African wild dogs: What to know and where to see
May 23rd, 2011 by wwftravel
The endangered African wild dog is easily identifiable by its distinctive coat patter and large, round ears. © Frederick J. Weyerhaeuser / WWF-Canon
Revered and reviled
The African wild dog is one of the most revered, reviled and fascinating animals on the continent. Its unusually communal and seemingly caring social structure endear it to human beings while its hunting style has been described as savage and cruel by people. It is Africa’s second most endangered carnivore.
(Incidentally, the dubious distinction of ‘most endangered carnivore’ on the continent goes to the Simean jackal or Ethiopian wolf – a reddish jackal-like species that lives in the Afro-alpine regions of Ethiopia.)
Life and times of the African wolf
Wild dogs are the wolves of Africa and their zoological name Lycaon (Greek for wolf) pictus (Latin for painted) is an appropriate moniker. Their social structure is very similar to their European and American cousins although they are about two thirds the mass. The pack—from two to 30 individuals—is lead by an alpha pair who, unless the pack is enormous, is normally the only one to breed. This they do once a year, normally in the winter when the vegetation is thin, allowing the pack increased visibility which suits their pernicious and unsubtle hunting style. The whole pack will feed the pups by regurgitating meat for them. They do this for sick and injured members too. Wild dogs favor woodland and savannah habitats but they can easily exist in grassland.
Wild dog packs are highly efficient hunting units. They do not employ the subtleties of the stalking feline counterparts. Instead they simply sight a herd of potential prey and then tear off after them, sometimes reaching speeds of 37 mph. The alpha male normally leads the hunt and packs have been known to chase prey for more than three miles at a time. They’re not particularly fussy eaters and will eat anything from scrub hares to wildebeest. That said, they like their meals fresh and tend not to eat carrion or rancid meat – unlike jackals, hyenas and the big cats.
Pups huddle together for warmth and security. © Frederick J. Weyerhaeuser / WWF-Canon
Where they are now
Wild dogs used to be distributed throughout Africa but for the desert and rain forest regions of the continent. During the last century however, the species has been reduced to an estimated 5,000 individuals. Their decline has been brought about by human persecution, disease and habitat loss. Most of the remaining dogs are concentrated in southern Africa with a small population in Tanzania, an isolated group in Senegal and confirmed populations in central Africa. There are also anecdotal reports of dogs from Mali, Guinea, Gambia, Nigeria, Algeria and Mauritania.
In southern Africa, the dogs occur in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Angola and the far north east of Namibia. There are also records of individuals in Mozambique south of the Zambezi River.
© Wilderness Safaris. Reprinted with permission.
