THE ETHIOPIAN WOLF

The Ethiopian wolf is a very much endangered species. Only about a thousand still survive in a few mountain ranges in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian wolf has long legs and a long face which makes it look a bit like a coyote It has a long skull with a thin nose and small and teeth that are widely spaced. The coat of the adult is short and soft,and a bright tawny reddish color with a dense of white to pale orange undercoat.

The male Ethiopian Wolf weighs around 35 pounds and the female about 28 pounds. They live in territorial packs but they usually hunt alone. Their main food is rodents such as molerats but they can hunt in packs and attack animals like antelopes.

Scientists who have studied the genes of the Ethiopian Wolf say that it is a distinct species that is more closely related to the Gray Wolf, which is absent from Africa, that to any African species of Wolf or Jackal.

The Ethiopian Wolf is protected by law and has been featured on several postage stamps. It is threatened by hybridization with domestic dogs, and possibly by the diseases they carry.