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Species of the month

Ethiopian Wolf

Canis simensis

Some facts about this wolf:

Size of head and body: 100 cm.
Size of tail: 33 cm.
Weight: female 11.2-14.2 kg; male 14.0-19.3 kg.
Diet: Mainly hares and rats.
Habitat: Isolated pockets of grassland at elevations above 3,000 meters.
Range: Ethiopia, mainly at Bale Mountains National Park.
Surviving number: Fewer then 500.
Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
First described: By the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell in 1840.

Canis simensis is the world's rarest canid. Territorial packs consist of 2 to 12 members. They congregate during the day and cooperate to guard and provide food for the dominant feamale's pups. They have a blood-chilling hawl, which reaches up to five kilometers and is used as long-distance communication. The arrival of high-altitude farms and domesticated dogs to their range make life difficult for this species.

(Archived from Template:Species of the week)