Lycalopex Culpaeus

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in biology, Lycalopex Culpaeus(Alias:culpeo or culpeo zorro, Andean zorro, Andean fox, Paramo wolf, Andean wolf, and colpeo fox)  is a species of South American fox. Body length 44.5-92.5 cm, weight 3.4-4 kg. It is the second largest canine in the South American continent, after the maned wolf. It looks like a red fox, with gray and red fur, a white chin, red feet, and a stripe on its back. Long tail. Coat color varies depending on the season and distribution area.

It is most common west of the Andes, inhabiting open areas and deciduous forests. It mainly eats rodents, rabbits, birds and lizards, and sometimes plants and carrion. Distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

Culpeo has a body length of 44.5-92.5 cm and a weight of 3.4-4 kg. It is the second largest canine in the South American continent, after the maned wolf. It looks like a red fox, with gray and red fur, a white chin, red feet, and a stripe on its back. Long tail. The coat color varies depending on the season and distribution area. It is slightly lighter in summer and darker in winter. Those living in northern areas have lighter coat color. The chin and belly are white to fawn. The ears, neck, legs, sides and top of the head are yellowish brown or reddish brown. The hair around the tail is usually darker, sometimes a dull gray. The tail is thick gray with a black tip. During the winter, the fur becomes longer and denser.

The body is slender. The snout is pointed and long, the nasal bones are slender, the front of the frontal bone is gentle, with a narrow groove in the middle, and the ears are large, high, pointed, and upright. The limbs are short and the tail is longer, slightly more than half the body length. The tail is thick, the fur is long and fluffy, the body is covered with long guard hairs, and the winter fur has a rich undervelvet. The upper half of the back of the ears is black, which is obviously different from the color of the hair on the head, and the tip of the tail is white. The soles of the feet are covered with dense short hairs; they have tail glands that can emit a peculiar odor, called "fox smell"; and they have 4 pairs of nipples.

It is most common west of the Andes, inhabiting open areas and deciduous forests. It is generally recorded that they live in earth caves, tree holes or abandoned holes of other animals. In the northern region, badger holes are used or expanded. Sometimes they even share the same den with badgers. They are mostly active on hillsides, often inhabiting large rock crevices or ravines, and only live in dens during the breeding season.

Distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

The culpeo is an opportunistic predator that will take any variety of prey. It mainly feeds on rodents (including common degus) and lagomorphs (especially the introduced European rabbit and European hare); however, it occasionally feeds on domestic livestock and young guanacos. They will also feed on insects, birds, lizards, fruit, and carrion of llamas and vicuñas. Culpeos are considered beneficial because they are significant predators of the rabbits introduced in 1915; such introduced rabbit populations are believed to have allowed culpeos to spread from the Andean foothills across the Patagonian plain. They sometimes take young lambs up to 1 week old. In limited studies, the larger culpeo appears to dominate potential competitors, including South American gray foxes, Geoffroy's cats, pampas cats, grisons and various raptorial birds. Its range also overlaps that of the much larger puma, but the size difference ensures that the two species have limited competition. They are known to eat the carcasses of vicuñas. Culpeos have also been observed preying upon introduced beavers in Tierra del Fuego. During a period of drought in central Chile's scrublands lagomorphs, coati, goats, and cattle make up a large amount of their diet.

Hearing and smell are well developed, he is cunning and quick in action. Likes to do activities alone. Hunts at night. They usually come out at night and sleep in caves during the day. Their long tails protect against moisture and keep warm. However, in remote places, they sometimes come out to look for food during the day. Although its legs and feet are short, its claws are sharp and it can run very fast.

This is a solitary species that only spends time with its mating partners and companions during the breeding season. The species has been recorded running about 7 kilometers per hour in Patagonia and 21 kilometers per hour in the deserts of northern Chile. The activity patterns vary from region to region. In Argentina, Peruvian highlands, Chilean deserts and Magellan, they are nocturnal, but in central Chile they only come out after sunset.

Culpeo mainly eats rodents, rabbits, birds and lizards, and sometimes plants and carrion.

The breeding period of Culpeo is from early August to October every year, the gestation period lasts 55 to 60 days, and the average litter size is 5.2. The average weight of newborns is 170 grams. They are late adults and their eyes are tightly closed when they are born. Weaning occurs at 2 months, growth into adulthood takes about 7 months, and sexual maturity occurs after one year.

They are also found on the Falkland Islands, where they can be introduced by humans and are no longer seen. Biologists have concluded that the extinct Falkland wolf may be its close relative. They sometimes attack sheep and are hunted or poisoned. Their numbers are low in some areas, but overall they are not threatened.