Thanks in part to your membership support, the Dallas Zoo is now home to two of these “gorgeous mishmashes;” a three-year-old male named Ty from Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri, and six-year-old Scarlet, from Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. Ty and Scarlet are two of only 85 maned wolves currently residing at AZA-accredited zoos across the country, so they are a pretty big deal!

Welcoming any new animal to the Zoo is an event that’s often months in the making, but this addition required even more extensive planning, since maned wolves are a new species for the animal care team. For over a year before Ty and Scarlet arrived in Dallas, teams across the Zoo worked tirelessly on everything from designing their habitat and planning for their introductions, to researching their natural behaviors and dietary requirements.

Creating the Perfect Habitat

First and foremost, Ty and Scarlet needed a place to call home, so the Zoo’s animal care experts got to work on transforming the former Cheetah Run area in ZooNorth into a space that would perfectly suit this species’ specific needs. 

“Their long legs are designed to help them move through and search for prey in tall grasses, so we were sure to replicate this in their new habitat,” Cloutier Barbour said. “The habitat is quite large, giving them plenty of room to stretch those long legs, and we have plans to continue to add fun, enriching elements to the space in the near future — such as a termite mound that will elicit their natural inclination to dig!”  

Maned wolves are crepuscular, as opposed to diurnal or nocturnal, which means that they are the most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. With this in mind, a cozy den was built inside their habitat to offer them an ideal spot for daytime naps. They also tend to be quite shy in nature, so extra foliage has been sprinkled throughout to make them feel comfortable and offer plenty of hideaways. 

Getting to Know Each Other

The next step in the process was getting Ty and Scarlet settled in their new space and building a relationship with their zoologists. The animal care team was excited to put all their research into practice and get to know the maned wolves’ personalities.

“Most of their daily routine is developed through watching them and getting to know their preferences and their behaviors,” said Lisa Van Slett, associate curator of mammals. “We have to learn about how they will react to things we present, what they like to eat and when, and see if we can form a routine with them. And they’re learning about us just as much as we are learning about them.” 

The zoologists have noted that Scarlet is the more spirited of the pair and is the boldest when it comes time to learn new behaviors during training sessions. Ty is very playful and a great problem solver who loves puzzle feeders and pouncing on bugs. They both enjoy the colder weather and “stinky” enrichment items like scented hay. 

Mane-taining Genetic Diversity

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) oversees the population of maned wolves at AZA-accredited zoos across the country, pairing individuals for both breeding and companionship based on social compatibility and, most importantly, genetic diversity, in order to ensure the long-term survival of threatened species like maned wolves.

“Our pair don’t have a breeding recommendation quite yet, as they are still bonding. But if the SSP decides that they should reproduce, we are very prepared to accommodate that request,” Cloutier Barbour said. “Like many of the remarkable species that call the Dallas Zoo home, maned wolves are under threat in the wild. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to educate our local community on the interconnectedness of nature and people, using their charisma and beauty to frame this discussion.”