The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is a species found only in Ethiopia, making it the country’s most iconic and endemic predator. It lives high in the Ethiopian mountains, particularly in the Bale Mountains, the Simien Mountains, and a few other isolated highland regions above 3,000 meters. Because it exists nowhere else on Earth, it is considered a symbol of Ethiopia’s unique biodiversity.

The Ethiopian wolf is slender and fox-like in appearance, with long legs, a reddish coat, and distinctive white markings on its chest and underbelly. Unlike other wolves, it specializes in hunting small mammals such as giant mole-rats, which are also native to Ethiopia’s highlands.

Sadly, it is also one of the world’s rarest canids, with fewer than 500 individuals remaining in the wild. Habitat loss, disease from domestic dogs, and human activity have put the species in danger, making it a flagship for Ethiopian conservation efforts.