ABSTRACT
The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest of the South American canids. The species inhabits the grasslands and scrub forests of central South America. Its present geographic range covers about 5 million km2 and six countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru) (Queirolo et al. 2011). The main threat to maned wolf conservation is the drastic reduction of suitable habitats. The seriousness of this situation can be seen when it is considered that much of the species’ distribution range has already been converted to farmland. This situation creates other problems. Human development increases mortality of individuals through road kills, killings as a result of conflicts in rural areas, and health problems related to diseases carried from domestic animals (Deem & Emmons 2005). These forces reduce population size, with resultant demographic instability that can lead to local population extinction.
