The Carnivores of africa

African wild dog

Lycaon pictus

Africa’s largest canid, the african wild dog is characterised by markings of brown, yellow and white blotches.

Distribution Once widespread throughout sub-saharan Africa, the numbers of wild dog have dwindled to around three thousand individuals. The remaining wild dogs can be found scattered within protected areas of Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Social structure A highly sociable species found in packs of three too fifty with an alpha male and alpha female. Usually only the alpha pair breeds and the young are looked after by all members of the pack. Females (and some males) will leave a home pack at sexual maturity to join up with other packs or to start their own pack with males they meet up with. This prevents alpha males breeding with their offspring.

Range differentiation There is not much difference in the species across the range.

Habitat Plains and woodland savanna. Absent from highlands and forests.

Feeding Wild dogs hunt a range of prey from steenbok to zebra. The pack will chase prey until it reaches exhaustion, then disembowelling it. The kill is incredibly quick. At times members of the pack will chase separate animals and the individuals that do not succeed will turn to help others.

Breeding Litters vary in size (can be up to twenty pups) and the young stay around the den area for up to three months. It is usually only the alpha female that breeds and the young are looked after by all members of the pack who regurgitate food from the kill for the pups. When pups are older they will follow the adults but not take part in the hunt. At a kill the young are allowed to eat first.

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Wild dogs chased an impala through a herd of buffalo before killing it.

African wild dogs enjoy cooling off in the water

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Wild dogs enjoy cooling off in water when they have the opportunity.

African wild dogs in the ealry morning mists

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Early morning and late afternoon is the time wild dogs prepare for a hunt.

"I have always disliked wild dogs intensely, and have endeavoured to exterminate them to the best of my ability. These animals are hated and loathed by all who come into contact with them and the only thing I can say in their favour is that they are remarkable hunters."

- P.J. Pretorius, Jungle Man

This view was shared by many people in the past, and has consequently lead to the crisis we sit with today. Wild dogs are now on the brink of extinction with only approximately 3000 left in the wild. This view is finally changing, but much damage has been done to this canid species

Wild dogs and hippo

There are many stories of hippo chasing off predators in the act of a kill. I observed wild dogs killing a puku on the edge of the Chobe River. Whilst the wild dogs were eating a hippo charged out the water and the dogs moved off. The hippo returned to the water and the dogs approached the carcass, causing the hippo to charged yet again.

This went on for a while until the dogs moved off a distance and lay down. Not long after one of the dogs seemed to get into a game by moving toward the hippo and making it charge. Eventually the hippo gave up and returned to the rest of the pod.

Wild dog / hyena interaction

Wild dogs will generally get the better of hyena, deftly nipping at the hind quarters as the hyenas attempt to get away. When food is involved it is a different story. The hyenas will more often than not win a skirmish when food is involved.

Reaction to wild dogs

I have seen antelope approach lion and cheetah to keep them in sight but when there are dogs in the area there is a sense of blind terror. I have watched animals lose all sense of safety when running from wild dogs.