# Ethiopian wolf (*Canis simensis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/ethiopian-wolf  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), also called the Simien fox or Simien jackal, is a mammal in the family Canidae and the order Carnivora. It is a medium-sized, terrestrial carnivore weighing 10 kg, with a body length of 97 cm and a height of 57.5 cm. The ethiopian wolf has a gestation period of 63 days, a litter size of 4 and reaches sexual maturity at 2 years. It is listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 10 kg – 13.5 kg |
| Length | 93 cm – 1.01 m |
| Height | 53 cm – 62 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | mountain |
| Gestation | 62.9 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 4 |
| Age at maturity | 2.03 years |
| Litters or clutches a year | 1.1 |
| Active | Day and night (cathemeral) |
| Lifestyle | Terrestrial |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Mammalia
- order: Carnivora
- family: Canidae
- genus: Canis
- species: *Canis simensis* Rüppell, 1840

## Common questions

### Is the ethiopian wolf endangered?

Yes. The ethiopian wolf is listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, which is a threatened category.

### How big is the ethiopian wolf?

The ethiopian wolf has a body length of 97 cm, ranging from 93 cm to 1.01 m, and a height of 57.5 cm, ranging from 53 cm to 62 cm.

### How much does an ethiopian wolf weigh?

An adult Ethiopian wolf weighs 10 kg, with weights up to 13.52 kg reported.

### What does the ethiopian wolf eat?

The ethiopian wolf is a carnivore.

### What kind of animal is the ethiopian wolf?

The ethiopian wolf is a mammal in the family Canidae, order Carnivora. It is also called the Simien fox, Simien jackal or Simian jackal.

### How many young does an ethiopian wolf have?

The ethiopian wolf has 4 young per litter and 1.1 litters per year, after a gestation period of 63 days.

### Who named the ethiopian wolf?

The ethiopian wolf, Canis simensis, was named by Rüppell in 1840.

## Sources

- [An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1), CC0 1.0, E096-269. Myhrvold, N.P., Baldridge, E., Chan, B., Sivam, D., Freeman, D.L. & Ernest, S.K.M. (2015) An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96: 3109. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0846R.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1
- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [EltonTraits 1.0: species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3559887.v1), CC0 1.0, 1.0. Wilman, H., Belmaker, J., Simpson, J., de la Rosa, C., Rivadeneira, M.M. & Jetz, W. (2014) EltonTraits 1.0: Species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals. Ecology 95: 2027. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1917.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3559887.v1
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/ethiopian-wolf