African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus

General Description

Scientific Name: Lycaon pictus

Subspecies: 5 Subspecies

Cape Wild Dog (L. p. pictus)
East African Wild Dog (L. p. lupinus)
Somali Wild Dog (L. p. somalicus)
Chadian Wild Dog (L. p. sharicus)
West African Wild Dog (L. p. manguensis)

Status: Endangered (decreasing)

Other Names: Painted Dog or Wild Dog

Population Estimate: 6,600 (1,400 mature animals)

Population in Assessed Areas: 0

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Male and Female Size: 18-36 Kgs

Trophy Size: N/a

Generation Length: 5 years

Reproductive Season: Year Round

Time of Activity: Diurnal/semi-nocturnal

Description: The African wild dog is the bulkiest of African canids, standing 60-75 cm at the shoulders, 71 - 112 cm in head-and-body length, and a tail length of 29 to 41 cm. Adults have a weight range of 18 to 36 kg. On average, the East African subspecies weighs around 20–25 kg. Females are usually 3–7% smaller than males. Compared to members of the genus Canis, the African wild dog is comparatively lean and tall, with outsized ears and lacking dewclaws. The middle two toepads are usually fused. Its dentition differs from that of Canis by the degeneration of the last lower molar, the narrowness of the canines and proportionately large premolars, which are the largest relative to body size of any carnivore other than hyenas. The heel of the lower carnassial M1 is crested with a single, blade-like cusp, which enhances the shearing capacity of the teeth, thus the speed at which prey can be consumed. This feature, termed "trenchant heel", is shared with two other canids: the Asian dhole and the South American bush dog. The skull is relatively shorter and broader than those of other canids.

The fur differs significantly from that of other wild canids, consisting entirely of stiff bristle-hairs with no underfur (an adaptation to hot & humid climates). Adults gradually lose their fur as it ages, with older individuals being almost naked. Color variation is extreme, and may serve in visual identification, as African wild dogs can recognize each other at distances of 50–100 m. Some geographic variation is seen in coat colour, with northeastern African specimens tending to be predominantly black with small white and yellow patches, while southern African dogs are more brightly colored, with a mix of brown, black and white coats. Much of the species' coat patterning occurs on the trunk and legs. Little variation in facial markings occurs, with the muzzle being black, gradually shading into brown on the cheeks and forehead. A black line extends up the forehead, turning blackish-brown on the back of the ears. A few specimens sport a brown teardrop-shaped mark below the eyes. The back of the head and neck are either brown or yellow. A white patch occasionally occurs behind the fore legs, with some specimens having completely white fore legs, chests and throats. The tail is usually white at the tip, black in the middle and brown at the base. Some specimens lack the white tip entirely, or may have black fur below the white tip. These coat patterns can be asymmetrical, with the left side of the body often having different markings from the right.

Ecology: African wild dogs are specialized pack hunters of medium-sized antelopes, being the only primarily diurnal African large predators other than Cheetahs. They hunt by approaching prey silently, then chasing it in a pursuit clocking at up to 66 km/h for 10–60 minutes. The average chase covers some 2 km (1.2 mi), during which the prey animal, if large, is repeatedly bitten on the legs, belly, and rump until it stops running, while smaller prey is pulled down and torn apart.

African wild dogs adjust their hunting strategy to the particular prey species. They will rush at Blue wildebeest to panic the herd and isolate vulnerable individuals, but pursue territorial antelope species (which defend themselves by running in wide circles) by cutting across the arc to stop their escape. Where available, five prey species were the most regularly selected, namely the Greater kudu, Thomson's gazelle, Impala, Cape Bushbuck and blue wildebeest. in East Africa, its most common prey is the Thomson's gazelle, while in Central and Southern Africa, it targets impala, reedbuck, Kob, Lechwe, and springbok, and smaller prey such as common duiker, dik-dik, hares, spring hares, insects and cane rats. Staple prey sizes are usually between 15 and 200 kg, though some local studies put upper prey sizes as variously 90 to 135 kg. In the case of larger species such as kudu and wildebeest, calves are largely but not exclusively targeted. However, certain packs in the Serengeti specialize in hunting adult plains zebras weighing up to 240 kg. Another study claimed that some prey taken by wild dogs could weigh up to 289 kg. This includes African buffalo juveniles during the dry season when herds are small and calves less protected. Footage from Lower Zambezi National Park in 2021 showed a large pack of wild dogs hunting an adult, healthy buffalo, though this is apparently extremely rare. One pack was recorded to occasionally prey on bat-eared foxes, rolling on the carcasses before eating them. African wild dogs rarely scavenge, but have on occasion been observed to appropriate carcasses from spotted hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, lions, and animals caught in snares.

