Andean fox

“Lycalopex culpaeus” by Christian Mehlführer, licensed under CC BY SA 3.0

Common Name: Andean fox, Culpeo,

Scientific Name: Lycalopex culpaeus

Conservation Status:  Least Concern (Lucherini, 2016).

Habitat: High-altitude foothills and the surrounding valleys of the Andes; forests of western and southern South America; desert of Patagonia; scrub and grassland (Jimenez & Novaro, 2004; Novaro, 1997; Walker, et al., 2007).

Range: South America from Ecuador to southern Chile and Argentina. Throughout the Andes and Patagonian steppe (Novaro, 1997; Salvatori et al., 1999).

Diet: Omnivores; prey ranges from wild ungulates, hares, sheep, and small mammals to insects, birds, and lizards. Culpeos have also been known to eat fruit and carrion (Jimenez & Novaro, 2004; Novaro, 1997; Walker, et al., 2007).

Threats: Hunted and trapped for fur; occasional prey for Pumas (Jimenez & Novaro, 2004).