The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere - Animals

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus

Range

At one time, the distribution of Lycaon pictus was throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Their current distribution is more fragmented. The species is almost completely eradicated from West Africa, and numbers are greatly reduced in central and north-east Africa. The largest populations are in southern Africa and the southern part of east Africa.

Habitat

Found in grasslands, savannahs and open woodlands but not in jungles. They are widely distributed across the African plains. Their habitat also includes semi-desert to mountainous areas south of the Sahara Desert in Africa.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Common Names: African hunting dog, cape hunting dog, painted hunting dog, wild dog

The African wild dog has a thin body and long slender (yet muscular) legs. The ears are long, rounded and covered with short hairs. The fur is short, having little or no underfur, and the blackish skin can be visible where the fur is sparse. Fur on the neck is longer and can give the neck a bushy appearance.

The scientific name Lycaon pictus reflects the color or the wild dogs' fur. The name literally means “painted or ornate wolf." Tremendous variation exists within wild dogs' coat colors, but most animals exhibit a mix of brown, black, yellow, red and white fur. The mottled pattern on each individual’s coat is different. Typically, there is dark fur on the head and a white tip on the end of the bushy tail.

Individuals can be distinguished by their unique coat patterns. African wild dogs also have a very strong body odor. It is theorized that this body odor helps to keep the pack together.

Dietary Classification

Diet in the Zoo: Canine diet - ground meat specifically designed to meet the dietary needs of the African wild dogs. For training, the African wild dogs receive chunks of muscle meat and bones for enrichment .

Diet in the Wild: African Wild Dogs generally prey on medium sized hoofed mammals that are about twice their body weight. They will also sometimes kill larger animals and they might also take smaller prey individually. Specific prey includes small antelopes such as impalas and bush duikers and physically-impaired larger animals such as zebras and wildebeest. The dogs will occasionally cache (or hide) food from larger kills but rarely return to those caches. They generally don’t consume plant matter with the exception of very small amounts of grass. Wild dogs refuse to scavenge no matter how fresh the killed animal may be. Feeding does not elicit aggression.

Life Span

Wild: around 8-10 years
Captivity: about 15 years

Behavior/Adaptations

African wild dogs are social animals that form packs of up to 40 members. One dominant breeding pair exists and will keep their alpha status for most of their lives. Males generally stay in their natal packs while females will leave. Pack group members change continuously, and all packs eventually die out.

Rank hierarchies do exist but were overlooked by early observers due to the surprising lack of overt aggression that exists in African wild dog packs. Instead of bared teeth, growls and snarls, dominance is often asserted by stalking behavior. Submissive behavior is accentuated in the pack (instead of aggression) and is noticeably shown in begging behavior. Llicking and nibbling the superior’s lips and lying on the back are all submissive signs. When actual fighting does occur, two dogs stand reared on forelegs and bite at each others head & neck. The aim is to secure a throat grip and throttle (but not kill) the opponent.

African wild dogs have one of the most extensive vocal repertoires in the Canid family. Vocalizations appear to be important in maintaining bonds within the group. Gruff barks and low, intense growling express alarm. Whining can occur when distressed, attacked by a superior, to summon pups, or by pups begging for food. Twittering can be heard at pre-hunt rallies, during the chase, and when competing for food. Pups emit some ultrasonic sounds.

Status

IUCN Red List & United States Endangered Species Act: Endangered
In this century, the African wild dog has experienced the same fate as the wolf and has been exterminated as a killer of livestock. Though this attitude is changing, habitat loss and diseases that are spread by domestic animals jeopardize the remaining African hunting dog populations. It is currently estimated that 3,000-5,500 free-ranging wild dogs remain in Africa.

Zoo Specifics

Species Survival Plan (SSP) population is 104 individuals in 26 AZA-accredited zoos. The Bronx Zoo imported 10 captive-born wild dogs from South Africa in December 2004 - a great boon to the African wild dog gene pool in America.

Classification

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family	Genus	Species
Animalia	Chordata	Mammalia	Carnivora	Canidae	Lycaon	pictus