| Dog, African Wild | |||
| Genus | Lycaon | ||
| Species | Pictus | ||
| Subspecies | couguar | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Number Left | Fewer than 10,000 | ||
| Habitat | Grasslands | ||
| Distribution | Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
| Height | 30 inches (76 cm) | ||
| Length | 42-56 inches (107-142 cm) | ||
| Weight | 44-60 pounds (20-27 kg) | ||
| Behavior |
Wild dogs are caring parents that share their food with their pups and other members of the pack. Aunts and uncles help raise the pups. Wild dogs are social animals and often play and spend time together.
Wild dogs, unlike cheetahs and other cats who are built for short bursts of speed, can chase their prey for long distances. Dogs cannot run as fast as cats, but they have bigger chests and lungs and can run much farther for longer periods of time. When a wild dog starts a chase, it has a much better chance of catching its prey than a lion does because it can keep up the chase much longer. | ||
| Feeding |
Wild dogs often bite and then eat an animal while it is still alive. This way of hunting is natural for them, but it upsets some people. Historically, people have killed these animals because they judged them to be "bad" animals.
Wild dogs usually kill the weakest or sickest of their prey. By weeding out these unhealthy animals, they help their prey stay healthy. The dogs also help control the number of animals in a herd, preventing overpopulation and ensuring there is enough food for all the herd members. | ||
| Conservation | The African wild dog has been vanishing rapidly from the wild because of their contraction of rabies. When one dog gets sick, the disease quickly spreads to the rest of the pack, leaving few members alive. | ||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
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