African wild dog: Difference between revisions

African wild dog; Temporal range: Middle Pleistocene – present (200,000–0 years BP)
	African wild dog in South Africa
Conservation status
	; Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Subfamily:	Caninae
Tribe:	Canini
Genus:	Lycaon
Species:	L. pictus
Binomial name
	Lycaon pictus; (Temminck, 1820)
	African wild dog range according to the IUCN. Extant (resident) Probably extant (resident)

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The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also known as the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialised for a hypercarnivorous diet and by a lack of dewclaws.

It is estimated that there are around 6,600 adults (including 1,400 mature individuals) living in 39 subpopulations, all threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution and outbreaks of disease. As the largest subpopulation probably consists of fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1990.^[2]

The species is a specialised diurnal hunter of terrestrial ungulates, which it captures by using its stamina and cooperative hunting to exhaust them. Its natural competitors are lions and spotted hyenas: the former will kill the dogs where possible whilst the latter are frequent kleptoparasites.^[4] Like other canids, the African wild dog regurgitates food for its young but also extends this action to adults as a central part of the pack's social unit.^[5]^[4]^[6] The young have the privilege of feeding first on carcasses.

The African wild dog has been revered in several hunter-gatherer societies, particularly those of the San people and Prehistoric Egypt.

Etymology and naming

The English language has several names for the African wild dog, including African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog,^[7] painted hunting dog,^[8] painted dog,^[9] painted wolf,^[10] and painted lycaon.^[11] Though the name African wild dog is widely used,^[12] 'wild dog' is thought by conservation groups to have negative connotations that could be detrimental to its image; one organisation promotes the name 'painted wolf',^[13]^[14]^[15] whilst the name 'painted dog' has been found to be the most likely to counteract negative perceptions.^[16]

Taxonomic and evolutionary history

Taxonomy

Phylogenetic tree of the wolf-like canids with timing in millions of years^[a]

Caninae 3.5 Ma

3.0

2.5

2.0

0.96

0.6

0.38

	Domestic dog

	Gray wolf

African wild dog

2.6

	Side-striped jackal

	Black-backed jackal

The earliest written reference for the species appears to be from Oppian, who wrote of the thoa, a hybrid between the wolf and leopard, which resembles the former in shape and the latter in colour. Solinus's Collea rerum memorabilium from the third century AD describes a multicoloured wolf-like animal with a mane native to Ethiopia.^[11]

The African wild dog was scientifically described in 1820 by Coenraad Jacob Temminck after examining a specimen from the coast of Mozambique. He named the animal Hyaena picta, erroneously classifying it as a species of hyena. It was later recognised as a canid by Joshua Brookes in 1827 and renamed Lycaon tricolor. The root word of Lycaon is the Greek λυκαίος (lykaios), meaning ‘wolf-like’. The specific epithet pictus (Latin for ‘painted’), which derived from the original picta, was later returned to it, in conformity with the International Rules on Taxonomic Nomenclature.^[17]

Paleontologist George G. Simpson placed the African wild dog, the dhole and the bush dog together in the subfamily Simocyoninae on the basis of all three species having similarly trenchant carnassials. This grouping was disputed by Juliet Clutton-Brock, who argued that other than dentition too many differences exist among the three species to warrant classifying them in a single subfamily.^[18]

Evolution

Artistic reconstruction by Mauricio Antón of *Xenocyon*, a possible ancestral genus

