UPDATE: Maned Wolf Pups Come Out of Hiding to Visit the Vet

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).