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African Wild Dog
Conservation Status: Endangered
Conservation Status: Endangered
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Watch Videos
- One of the most rare sightings: African Wild Dogs, WildEarth 6/6/2007
- The wild dogs were chilling out in the afternoon, but as the sun was setting
they headed out on the hunt. And another successful one it was. - Wild Dogs Take on Elephants
- Tribal Conflict : Wild Dogs & Hyena
The African Wild Dog, Lycaon pictus, also known as the African Hunting Dog, Cape
Hunting Dog, Painted Dog, or Painted Wolf, is a carnivorous mammal of the
Canidae family. The Afrikaans name for the African Wild dog is Wildehond, and in
Swahili, Mbwa mwitu. It is the only species in the monotypic genus, Lycaon. They
are, as their name indicates, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and
other lightly wooded areas.
The wild dog's Greek name means painted wolf and it is characteristic of the
species that no two individuals have the same pattern of coat. Individuals can
easily be recognised on the basis of their differing coat patterns. The pelage is an
irregular pattern of black, yellow, and white. The wild dog is unusual among canids,
due to the fact that they are the only species to lack dewclaws on the forelimbs.
Adults typically weigh between 17-36 kilograms (37-79 pounds). A tall, lean animal,
they stand about 30 inches (75 cm) at the shoulder, with a head and body length
averaging about 40 inches (100cm) and a tail of between 12 and 18 inches
(30-45cm) Animals in southern Africa are generally larger than those in the east or
west of the continent.
Wild dogs will reproduce any time of year, with a peak between March and June
during the second half of the rainy season. 2-19 pups can be born per litter, though
10 is the most usual number. The time between births is usually 12-14 months,
though it can also be as short as 6 months if all of the previous young die. Pups are
usually born in an abandoned den dug by other animals such as aardvarks.
Weaning takes place at about 10 weeks. After 3 months, the den is abandoned
and the pups begin to run with the pack. At the age of 8-11 months they can kill
small prey, but they are not proficient until about 12-14 months, at which time they
can fend for themselves. Pups reach sexual maturity at the age of 12-18 months.
Females will disperse from their birth pack at 14-30 months of age and join other
packs that lack sexually mature females. Males typically do not leave the pack
they were born to.
ENDANGERED
Wild dogs are endangered, primarily because they use very large territories (and
consequently can persist only in large wildlife protected areas) and they are
strongly affected by competition with larger carnivores that rely on the same prey
base, particularly lions and spotted hyenas. The dogs are also killed by livestock
herders and game hunters, though they are typically no more (perhaps less)
persecuted than other carnivores that pose more threat to livestock. Like other
carnivores, wild dogs are sometimes affected by outbreaks of viral diseases such
as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Although these diseases are not more
pathogenic or virulent for wild dogs, the small size of most wild dog populations
makes them vulnerable to local extinction due to diseases or other problems.
The current estimate for remaining wild dogs in the wild is approximately 3,000. Of
these, the majority live in the two remaining large populations associated with the
Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and the population centered in northern
Botswana and eastern Namibia. Smaller but apparently secure populations of
several hundred individuals are found in Zimbabwe, South Africa (Kruger National
Park) and in the Ruaha/Rungwa/Kisigo complex of Tanzania. Isolated populations
persist in Zambia, Kenya and Mozambique.
The African Wild Dog is primarily found in the eastern and southern portions of
Africa. They were once found in 39 nations with an estimated population of
500,000 dogs. Now of the 39 countries only 25 remain with an estimated
population of 3,000 dogs. It was not uncommon to find packs of 100 or more but
now they are listed as the second most endangered carnivore in Africa. They are
listed as a critical risk by the San Diego Zoo.
Habitat loss and hunting are the main reasons for their endangerment. Along with
human expansion comes more farming and ranching needs. Most of Africa's
National Parks are not large enough for even one pack of African Wild Dogs so
they have to expand to the unprotected regions of the continent which tends to
be ranching or farming land. This makes ranchers and farmers uneasy, so in order to
defend their domestic animals they kill the Wild Dogs, significantly contributing to
the high percentage of death.
The people of Africa are realizing the problem and the near extinction of the
African Wild Dog and have established a conservation effort called Painted Dog
Conservation or PDC. It is based in Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe.
The group works with local communities to create new strategies for conserving
the wild dog and its habitat.
Hunting Dog, Painted Dog, or Painted Wolf, is a carnivorous mammal of the
Canidae family. The Afrikaans name for the African Wild dog is Wildehond, and in
Swahili, Mbwa mwitu. It is the only species in the monotypic genus, Lycaon. They
are, as their name indicates, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and
other lightly wooded areas.
