African Wild Dog: The Ultimate Predator

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is a large canid native to sub-Saharan Africa. There are two subspecies: the Cape wild dog (L. p. melanochaita), which occurs south from the Orange River in South Africa through Namibia and Angola; and the West African wild dog (L.p. Africanus), which occurs throughout much of southern and eastern Africa.

The African wild dog is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to its small population size and has been classified as Endangered since 2007. Its status has improved slightly over the past decade, but it remains critically endangered with fewer than 10,000 individuals remaining in the wild.

It is known that the African Wild Dog was once widespread across Sub-Saharan Africa, where they were hunted to extinction by humans, livestock farmers, and settlers. They have survived only in isolated pockets of habitat in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, and South Africa.

There are two types of African wild dogs:

• Domestic dogs – These are usually domestic dogs who wander into the wilderness and become feral. They are often fed by people and may live near villages.

• Transients – These are wild dogs who temporarily stay in one area, usually close to human settlements. Their numbers fluctuate seasonally, and their movements are highly unpredictable.

African wild dogs are a subspecies of African hunting dog that lives in semi-arid savannahs and deserts across much of Africa from Ethiopia through South Sudan into northern Kenya. They have long legs and large feet with five toes on each foot (as opposed to four toes on other canids). Their fur ranges from light brown to reddish-brown. A typical adult male weighs between 30 and 40 kg. Females weigh about 20 kg. They are social animals and live in packs of 6–10 individuals. Packs usually consist of a breeding pair and their offspring. The average pack size is 7 members. 

There are two types of packs, territorial packs, and non-territorial packs. Territorial packs are those that defend a territory; they generally stay close together, moving around the area to keep track of what's going on. Non-territorial packs do not hold any territories and roam farther apart than territorial packs. African wild dogs are omnivorous. They eat both meat and vegetation. In addition to eating carrion, they also hunt small prey like rodents and reptiles. They kill larger prey using a combination of speed and stealth. They use their sharp teeth to tear the flesh of carcasses before consuming them.

African wild dogs spend most of their time resting or sleeping. They sleep curled up in a ball with their heads tucked under their front paws. When they're awake, they run at speeds of up to 35 km/h. They travel for distances of up to 15 km per day. African wild dogs communicate with howls. These sounds can carry over great distances, allowing them to alert others of danger or locate mates. Howling is used for many reasons, including communication, warning, and play. African wild dogs breed twice a year. Pups are born in late spring or early summer. Mothers nurse pups until they reach 8 weeks old. Then they start weaning them. Breeding pairs mate for life.