The Ethiopian Wolf
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
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<h2 align=left>
1. INFORMATION
</h2>
<p>
<img src="http://www.fotango.com/p/eba00019870f00000042.jpg" align=right hspace=20 vspace=20 alt="The Ethiopian Wolf">
The Ethiopian Wolf, <i>Canis simensis</i> is one of the most severely threatened large mammals in Africa. It is also known by the names Red Wolf,
Abyssinian Wolf, Simien Fox
and Red Jackal. Only about five hundred of them remain,
in isolated patches
of the Ethiopian Highlands. They only occur in regions above the altitude of 10 000 ft, habitat that
is very limited to begin with, and recently this habitat is being increasingly used for the grazing of domestic stock. The resultant loss of habitat and
prey has a severe impact on these wolves. Also their genetic integrity is being threatened by domestic or feral dogs that interbreed with them. They are
also vulnerable to diseases carried by dogs. Furthermore the dogs compete against them for food. Also, as the red wolves decrease in number, the more
common species such as golden and black backed jackals move into their territories and compete against them as well.
As a result of
all of this, we may soon lose this distinctive African carnivore. The only good chance we have of saving them is through a special breeding program. There
seems to be no way that they would be able to continue to survive in the wild for very long, as the remaining pure populations are small and disjointed,
and vastly outnumbered by dogs.
</p>
<p>
The name "wolf" is somewhat of a misnomer, as this animal more closely resembles jackals. They are also not very rapacious, eating mostly small prey items.
But it seems that this species is more closely related to the Eurasian Wolf and the North American Coyote than to any African member of the Dog family.
It might have evolved from an ancestor of the Eurasian wolf (and the domestic dog) that became isolated in Africa. Since then
it has diverged significantly from all
the other dogs, jackals and wolves, and thus it is classified as a distinct, unique species.
It is longer-limbed and slightly bigger than the
other African jackals, but much smaller than the
African Hunting Dog. Jackals and wolves happen to be more closely related to domestic dogs than to the Hunting Dog.
</p>
<p>
The Ethiopian Wolf reaches a bodyweight of between twenty and forty pounds, and
stands about two feet tall at the shoulder. It is definitely the most handsome of the African jackals. It has a rich rufous-brown coat with
white patches on the face and throat, and white undersides.
Its face is slimmer and longer than those of the other jackals. Like them, it has a thickly bushy tail.
Unlike them, it does not have a mane of erectable hairs on the back and neck.
</p>
<p>
<img src="http://www.fotango.com/p/eba00019870f00000029.jpg" align=left hspace=20 vspace=20 alt="Distribution of the Ethiopian Wolf">
This map shows the total range of the Ethiopian Wolf. As its name indicates it only occurs in Ethiopia, and the greatest numbers can be found
in the Bale Mountains National Park. Its preferred habitat is open Afro-alpine moorlands, with a dense covering of short grass, herbs and low shrubs.
This habitat was much more extensive during the glacial periods of the ice ages, when the climate was much colder and the mountain moorlands extended
to much lower altitudes. Since the ending of the last glaciation the climate has become warmer and forests and woodlands have replaced most of the moorland. So
the Ethiopian Wolf was already under pressure before humans started invading its environment.
</p>
<p>
But a good deal of viable wolf habitat can still be found in the high mountain plateaus of Ethiopia. Their principal food consists of rodents, especially
the giant molerat, <i>Tachyorectes macrocephalus</i>. These rodents, up to 2 lbs in weight, live in burrows. The wolves sniff and dig them out. They also
eat smaller rodents. Only very rarely will they hunt larger animals such as antelopes, and then only small lambs and calves. Occasionally they will
eat carrion. They are not a threat to livestock, and thankfully they are not perceived as such.
</p>
<p>
As is the case with the majority of wild mammals, little is known about the behavior of the Ethiopian Wolf. They are social and form small packs, but
individuals hunt alone. Their prey is so small that pack hunting makes no sense. The pack members gather in the mornings before going out to hunt, and again
in the midday and the evening, during which times they howl and make other doggie-sounds together.
Packs co-operate to defend their territories, but a large
number of females mate with males from other packs than their own. Mating happens from August to December. After about two months of gestation
they give birth to between 2 and 6 pups in dens dug in the ground. They suckle for 6 to 8 weeks. Their parents as well as the subadult pack members feed
them by regurgutating food for as long as they remain in the den.
</p>
<p>
<h2 align=left>
2. CONSERVATION
</h2>
The situation for the Ethiopian Wolf is extremely precarious at this moment. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
is hopefully working on a plan to save them. Go and find out what they're doing at:
</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.canids.org/SPPACCTS/ethiopn.htm">
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Canid Specialist Group, The Ethiopian Wolf
</a>
</p>
<p>
Give these guys your support! Help save the threatened species of the world!
