ow. fern boy

I am hurt and I am angry, but I will never become as terrible as you.

He is so happy even though he’s technically resting his face on a stick.

(by Tambako the Jaguar)

The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is a species of Canid native exclusively to Ethiopia. Some of its other common names identify it as a jackal (all of which are also in Canis) or fox, but the latest genetic research has shown that it is in fact closest to wolves, diverging around three to four million years ago.

Ethiopian wolves are primarily hunters of rodents and similar animals which constitute around 96% of prey mostly in the form of mole rats. Other prey items include the young of small ungulates as well as birds. Sedge grasses are sometimes eaten as an aid for digestion. They are well-adapted for this lifestyle with small, widely-spaced premolars for gripping small, wriggling bodies.

The Ethiopian wolf is listed as “Endangered” by the IUCN with a mere 550 adults in the wild. The main threat to this species is hunting by farmers who fear for their livestock, though the reality is that most livestock is too large for them to prey on. Diseases such as rabies have also had a disastrous effect, with rabies having caused the largest single population of over 400 individuals to decrease to around 160 in two weeks. Other threats include over grazing by cattle, which drives away the prey they are dependent on and interbreeding with domestic dogs.

Twenty weeks old Sawtooth pack pups by Jim and Jamie Dutcher

worldlyanimals: Ethiopian Wolves (photo by Born Free Photos)