Species of the week:Ethiopian wolf

Species of the week:
Ethiopian wolf(Canis simensis)

1. The Ethiopian wolf's range is limited to the Ethiopian Highlands.
2. It prefers open spaces with grassland or shrublands.
3. The Ethiopian wolf is build very similarly to the North American coyote.
4. It forms packs of up to 20 although more commonly packs contain 6-8 individuals.
5. They mate around August-November, producing litters of about 2-6 pups.
6. Packs usually have a territory of about 6 km2.
7. They have a very specific diet, feeding only on Afroalpine rodents.
8. Ethiopian wolves hunt or forage for prey alone. They usually pounce on their prey and will dig to collapse tunnels of mole rats.
9. The wolf's population is estimated to be about 360-440 individuals and it is considered the world's rarest canid.
10. The Ethiopian wolf is considered Endangered by the IUCN due to habitat loss, disease, prosecution and hybridization with dogs.