The Maned Wolf

[deckardcanine]

The maned wolf’s not a wolf, the zoologists say,
Nor a fox with long legs (to my fleeting dismay).
It belongs to a genus entirely its own,
With the bush dog its closest live relative known,
Despite contrast in height: The maned wolf measures more
Than a yard, with a call that’s half bark and half roar.
South American grasslands explain why it’s tall.
Among canids, it eats the most veggies of all.
It especially digs a tomato-like berry,
Lobeira. But yes, the maned wolf is still scary
To numerous prey. It is not big on friends,
As it hunts without partners, the range it defends
Is quite large, and monogamous pairs hardly see
One another. One more thing to note is its pee,
Which not only is pungent but smells just like pot.
Now I’m liking this near-threatened critter a lot.