs – sometimes working together to take down large prey. They like to eat deer, pigs, buffalo, gaur, sheep, reindeer, and more.3
These guys are very affected by habitat loss, persecution by humans, diseases, and prey supply. They often catch diseases from domesticated dogs. All of these are responsible for their declining population.4
The sechuran fox is found in equatorial dry forest of Chaparri Ecological Reserve, outside of the town of Chiclayo, Peru.
Sechuran Fox
These foxes can be found in the northwest of Peru and the southwest of Ecuador, from sea level up to 3,000 feet.5&6 They are solitary, nocturnal animals that are covered in fur that’s mostly grey, but with black at the tips, a partially white muzzle, and a grey stripe around the chest.6 They feed on a variety of animals and plants, including rodents, birds, fruits, and seeds. They are actually capable of living as vegetarians when the need arises.6&7
They can be found in both deserts and dry forests. However, their habitats have been taken from them. They are considered Near Threatened in Peru, and Vulnerable in Ecuador. This is thanks to losing habitat and threats from humans. They’re often hunted because of conflicts with livestock as well as for amulets and medicine.7
Continue the canid conversation by checking out our blog posts on other canids here!
All the best,
Chris & the WERC Team
Sources:
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https://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/educational-resources/maned-wolf/
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https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/wildlife_practice/profiles/mammals/dhole/?
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https://www.britannica.com/animal/South-American-fox#ref1285565