An Ethiopian wolf watches the highlands. Photo by Shutterranger (via Rainforest Trust)
Graceful. Solitary. Endangered.
You may never have heard of the Ethiopian wolf—and you wouldn’t be alone.
It’s one of the world’s most endangered canids, with fewer than 500 individuals left in the wild. Yet this elegant, fox-like creature has roamed the highlands of Ethiopia for thousands of years.
Photo by Delphin Ruche, courtesy of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (www.ethiopianwolf.org). Used for educational and awareness purposes
I first learned about them through a nature documentary. They looked like red coyotes, slender and alert, moving through mist-covered grasslands like spirits of the mountain.
But they’re not coyotes—they’re Canis simensis, a species found nowhere else on Earth.
They live high in the Ethiopian mountains, in places where the air is thin and the land feels ancient. They hunt alone, feeding mostly on rodents like mole rats and giant grass mice. Yet they live in close-knit family packs, with deep social bonds and a quiet strength.
Like many wild animals, their biggest threat is not nature—it’s us.
Habitat loss. Disease from domestic dogs. Climate change. Isolation.
And still, they endure.
The Ethiopian wolf may be rare, but it matters.
It reminds us that wildness still exists in corners we’ve forgotten.
And that every species deserves to be seen.
If this beautiful canid touched your heart, here is an organization you can check out:
- Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP)
The leading organization protecting the Ethiopian wolf in its native habitat. They focus on disease prevention, community outreach, and habitat preservation.
Photo by Will Burrard-Lucas, from The Ethiopian Wolf Project. Used with respect for educational awareness.
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