Hunting success varies with prey type, vegetation cover and pack size, but African wild dogs tend to have a high success rate, with around 60% of their chases end in a kill, and sometimes up to 90%. An analysis of 1,119 chases by a pack of six Okavango wild dogs showed that most were short distance uncoordinated chases, and the individual kill rate was only 15.5 percent. Because kills are shared, each dog enjoyed an efficient benefit–cost ratio.

The African wild dog is a incredibly fast eater (matched only by the cheetah), with a pack being able to consume a Thomson's gazelle in 15 minutes. In the wild, the species' consumption is 1.2–5.9 kg per African wild dog a day, with one pack of 17–43 individuals in East Africa having been recorded to kill three animals per day on average. Unlike most social predators, African wild dogs will regurgitate food for other adults as well as young family members.

Behavior: The African wild dog have strong social bonds, stronger than those of sympatric lions and spotted hyenas; It lives in permanent packs consisting of 2-27 adults and yearling pups. The typical pack size in the Kruger National Park and the Maasai Mara is 4-5 adults, while packs in Moremi and Selous Game Reserves contain 8-9. However, larger packs have been observed and temporary aggregations of hundreds of individuals may have gathered in response to vast springbok Trek Boks in South Africa.

Males and females have separate dominance hierarchies, with the latter usually being led by the oldest female. Males may be led by the oldest male, but these can be supplanted by younger specimens; thus, some packs may contain elderly male former pack leaders. The dominant pair typically monopolizes breeding. The species differs from most other social carnivorans in that males remain in the natal pack, while females disperse (a pattern also found in primates). Furthermore, males in any given pack tend to outnumber females 3:1. Dispersing females join other packs and evict some of the resident females related to the other pack members, thus preventing inbreeding and allowing the evicted individuals to find new packs of their own and breed. Males rarely disperse, and when they do, they are invariably rejected by other packs already containing males. Although arguably the most social canid, the species lacks the elaborate facial expressions and body language found in the gray wolf, likely because of the African wild dog's less hierarchical social structure. Furthermore, while elaborate facial expressions are important for wolves in re-establishing bonds after long periods of separation from their family groups, they are not as necessary to African wild dogs, which remain together for much longer periods. The species does have an extensive vocal repertoire consisting of twittering, whining, yelping, squealing, whispering, barking, growling, gurling, rumbling, moaning and hooing.

Predatory Competition: Lions dominate African wild dogs and are a major source of mortality for both adults and pups, with population densities usually being low where lions are abundant. One pack reintroduced into Etosha National Park was wiped out by lions. Likewise, a population crash in lions in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the 1960s resulted in an increase in African wild dogs, only to decrease again once the lions recovered. As with other large predators killed by lion prides, the dogs are usually killed and left uneaten by the lions, indicating the competitive rather than predatory nature of the lions' dominance. However, there have been a few cases of old and wounded lions falling prey to African wild dogs. On occasion, packs of wild dogs will defend pack members attacked by single lions, with one pack in the Okavango in March 2016 waging "an incredible fight" against a lioness that attacked a subadult dog at an impala kill, which forced the lioness to retreat, although the subadult dog died. A pack of four wild dogs was observed furiously defending an old adult male dog from a male lion that attacked it at a kill; the dog survived and rejoined the pack.

Spotted hyenas are important kleptoparasites and follow packs of African wild dogs to appropriate their kills. They typically inspect areas where wild dogs have rested and eat any food remains they find. When approaching wild dogs at a kill, solitary hyenas approach cautiously and attempt to take off with a piece of meat unnoticed, and often mobbed in the attempt. When operating in groups, spotted hyenas are more successful in stealing African wild dog kills. Cases of African wild dogs scavenging from spotted hyenas are rare. Although African wild dog packs can easily repel solitary hyenas, on the whole, the relationship between the two species is a one-sided benefit for the hyenas, with African wild dog densities being negatively correlated with high hyena populations. Beyond piracy, cases of interspecific killing of African wild dogs by spotted hyenas are documented.

