On which continent does the Ethiopian wolf live?

The Ethiopian wolf lives on the continent of Africa. It is native to Ethiopia’s highlands, where it survives in cool Afroalpine grasslands and heathlands rather than in the continent’s warmer lowland savannas.

This species, Canis simensis, is Africa’s most endangered carnivore and one of the world’s rarest canids. Its range is concentrated in isolated mountain areas, generally between 3,000 and 4,500 metres above sea level. The Bale Mountains hold more than half of the known adult population.

Despite its name, the Ethiopian wolf is not a wolf spread across several continents. It is a distinct African canid, also known by names including the red jackal and Simien fox. Its long, narrow muzzle reflects its specialised diet: it hunts rodents, especially giant mole-rats and grass rats, in the highlands.

Habitat loss, livestock grazing, disease from domestic dogs and hybridisation threaten the species. Conservation programmes have used disease control, monitoring and community outreach to protect its remaining mountain populations.