What is the IUCN Red List status of the Ethiopian wolf?

The Ethiopian wolf is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its scientific name is Canis simensis, and it is a distinct highland canid found only in Ethiopia, especially in Afroalpine areas such as the Bale and Simien Mountains.

The species faces serious threats from habitat loss, agricultural expansion, livestock grazing, disease, and competition or hybridisation with domestic dogs. Rabies outbreaks have been particularly damaging because Ethiopian wolves live near settlements and can encounter infected dogs. Their restricted range and small, fragmented populations make local losses especially significant.

The Ethiopian wolf is not simply a red-colored gray wolf. It is a separate species and is more closely related to gray wolves and coyotes than to many other African canids. It is also often called the Simien fox, Simien jackal, or red jackal, names that can cause confusion about its classification. Endangered is one category below Critically Endangered in the IUCN system; the species remains at very high risk even though it is not currently listed in that more severe category.