</p>
</body>
</html>
<body>
<h2 align=left>
1. INFORMATION
</h2>
<p>
<img src="http://www.fotango.com/p/eba00019870f00000042.jpg" align=right hspace=20 vspace=20 alt="The Ethiopian Wolf">
The Ethiopian Wolf, <i>Canis simensis</i> is one of the most severely threatened large mammals in Africa. It is also known by the names Red Wolf,
Abyssinian Wolf, Simien Fox
and Red Jackal. Only about five hundred of them remain,
in isolated patches
of the Ethiopian Highlands. They only occur in regions above the altitude of 10 000 ft, habitat that
is very limited to begin with, and recently this habitat is being increasingly used for the grazing of domestic stock. The resultant loss of habitat and
prey has a severe impact on these wolves. Also their genetic integrity is being threatened by domestic or feral dogs that interbreed with them. They are
also vulnerable to diseases carried by dogs. Furthermore the dogs compete against them for food. Also, as the red wolves decrease in number, the more
common species such as golden and black backed jackals move into their territories and compete against them as well.
As a result of
all of this, we may soon lose this distinctive African carnivore. The only good chance we have of saving them is through a special breeding program. There
seems to be no way that they would be able to continue to survive in the wild for very long, as the remaining pure populations are small and disjointed,
and vastly outnumbered by dogs.
</p>
<p>
The name "wolf" is somewhat of a misnomer, as this animal more closely resembles jackals. They are also not very rapacious, eating mostly small prey items.
But it seems that this species is more closely related to the Eurasian Wolf and the North American Coyote than to any African member of the Dog family.
It might have evolved from an ancestor of the Eurasian wolf (and the domestic dog) that became isolated in Africa. Since then
it has diverged significantly from all
the other dogs, jackals and wolves, and thus it is classified as a distinct, unique species.
It is longer-limbed and slightly bigger than the
other African jackals, but much smaller than the
African Hunting Dog. Jackals and wolves happen to be more closely related to domestic dogs than to the Hunting Dog.
</p>
<p>
The Ethiopian Wolf reaches a bodyweight of between twenty and forty pounds, and
stands about two feet tall at the shoulder. It is definitely the most handsome of the African jackals. It has a rich rufous-brown coat with
white patches on the face and throat, and white undersides.
Its face is slimmer and longer than those of the other jackals. Like them, it has a thickly bushy tail.
Unlike them, it does not have a mane of erectable hairs on the back and neck.
</p>
<p>
<img src="http://www.fotango.com/p/eba00019870f00000029.jpg" align=left hspace=20 vspace=20 alt="Distribution of the Ethiopian Wolf">
This map shows the total range of the Ethiopian Wolf. As its name indicates it only occurs in Ethiopia, and the greatest numbers can be found
in the Bale Mountains National Park. Its preferred habitat is open Afro-alpine moorlands, with a dense covering of short grass, herbs and low shrubs.
This habitat was much more extensive during the glacial periods of the ice ages, when the climate was much colder and the mountain moorlands extended
to much lower altitudes. Since the ending of the last glaciation the climate has become warmer and forests and woodlands have replaced most of the moorland. So
the Ethiopian Wolf was already under pressure before humans started invading its environment.
</p>
<p>
But a good deal of viable wolf habitat can still be found in the high mountain plateaus of Ethiopia. Their principal food consists of rodents, especially
the giant molerat, <i>Tachyorectes macrocephalus</i>. These rodents, up to 2 lbs in weight, live in burrows. The wolves sniff and dig them out. They also
eat smaller rodents. Only very rarely will they hunt larger animals such as antelopes, and then only small lambs and calves. Occasionally they will
eat carrion. They are not a threat to livestock, and thankfully they are not perceived as such.
</p>
<p>
As is the case with the majority of wild mammals, little is known about the behavior of the Ethiopian Wolf. They are social and form small packs, but
individuals hunt alone. Their prey is so small that pack hunting makes no sense. The pack members gather in the mornings before going out to hunt, and again
in the midday and the evening, during which times they howl and make other doggie-sounds together.
Packs co-operate to defend their territories, but a large
number of females mate with males from other packs than their own. Mating happens from August to December. After about two months of gestation
they give birth to between 2 and 6 pups in dens dug in the ground. They suckle for 6 to 8 weeks. Their parents as well as the subadult pack members feed
them by regurgutating food for as long as they remain in the den.
</p>
<p>
<h2 align=left>
2. CONSERVATION
</h2>
The situation for the Ethiopian Wolf is extremely precarious at this moment. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
is hopefully working on a plan to save them. Go and find out what they're doing at:
</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.canids.org/SPPACCTS/ethiopn.htm">
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Canid Specialist Group, The Ethiopian Wolf
</a>
</p>
<p>
Give these guys your support! Help save the threatened species of the world!
</p>
</body>
</html>
