There are a lot of strange looking animals
in South America, most of which many of us don’t even know existed. Imagine
seeing an animal that looks like a fox, but has long legs like a gazelle.
This creature, called the maned wolf, definitely stands out
from other fox or dog like animals. They stand at around 3 feet tall and weigh
in at 50 pounds. It’s the biggest canid you can find in South America and it
resembles a fox with reddish- brown fur and long legs. From its name, it has a
mane found along their backs. Their ears are long and large, growing to about 7
inches. They also have distinct white markings on the tips of their tails and throats
and their legs are usually dark in color.
These wolves are usually seen in
southeastern and central Brazil, northern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, and
Paraguay. They commonly stay near open forest, marshlands and savannas. As for
their diet, they’re omnivorous. Living off small mammals, bird eggs, birds,
reptiles and even fruits and vegetation, they can easily adapt to most
different environments and food sources.
In recent years, there has been a threat to
these animals’ survival. Their natural habitats are being converted for human
use and destruction of these areas has forced them to move away. They don’t
have a lot of natural predators, but they’re species are in danger since they
need open, uninterrupted spaces to live in. another problem is hunting and
poaching. They’re being hunted for various body parts, which are believed to
contain magical properties by locals.
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