The wild dog's Greek name means painted wolf and it is characteristic of the
species that no two individuals have the same pattern of coat. Individuals can
easily be recognised on the basis of their differing coat patterns. The pelage is an
irregular pattern of black, yellow, and white. The wild dog is unusual among canids,
due to the fact that they are the only species to lack dewclaws on the forelimbs.
Adults typically weigh between 17-36 kilograms (37-79 pounds). A tall, lean animal,
they stand about 30 inches (75 cm) at the shoulder, with a head and body length
averaging about 40 inches (100cm) and a tail of between 12 and 18 inches
(30-45cm) Animals in southern Africa are generally larger than those in the east or
west of the continent.
Wild dogs will reproduce any time of year, with a peak between March and June
during the second half of the rainy season. 2-19 pups can be born per litter, though
10 is the most usual number. The time between births is usually 12-14 months,
though it can also be as short as 6 months if all of the previous young die. Pups are
usually born in an abandoned den dug by other animals such as aardvarks.
Weaning takes place at about 10 weeks. After 3 months, the den is abandoned
and the pups begin to run with the pack. At the age of 8-11 months they can kill
small prey, but they are not proficient until about 12-14 months, at which time they
can fend for themselves. Pups reach sexual maturity at the age of 12-18 months.
Females will disperse from their birth pack at 14-30 months of age and join other
packs that lack sexually mature females. Males typically do not leave the pack
they were born to.
ENDANGERED
Wild dogs are endangered, primarily because they use very large territories (and
consequently can persist only in large wildlife protected areas) and they are
strongly affected by competition with larger carnivores that rely on the same prey
base, particularly lions and spotted hyenas. The dogs are also killed by livestock
herders and game hunters, though they are typically no more (perhaps less)
persecuted than other carnivores that pose more threat to livestock. Like other
carnivores, wild dogs are sometimes affected by outbreaks of viral diseases such
as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Although these diseases are not more
pathogenic or virulent for wild dogs, the small size of most wild dog populations
makes them vulnerable to local extinction due to diseases or other problems.
The current estimate for remaining wild dogs in the wild is approximately 3,000. Of
these, the majority live in the two remaining large populations associated with the
Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and the population centered in northern
Botswana and eastern Namibia. Smaller but apparently secure populations of
several hundred individuals are found in Zimbabwe, South Africa (Kruger National
Park) and in the Ruaha/Rungwa/Kisigo complex of Tanzania. Isolated populations
persist in Zambia, Kenya and Mozambique.
The African Wild Dog is primarily found in the eastern and southern portions of
Africa. They were once found in 39 nations with an estimated population of
500,000 dogs. Now of the 39 countries only 25 remain with an estimated
population of 3,000 dogs. It was not uncommon to find packs of 100 or more but
now they are listed as the second most endangered carnivore in Africa. They are
listed as a critical risk by the San Diego Zoo.
Habitat loss and hunting are the main reasons for their endangerment. Along with
human expansion comes more farming and ranching needs. Most of Africa's
National Parks are not large enough for even one pack of African Wild Dogs so
they have to expand to the unprotected regions of the continent which tends to
be ranching or farming land. This makes ranchers and farmers uneasy, so in order to
defend their domestic animals they kill the Wild Dogs, significantly contributing to
the high percentage of death.
The people of Africa are realizing the problem and the near extinction of the
African Wild Dog and have established a conservation effort called Painted Dog
Conservation or PDC. It is based in Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe.
The group works with local communities to create new strategies for conserving
the wild dog and its habitat.
Help Save Wild Dogs!
Too few people know about the plight of one of the world's most endangered canids, the African
wild dog (Lycaon pictus) or Africa's "painted wolf." This unique pack-living canid, with its large
parabolic ears and mottled coat pattern of yellow, white, and black, once ranged widely
throughout sub-Saharan Africa in 39 countries. Today wild dogs have all but disappeared in 15,
with perhaps no more than 3,000–5,500 remaining. Their dramatic decline is largely due to human
persecution and habitat fragmentation. The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Canid
Specialist Group, and American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Canid and Hyaenid Taxon
Advisory Group (TAG) regard African wild dogs as a high-priority species for wildlife conservation.
Too few people know about the plight of one of the world's most endangered canids, the African
wild dog (Lycaon pictus) or Africa's "painted wolf." This unique pack-living canid, with its large
parabolic ears and mottled coat pattern of yellow, white, and black, once ranged widely
throughout sub-Saharan Africa in 39 countries. Today wild dogs have all but disappeared in 15,
with perhaps no more than 3,000–5,500 remaining. Their dramatic decline is largely due to human
persecution and habitat fragmentation. The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Canid
Specialist Group, and American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Canid and Hyaenid Taxon
Advisory Group (TAG) regard African wild dogs as a high-priority species for wildlife conservation.
Video of the African Wild Dog from
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