Ethiopian Wolf
Canis simensis
Description:
Canis simensis, Rüppell, 1840 (Ethiopian Wolf), female, Keyrensa Valley, Ethiopia
Habitat:
Plain in afroalpine zone
Notes:
a.k.a. Simian Wolf, Simian Jackal, Simian Fox
Spotted on Mar 5, 2012
Submitted on Apr 15, 2012
7 Comments
Congratulations ArthurTiutenko! Your spotting has been selected for Project Noah's fact of the Day: " Here is a very rare spotting and one of only two on PN (both are by the same person) that we wanted to highlight. This is Africa's most endangered carnivore, the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis). It is also one of the world's rarest canids. Less than 400 of these highland animals that feed upon Afroalpine rodents are believed to exist in the world. Loss of habitat due to high-altitude subsistence agriculture is believed to be the main cause of this species decline".
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This has to be one of my favorites ever. After reading bout them in BBC Wildlife, a spot like this is incredible.
Fantastic spotting and photos!
Grandioso un hermosa recompensa wow bella
Your persistence paid off - great project!
Thank you. I am glad you like it.
These are two of a few images that I shot in southern Ethiopia last month. It is a photography project of mine that I started this year and am going to continue for the next 2 years. I plan to photograph this species in various parts or its distribution area. This time I was in Bale Mountains where the largest population of the Ethiopian Wolves live - over 200, i.e. almost a half of the remaining world population. It is the easiest to locate these animals there.
As with most canids, the Ethiopian Wolves are quite difficult to approach. Usually they don't allow to come closer than 100-150 m to them. To achieve these particular images I had three days of trials and errors: I was hiding at various places where the wolves were regularly coming to - in the morning and in the evening.
Wonderful! Is there a story you could share with us about this encounter?