At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Ethiopian wolf is Africa's most threatened carnivore and rarest canid, found only in the high mountains of Ethiopia. It is assessed as Endangered.
It is a specialist hunter of Afroalpine rodents and lives in packs.
Range & habitat
Restricted to a few isolated Afroalpine mountain areas in the Ethiopian Highlands.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- A very small, fragmented range
- Disease caught from domestic dogs (rabies, distemper)
- Habitat loss to farming
Why it matters
As Africa's rarest canid and a specialist of fragile mountain ecosystems, the Ethiopian wolf is a flagship for protecting the threatened Afroalpine 'roof of Africa'.
Africa's most threatened carnivore and rarest canid.
Sources
Sources for Ethiopian Wolf
- IUCN Red List — look up Ethiopian Wolf (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Ethiopian wolf eat?
It specialises in hunting Afroalpine rodents, such as giant mole-rats and grass rats, which are abundant in its high mountain habitat.
Why is the Ethiopian wolf Endangered?
Published assessments cite its tiny, fragmented range, deadly diseases such as rabies caught from domestic dogs, and habitat loss to high-altitude farming. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: