Maned wolves are solitary South American canids that require large territories and specialized care in zoo environments.
Maned wolves present unique welfare challenges in captivity because their solitary nature means pair housing can cause chronic stress. Zoological facilities must provide large, varied enclosures that allow escape from conspecifics, with naturalistic vegetation mimicking cerrado habitat. Their specialized diet requires inclusion of fruit alongside protein sources, and the breed is prone to cystinuria requiring dietary management and veterinary monitoring. Behavioral enrichment should emphasize olfactory stimulation, foraging opportunities, and the long-legged stalking behaviors they use to hunt in tall grass. Reproduction in captivity requires careful hormonal monitoring, and facilities must balance genetic diversity needs against individual animal stress from introduction attempts.