Reproduction: African wild dog populations in East Africa appear to have no fixed breeding season, whilst those in Southern Africa usually breed during the April–July period. During estrus, the female is closely accompanied by a single male, which keeps other members of the same sex at bay. The estrus period can last as long as 20 days. The copulatory tie characteristic of mating in most canids has been reported to be absent or very brief (less than one minute) in African wild dog, possibly an adaptation to the prevalence of larger predators in its environment. The gestation period lasts 69–73 days, with the interval between each pregnancy being 12–14 months typically.

The African wild dog produces more pups than any other canid, with litters containing around six to 16 pups, with an average of 10, thus indicating that a single female can produce enough young to form a new pack every year. Because the amount of food necessary to feed more than two litters would be impossible to acquire by the average pack, breeding is strictly limited to the dominant female, which may kill the pups of subordinates. After giving birth, the mother stays close to the pups in the den, while the rest of the pack hunts. She typically drives away pack members approaching the pups until the latter are old enough to eat solid food at three to four weeks of age. The pups leave the den around the age of three weeks and are suckled outside. The pups are weaned at the age of five weeks, when they are fed regurgitated meat by the other pack members. By seven weeks, the pups begin to take on an adult appearance, with noticeable lengthening in the legs, muzzle, and ears. Once the pups reach the age of eight to 10 weeks, the pack abandons the den and the young follow the adults during hunts. The youngest pack members are permitted to eat first on kills, a privilege which ends once they become yearlings.

Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: Historical data indicate that African Wild Dogs were formerly distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, from desert to mountain summits, and probably were absent only from lowland rainforest and the driest desert. They have disappeared from much of their former range, due to hunting, prey depletion, and diseases transmitted from domestic dogs. The species is virtually eradicated from North and West Africa, and greatly reduced in Central Africa and North-east Africa. The largest populations remain in southern Africa (especially northern Botswana, western Zimbabwe, eastern Namibia, and western Zambia) and the southern part of East Africa (especially Tanzania and northern Mozambique). Stronghold populations also exist in Northeastern South Africa, particularly in the greater Kruger area.

It is likely that African wild dogs have completely disappeared from their entire North African range, though it could possibly persist in area of Algeria, with a total sub-population size of less than 50 individuals. Overhunting, depletion of prey species like Scimitar Oryx & Addax, and increased aridification in these areas are likely culprits of this disappearance.

Map of African Wild Dog Distribution

Current & Historic Populations: African wild dogs likely were always a low density predator species, likely due to the abundance of competition present on the continent, and have also always ben prone to significant population fluctuations. Generally speaking, where Lions and Spotted Hyenas are less common, Wild Dog densities tend to be higher. Since the 1600', populations have greatly diminished, caused by a extreme sensitivity to habitat fragmentation, conflict with livestock farmers, accidental killing by snares and road in accidents, and infectious disease. All of these causes are associated with human encroachment on African Wild Dog habitat and, as such, have not ceased and are unlikely to be reversible across the majority of the species’ historical range.

It's estimated that there is now around 6,600 wild dogs across their entire range, with only around 1,400 of these being adults. This is likley due to the fact that wild dogs are highly fecund predators, with very large litters, so such a ratio between adults and young is quite normal. Whilst strongolds exist in southern Africa, many eastern and western African populations are highly fragmented. East and West African populations seem to be decreasing, whilst southern African populations are increasing.

