Currently, African wild dogs are primarily found in National Parks and reserves where large areas of their original territory remain intact. The main reason for the population decline is increased human development and encroachment on wild dog territory. At one point, the population of African wild dogs was estimated to be as high as 500,000, but is now down to just over 6,600 adults over a much reduced range. 10) African Wild Dogs Are EndangeredĪfrican wild dogs have disappeared in many of the areas of their original range over the last few decades-they could once be found in over 40 different countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, but today are found in just 10-25 countries. Some experts predict that wild dogs are successful in 80% of their hunting attempts. This stamina combined with smart hunting tactics, where some members lead the hunt close to prey, while others tactically circle the prey, results is an extremely high hunting success rate. Wild dogs are built for endurance-they can maintain speeds of up to 35 mph over a range of 3 miles, which allows them to outlast their prey. Before initiating a hunt, African wild dogs conduct a playful ceremony in which they circle one another, touching and vocalizing to get themselves excited about the coming hunt. 9) African Wild Dogs Are Expert HuntersĪfrican wild dogs' prey consists of small ungulates such as impala, kudu, Thomson’s gazelle, springbok and wildebeest. Twilight is a key time for wild dogs because their prey is the most active during this period and the cover of night gives wild dogs a hunting and camouflage advantage, making them more difficult to be detected by both predators and prey. 8) African Wild Dogs Are CrepuscularĪfrican wild dogs are most active during twilight-the period immediately before dawn and after dusk-making them "crepuscular". Usually, more than twice as many males are born as females and, in a behaviour unique to wild dogs, when the pups reach maturity, the females leave the pack to look for mates while the males stay in their natal pack. With litters of 2-20 pups, wild dogs have some of the largest litters of wild canines. In addition, a wild dog's large, round ears allow them to keep track of pack members over long distances through audio signals. Unlike their domestic counterparts, wild dogs only have four toes per forefoot. 6) African Wild Dogs Have Unique Physical Features Wild dogs in Tanzania's Serengeti, for example, have been known to roam an area over 900 square miles. As a result, wild dogs require large territories to thrive. Wild dog packs roam large areas and rarely stay in a single place for long. Similarly, young cubs are raised by all members of the pack including both male and female members. For example, younger members of the pack who conduct hunts will bring back food for the older members. Unlike many other pack-hunting animals, wild dogs of a single pack rarely intimidate or fight one another for position instead they exhibit behaviors that support the health of the pack over individual members. ![]() 4) African Wild Dogs Are Highly Intelligent Wild dogs communicate with one another through touch, tail wags and a variety of vocalizations that include a short bark (which can signify alarm), a howl (which rallies the wild dogs together), and a bell-like sound which can be heard over long distances. ![]() There is a hierarchy within a pack, led by a dominant breeding pair, but struggle is generally limited within the pack once this hierarchy has been established. Since wild dogs live in such close proximity with each other, they have evolved to be incredibly social. Wild dogs live in packs ranging in size from 6 - 30 members, making their packs one of the largest of the wild canines. 3) African Wild Dogs Are Incredibly Social The beautiful colors of their coat (black, brown, yellow and white) also helps wild dogs blend in to their natural habitat of grassland, savannah and woodland. ![]() Similar to other great African animals with distinct coat patterns, no two wild dogs have the same spotted patterns-these are unique to individual wild dogs and help members within the pack distinguish between one another. 2) An African Wild Dog’s Spotted Coat is UniqueĮach African wild dog has a unique spotted pattern This is the most common nickname for the African wild dog, but they are known by many other monikers including "cape hunting dog", "painted dog", "African hunting dog", "painted hunting dog", and "ornate wolf". The scientific name of the African wild dog is "lycaon pictus", a latin term meaning "painted wolf". 1) African Wild Dogs are known by many different names
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |