Falkland Islands Wolf (Dusicyon australis)
The Falkland Islands Wolf, also known as the Warrah, Falkland Islands Fox, Falkland Islands Dog, or Antarctic Wolf, was the only mammal native to the Falkland Islands off the eastern coast of the southern tip of South America. The animal was a medium-sized, fox-like canine, with a soft, thick coat, tawny on the upperparts with fine white speckling, and pale brown on the underparts. The head was relatively short and broad, with small ears, while the tail was short and bushy, with a distinctive white tip. The wolf’s habits and diet are unknown.
The wolf was first documented in 1690. Charles Darwin wrote of them when he visited the islands in 1833 he noted that while present on the two major Falklands the wolf was already rare. The animal was gone by 1880.
National Museum of Natural History Naturalis, LeidenEncroachment by humans into the animals’ habitat and its fearlessness of humans all contributed to the Falkland Wolf’s extinction. The animal was also hunted for its valuable fur and its perceived threat to sheep herds.
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