Threats to Species Survival: The principal threat to African Wild Dogs is habitat fragmentation, which increases their contact with people and domestic animals (especially domestic dogs), resulting in human-wildlife conflict and disease transmission. The important role played by human-induced mortality has two long-term implications. First, outside protected areas, African Wild Dogs may be unable to coexist with increasing human populations unless land use plans and other conservation actions are implemented. Secondly, Wild Dog ranging behavior leads to a very substantial "edge effect", even in large reserves. Simple geometry dictates that a reserve of 5,000 km² contains no point more than 40 km from its borders – a distance well within the range of distances travelled by a pack of African Wild Dogs in their usual ranging behavior. Thus, from an African Wild Dog's perspective, a reserve of this size (fairly large by most standards) would be all edge. As human populations rise around reserve borders, the risks to African Wild Dogs venturing outside are also likely to increase. Under these conditions, only the largest unfenced reserves will be able to provide any level of protection for African Wild Dogs. In South Africa, “predator proof” fencing around small reserves has proved reasonably effective at keeping dogs confined to the reserve, but such fencing is not 100% effective (Davies-Mostert et al. 2009) and is unlikely to be long-term beneficial for wildlife communities.

Even in large, well-protected reserves, or in stable populations remaining largely independent of protected areas (Northern Botswana), Wild Dogs live at low population densities. Predation by Lions and competition with Spotted Hyenas contribute to limiting African Wild Dog numbers below the level that their prey base could support. Such low population density brings its own problems. The largest areas contain only relatively small wild dog populations; for example, the Selous Game Reserve, with an area of 43,000 km² (about the size of Switzerland), is estimated to contain about 800 African Wild Dogs. Most reserves, and probably most African Wild Dog populations, are smaller. For example, the population in Niokolo-Koba National Park and buffer zones (about 25,000 km²) is likely to be not more than 50–100 dogs. Such small populations are vulnerable to extinction. "Catastrophic" events such as outbreaks of epidemic disease may drive them to extinction when larger populations have a greater probability of recovery – such an event seems to have led to the local extinction of the small African Wild Dog population in the Serengeti ecosystem on the Kenya-Tanzania border. Problems of small population size will be exacerbated if, as seems likely, small populations occur in small reserves or habitat patches. As discussed above, animals inhabiting such areas suffer a strong "edge effect". Thus, small populations might be expected to suffer disproportionately high mortality as a result of their contact with humans and human activity.

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Further resource and manage protected areas where African Wild Dog still exits exist.
Increase the access to funding and the effectiveness of anti-poaching techniques across Southern Africa, to make Spotted Hyenas protection as affordable as possible.
Encourage the implementation of economic incentives that allow landowners to profit off the presence of healthy Spotted Hyena populations, whether that be through ecotourism.
Investigate how trophy hunting and ecotourism can be implemented without having negative impacts on African Wild Dogs populations, and help implement this over a large part of their range.
Identify areas of the African Wild dogs historic range where large landscapes are still intact, and where populations could be restored. This is especially important in areas with low numbers of lions and spotted hyenas.
Improve survey methods to get accurate population data, such as implementing long-term monitoring programs.

Economic & Cultural Analysis

Ecotourism Value: Very High

Hunting Value: Low

Meat Value: Low

Average Trophy Value: N/a

Meat Yield per Animal: n/a

Economic Value/Impacts: African wild dogs are one of the most sought after animals on safari, especially in areas where they still exist in great abundance. Their habits of being active during the day makes them a commonly sighted animal, especially in areas with the Greater Kruger area. Several reserves within their historic range have invested in restoring Wild Dog populations on their reserve, especially in the Eastern Cape where free ranging populations disappeared over 100 years ago. Across no area of their range is hunting of wild dogs legal, largely due to their low population, limited remaining range, and large fluctuations that their populations can experince.

Cultural Value: The African wild dog also plays a prominent role in the mythology of Southern Africa's San people. In one story, the wild dog is indirectly linked to the origin of death, as the hare is cursed by the moon to be for ever hunted by African wild dogs after the hare rebuffs the moon's promise to allow all living things to be reborn after death. Another story has the god Cagn taking revenge on the other gods by sending a group of men transformed into African wild dogs to attack them, though who won the battle is never revealed. The San of Botswana see the African wild dog as the ultimate hunter and traditionally believe that shamans and medicine men can transform themselves into wild dogs. Some San hunters will smear African wild dog bodily fluids on their feet before a hunt, believing that doing so will give them the animal's boldness and agility. Nevertheless, the species does not figure prominently in San rock art, with the only notable example being a frieze in Mount Erongo showing a pack hunting two antelopes.