The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), often called the “fox on stilts” for its reddish-orange coat and exceptionally long legs, is neither a true wolf nor a fox but the only species in its genus, Chrysocyon, meaning “golden dog.” It is the largest wild canid in South America, standing about 90 cm (approximately 3 feet) tall at the shoulder and weighing around 20 to 25 kg (45 to 55 lbs). Its long legs, the longest of any wild canid, help it see over and move easily through tall savanna grasses while hunting. In build, it is larger than a fox yet more slender than a gray wolf.

The coat is a vivid rusty reddish-orange with black stockings on the legs and a mane of longer black fur along the neck and shoulders. A white tuft tips its tail, and a white patch often marks its throat. When threatened or trying to appear intimidating, the maned wolf raises its mane much like a domestic dog bristling its hackles.

The maned wolf ranges through parts of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru. Brazil holds the largest population, especially in the Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna of tall grasses and scattered shrubs. Maned wolves also occur in the Gran Chaco and the Pantanal, and they were historically present in Uruguay, where they are now very rare or possibly extirpated. They favor open habitats such as grasslands, savannas, and scrub prairies, but also make use of forest edges and wet marsh areas bordering open country.

Home ranges are large, often around 30 square kilometers (about 11.5 square miles), and individuals roam widely in search of food. The healthiest populations occur in large protected areas like Brazil’s Emas National Park and Serra da Canastra, where mosaics of grassland and riparian forest provide daytime cover and open ground for nocturnal hunting.

Unlike gray wolves or African wild dogs, maned wolves do not form packs and are predominantly solitary, usually seen alone or in pairs. A male and female share a territory as a lifelong monogamous pair, meeting mainly during the Austral summer breeding season to mate and raise pups. Litters usually number two to five, and after a two-month gestation, the female gives birth in a den. Both parents help rear the young; the male often brings food to the nursing female and later to the pups. Newborns are black-furred and stay with their parents for much of their first year before dispersing.

They rest in cover during the day and are most active at dawn and dusk, avoiding heat and minimizing encounters with humans or predators. To signal territory, both sexes scent-mark trails and boundaries with pungent urine containing pyrazine compounds found in skunk spray and cannabis, earning them the nickname “skunk wolf.” They often mark termite mounds, bushes, and paths, which also aids navigation.

Maned wolves communicate across the open plains with their distinctive roar-bark, a deep, booming call that can carry for miles to alert mates or warn rivals. When near each other, they switch to gentler sounds such as whines and short barks, and they also use scent marking to share information.

The maned wolf is an omnivore, with plant material often making up more than half its diet, which is an unusually high proportion for a canid. Analyses of scat have recorded up to 301 different food items, including at least 116 plant species and 178 animal species, showing just how adaptable it is.

Small mammals such as rodents and ground-dwelling rabbits are staples, along with armadillos and, when available, hares. They also take ground nesting birds and eggs, sometimes leaping to catch birds in flight. Reptiles, amphibians, and insects, especially beetles, termites, and worms in the wet season, add protein. Plant foods are eaten year-round, with seasonal wild fruits, bulbs, sugarcane, tubers, and roots providing a major portion of their nutrition. The best known is the lobeira or wolf apple (Solanum lycocarpum), a tomato-like berry that can make up 40 to 90 percent of their diet in some regions.

When hunting, a maned wolf may stalk silently through tall grass, ears rotating to detect the slightest rustle. Because only about one in five attempts is successful, they spend much of the night foraging. When fruits are abundant, especially lobeira, several wolves may feed in the same area without conflict.

Researchers suspect that lobeira may have medicinal value, helping the wolves rid themselves of intestinal parasites such as the giant kidney worm, possibly due to compounds or fiber in the fruit. While not yet proven, this relationship benefits both species: the wolves gain nutrition and potential parasite relief, while the plants gain seed dispersal.

The maned wolf diverged from other canids millions of years ago and has no close living relatives outside South America. Its nearest living kin is the bush dog (Speothos venaticus), with all other close relatives being extinct South American canids rather than wolves or foxes. Adaptations such as long legs, a varied diet, and a solitary lifestyle suit the open savannas where large herds of prey are scarce. By dispersing seeds and controlling rodent populations, it plays an important role in the Cerrado.

This lineage survived the Pleistocene extinctions in South America while other large canids vanished. The maned wolf remains unmatched with its long limbs, fruit-based diet, and a call that carries for miles across the plains.