Wild
dogs were once widely distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
Today viable populations exist
in only a few countries
(as shown in red above; the yellow circle towards the top indicates
probably existing).
Habitat fragmentation
and encroachment, persecution (conflict with livestock and game
farmers), accidental deaths by snares set for game, speeding vehicles,
and infectious diseases (rabies and distemper) are the main causes
for their decline.
The
needs of a growing
human population place
ever-increasing pressure on finite natural resources, shrinking
the living space not only for wild dogs, but other wildlife, making
conflict inevitable, and contributing to biodiversity loss. Biodiversity
loss is also exacerbated by climate change. These
two interrelated problems threaten
life on Earth. Overconsumption is another major threat. It has
been estimated that we are currently overusing our planet's natural
resources by at least 75% or the equivalent of living off 1.75
Earths. In the past half century, the average size of wildlife
populations has fallen dramatically by
73%.
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|
Taxonomy
|
Order: |
Carnivora |
| Family:
|
Canidae |
| Genus/Species: |
Lycaon
pictus |
| Description |
Coloration: |
mottled
coat of yellow, black, white, and brown |
| Head
and Body Length: |
76
to 123 cm |
| Weight: |
17
to 36 kg, avg. 25 kg |
| Shoulder
Height: |
61
to 78 cm |
| Miscellaneous: |
longitudinal
black mark on forehead; large, round ears; bushy, white-tipped
tail |
| Reproduction |
Time
of Mating |
in
southern African usually around June, more variable in East
Africa |
| Gestation
Length: |
69
to 72 days |
| Litter
Sizes: |
avg.
approx. 8 |
| Age
of Sexual Maturity: |
1
year, but usually sexual suppression results in later age
of reproduction |
| Home
Range |
Size
and Movement: |
423
to 1318 km²; except when denning, packs are nomadic,
covering large areas; many live in unprotected areas or
range outside park boundaries |
| Habitat |
woodland
and dense bush to open plains |
|
|
African
wild dogs are not feral domestic dogs nor closely related to wolves.
Learn more about their evolutionary
history and adaptations along with nine other members of the
canid family on a
phylogenetic tree.
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