Two Maned Wolf Pups born at the Czech Republic’s Zoo Liberec on January 10 had their first visit to the veterinarian this week to receive vaccinations and determine their gender.  The pair, a male and a female, was proclaimed in excellent health by the veterinary staff. 

The pups, who were profiled on ZooBorns last month, weighed only about a pound (.5 kg) at birth, but they have rapidly gained weight.  At the exam, each weighed more than six pounds (2.8 kg). The pups are the first Maned Wolves ever born at Zoo Liberec.

Photo Credits:  Zoo Liberec

Native to South America, Maned Wolves are unique among canids.  They are distinguished by long legs, a bushy mane which is erected when the Wolf is threatened, and a skunk-like odor.  Maned Wolves live solitary lives roaming the grasslands of central South America.  They eat small mammals as well as tubers, fruits, and sugarcane.

Maned Wolves are listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but in some parts of their range, notably in Uruguay, this species may be nearly extirpated (locally extinct). 

 

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