Ethiopian Wolf

Common Name: Ethiopian Wolf
Common Name Synonyms: African Red Wolf, Simien Jackal, Abyssinian Jackal, Abyssinian Wolf, Red Jackal, Simien Fox, Giant Red Fox, Cuberow
Scientific Name: Canis simensis
Size: 55-60cm tall in the shoulders, 82.5-90cm from snout to tail-base + 27.5-35cm = 110-125cm from snout to tail
Classification: Caniform
Habitat: Mountains, Savannas, Grasslands
Diet: Omnivorous; diet consisted of hyraxes, small rodents, rabbits, eggs, carrion, sedge leaves
Description: 2nd largest members of the genus Canis, along with its Eurasian graey cousin(Canis lupus), and Africa’s 2nd largest dogs after the African Dhole(Lycaon pictus). This was Africa’s endangered species of wolf, is the Ethiopian wolf. Unlike big dogs who preyed upon big prey, the African red wolves are specialized feeders to Afroalpine rodents with very specific habitat requirements. They are similar to coyotes, but they lived in packs of up to 3 wolves to 20 wolves. Like Eurasian graey wolves and primitive modern humans, which they can hunt together to take down large prey, the Ethiopian wolves had the association with baboons, which we said that Ethiopian wolves are sometimes “The Baboon’s Best Friend.” Solitary wolves hunt for rodents in the midst of the monkeys, ignoring juvenile monkeys, though these are similar in size to some of their prey. The monkeys, in turn, tolerate and largely ignore the wolves, although they take flight if they observe feral dogs, which sometimes prey on them. Within the troops, the wolves enjoy much higher success in capturing rodents than usual, perhaps because the monkeys’ activities flush out the rodents, or because the presence of numerous larger animals makes it harder for rodents to spot a threat. In the 2000’s that Ethiopian wolves are possibly among the most critically endangered dogs, along with the American red wolf(Canis rufus).

Art (C) Shawn Brunner ,aka Patchi1995