![]() ![]() The aardwolf resembles a very thin striped hyena, but with a more slender muzzle, black vertical stripes on a coat of yellowish fur, and a long, distinct mane down the midline of the neck and back. The specific name, cristatus, comes from Latin and means "provided with a comb", relating to their mane. The generic name proteles comes from two words both of Greek origin, protos and teleos which combined means "complete in front" based on the fact that they have five toes on their front feet and four on the rear. Ī 2006 molecular analysis indicates that it is phylogenetically the most basal of the four extant hyaenidae species. There is disagreement as to whether the species is monotypic, or can be divided into subspecies P. The aardwolf is the only surviving species in the subfamily Protelinae. Recent studies have suggested that the aardwolf probably diverged from other hyaenids early on how early is still unclear, as the fossil record and genetic studies disagree by 10 million years. Early on, scientists felt that it was merely mimicking the striped hyena, which subsequently led to the creation of Protelidae. The aardwolf is generally classified with the hyena family Hyaenidae, though it was formerly placed in its own family Protelidae. It is nocturnal, resting in burrows during the day and emerging at night to seek food. The aardwolf lives in the shrublands of eastern and southern Africa – open lands covered with stunted trees and shrubs. The aardwolf's tongue has adapted to be tough enough to withstand the strong bite of termites. It eats insects and their larvae, mainly termites one aardwolf can lap up as many as 300,000 termites during a single night using its long, sticky tongue. ![]() Unlike many of its relatives in the order Carnivora, the aardwolf does not hunt large animals. It is also called the maanhaar-jackal (Afrikaans for " mane-jackal"), termite-eating hyena and civet hyena, based on its habit of secreting substances from its anal gland, a characteristic shared with the African civet. Its name means "earth-wolf" in Afrikaans and Dutch. In short, much more research is needed to help conservationists take the next step towards protecting this unique species.The aardwolf ( Proteles cristatus ) is an insectivorous species of hyena, native to East and Southern Africa. Mostly solitary, males and females form mated pairs, sharing and defending a territory, but are rarely found together outside of the annual breeding season. Trophy hunting is also considered a threat to their survival in the wild.Īlthough considered endangered by the Argentine and Brazilian governments, little is known about the social life of wild maned wolves. Occasionally, their fondness for domestic chickens gets maned wolves into trouble with ranchers and poultry farmers. Presently, the main threats to the survival of maned wolves are disease, loss of habitat and conflict with man. Although the wolf itself is incredibly elusive, humans can often tell when they’re near thanks to the strong scent. Maned wolf urine smells similar to skunk spray, and is used to mark territories. Submissive whining and puffing noises are also made, though typically only to pups. These barks are most commonly heard during the breeding season. Maned wolves do not howl, but communicate with loud roar-like barks. One specific fruit, the lobeira, is such a large part of their diet that it is called the “wolf apple.” Other seasonally abundant fruits and vegetables, as well as insects, rodents, birds, bird eggs, grasses, and small deer make up the rest of this unique wolf’s diet. This means that they eat a variety of foods including fruit. True wolves, such as the Mexican gray and American red wolves also at Fossil Rim, are strict carnivores, but the maned wolf is omnivorous. Their hearing is said to be so acute that they can detect small mice and insects in the tall grasses of their habitat. Maned wolves have excellent hearing thanks to their large, rotating ears. It is the largest of all South American canids. Due to this unique combination of features, the maned wolf is sometimes described as a "fox on stilts." A dark mane on the back of the neck and on top of the shoulders can be raised during stressful encounters and is the source of its name. The maned wolf has bright, golden-red fur, long black legs and big ears. Instead, it falls into its own genus of canid separate from wolves and foxes. Despite its name, the maned wolf isn’t actually a wolf. ![]()
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