African Wolf
Canis lupaster
A jackal-like canid that is genetically a true wolf, with tawny fur and a darker saddle on the back.
| Scientific name | Canis lupaster |
|---|---|
| Swahili name | Mbweha wa Dhahabu |
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Canidae |
| Size | Body length about 60-100 cm (excluding tail), shoulder height about 40 cm, weight about 7-15 kg |
How to identify
Jackal-like, slender and long-legged; fur tawny to greyish-brown with a darker, saddle-like grizzled band along the back; a slim pointed muzzle and large upright ears
Habitat
Savanna, semi-desert, open grassland and hilly scrub; also enters farmland and pastoral areas
Diet
An omnivorous opportunist, hunting small mammals, birds and insects and also taking carrion and fruit
When it is active
Mainly crepuscular and nocturnal, resting in scrub or dens during the heat of the day
Where it lives
From North Africa into East Africa, including the savannas and semi-deserts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania
How to spot it
Look for single animals or pairs at dawn and dusk on open plains and semi-desert; note the more wolf-like head shape and the darker saddle to separate it from jackals
Photography tips
Low warm light at dawn and dusk best renders the coat and dorsal saddle; use a higher shutter to catch its trotting or alert stance; an open background emphasises its silhouette
Threats
Retaliatory killing and poisoning as a supposed livestock killer, plus habitat loss, though overall numbers remain fairly stable
Similar species
Black-backed jackal (with a distinct black saddle); side-striped jackal (with a pale side stripe and white tail tip); the African wolf has a more wolf-like muzzle and build
