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World's First Black Maned Wolf ever registered in Cerrado - Brazil

https://www.wwf.org.br/?36542/Parceiro-d...guar-preto#

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October 14th 2013    

By Bruno Moraes

The image isn't as clear. It's a little dark not so sharp. It was captured at night by photographic trapping equipment. Even so, two photos were enough to intrigue researchers and residents of the Sertão Veredas-Peruaçu Mosaic in northern Minas Gerais. Although there were some old reports in the region never a black maned wolf was officially recorded. Neither in photographs nor in bibliographies. Not there, nor anywhere else in the world. From now on, this differentiated canid is on the radar of specialists from the NGO Instituto Biotrópicos which monitors mammals in the region, supported by WWF-Brazil through the Cerrado-Pantanal Program.

The reddish color is one of the most striking characteristics of the maned wolf. For this reason some people were suspicious when they came across the first images of the black animal captured in the Veredas do Acari Sustainable Development Reserve, near the city of Chapada Gaúcha (MG).

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"In literature there is no information about a maned wolf of this color. In the region, people said that it had been seen for many years, but was never photographed. We researched and came to the conclusion that this is the first record of a black maned wolf in the world. The morphology is the same of other maned wolves: long leg, big ear it is very characteristic of the species regardless of the color. We understand the mistrust because it's unprecedented photos at night where you can't see how clear it is but it's a maned wolf for sure" confirms Guilherme Ferreira, biologist of Biotrópicos responsible for the photographic trapping protocol.

The goal from now on is to learn more about this animal. His habits, behavior and above all the most intriguing: why does he have this coloring? "Our assessment will continue.  We intend to install more photographic traps in that area and who knows how to get a very clear image in the late afternoon or early morning," announces Ferreira.


photo: Instituto Biotrópicos

*This image is copyright of its original author

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