Culpeo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Culpeo |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lycalopex
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| Species: |
culpaeus
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| Culpeo range | |
The culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) is a type of South American fox. It is the second-largest native wild dog in South America. Culpeos have grey and reddish fur, a white chin, reddish legs, and a stripe down their back.
Where Culpeos Live
Culpeos live in many different places across South America. You can find them in the Andes Mountains, which are very high. They also live in deserts, forests, and even grasslands. Their home range stretches from Ecuador and Peru down through Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
They can live in very cold, snowy areas or in dry, hot places. This shows how adaptable these foxes are. They are found from sea level up to very high altitudes, sometimes over 4,500 meters (14,760 feet) high.
What Culpeos Eat
Culpeos are mostly meat-eaters, but they also eat plants. Their main diet includes small animals like rodents and rabbits. They also hunt birds and lizards.
Sometimes, they will eat carrion, which is the meat of animals that are already dead. When fruits are available, especially in summer, culpeos will eat them too. This varied diet helps them survive in different environments.
Culpeos and People
Sometimes, culpeos might hunt sheep or other farm animals. Because of this, some farmers see them as a problem. This can lead to culpeos being hunted.
However, culpeos are important for their ecosystems. They help control the populations of rodents and rabbits. Even though they are hunted in some areas, the culpeo species is not currently threatened with extinction. They are still found in many places across their range.
Images for kids
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Culpeo skull
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A culpeo in the Antofagasta Region
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A culpeo feasting on the carcass of a vicuña at El Tatio, San Pedro de Atacama, the Antofagasta Region
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Lycalopex culpaeus andinus (Thomas, 1914)
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Lycalopex culpaeus culpaeus (Molina, 1782)
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Lycalopex culpaeus lycoides (Philippi, 1896)
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Lycalopex culpaeus magellanicus (Gray, 1837)
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Lycalopex culpaeus reissii (Hilzheimer, 1906)
See also
In Spanish: Zorro culpeo para niños