The African wild dog possesses the most specialized adaptations among the canids for coat colour and diet and for pursuing its prey through its cursorial (running) ability. It has a graceful skeleton, and the loss of the first digit on its forefeet increases its stride and speed. This adaptation allows it to pursue prey across open terrain for long distances. The teeth are generally carnassial-shaped and its premolars are the largest relative to body size of any living carnivoran with the exception of the spotted hyena. On the lower carnassials (first lower molars), the talonid has evolved to become a cutting blade for flesh-slicing, with a reduction or loss of the post-carnassial molars. This adaptation also occurs in the two other hypercarnivorous canids – the dhole and the bush dog. The African wild dog exhibits one of the most varied coat colours among mammals. Individuals differ in patterns and colours, indicating a diversity of the underlying genes. The purpose of these coat patterns may be an adaptation for communication, concealment or temperature regulation. In 2019 a study indicated that the lycaon lineage diverged from Cuon and Canis 1.7 million years ago through this suite of adaptations, and these occurred at the same time as large ungulates (its prey) diversified. The findings also suggest that the African wild dog is largely isolated from gene transfer with other canid species.^[19]

The oldest African wild dog fossil dates back to 200,000 years ago and was found in HaYonim Cave, Israel.^[20]^[1] The evolution of the African wild dog is poorly understood owing to the scarcity of fossil finds. Some authors consider the extinct Canis subgenus Xenocyon as ancestral to both the genus Lycaon and the genus Cuon,^[21]^[22]^[23]^[24]^: p149 which lived throughout Eurasia and Africa from the Early Pleistocene to the early Middle Pleistocene. Others propose that Xenocyon should be reclassified as Lycaon.^[1] The species Canis (Xenocyon) falconeri shared the African wild dog's absent first metacarpal (dewclaw), though its dentition was still relatively unspecialised.^[1] This connection was rejected by one author because C. (X.) falconeri's lack of the first metacarpal is a poor indication of phylogenetic closeness to the African wild dog, and the dentition was too different to imply ancestry.^[25]

Another ancestral candidate is the Plio-Pleistocene Lycaon sekowei of South Africa on the basis of distinct accessory cusps on its premolars and anterior accessory cuspids on its lower premolars. These adaptions are found only in Lycaon among living canids, which shows the same adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. L. sekowei had not yet lost the first metacarpal absent in L. pictus and was more robust than the modern species, having 10% larger teeth.^[25]

Admixture with the dhole

Fossil of *Lycaon sekowei*, a possible ancestor of the modern African wild dog

The African wild dog has 78 chromosomes, the same number as those of species in the genus Canis.^[26] In 2018 whole genome sequencing was used to compare the dhole (Cuon alpinus) with the African wild dog. There was strong evidence of ancient genetic admixture between the two species. Today their ranges are remote from each other; however during the Pleistocene era the dhole could be found as far west as Europe. The study proposes that the dhole's distribution may have once included the Middle East, from where it may have admixed with the African wild dog in North Africa. However, there is no evidence of the dhole having existed in the Middle East or North Africa.^[27]

Subspecies

As of 2005^[update], five subspecies are recognised by MSW3:^[28]

Subspecies	Description	Synonyms
Cape wild dog L. p. pictus Temminck, 1820	The nominate subspecies is also the largest, weighing 20–25 kg (44–55 lb).^[29] It is much more colourful than the East African wild dog,^[29] although even within this single subspecies there are geographic variations in coat colour: specimens inhabiting the Cape are characterised by the large amount of orange-yellow fur overlapping the black, the partially yellow backs of the ears, the mostly yellow underparts and a number of whitish hairs on the throat mane. Those in Mozambique are distinguished by the almost equal development of yellow and black on both the upper and underparts of the body, as well as having less white fur than the Cape form.^[30]	cacondae (Matschie, 1915), fuchsi (Matschie, 1915), gobabis (Matschie, 1915), krebsi (Matschie, 1915), lalandei (Matschie, 1915), tricolor (Brookes, 1827), typicus (A. Smith, 1833), venatica (Burchell, 1822), windhorni (Matschie, 1915), zuluensis (Thomas, 1904)
East African wild dog L. p. lupinus Thomas, 1902	This subspecies is distinguished by its very dark coat with very little yellow.^[30]	dieseneri (Matschie, 1915), gansseri (Matschie, 1915), hennigi (Matschie, 1915), huebneri (Matschie, 1915), kondoae (Matschie, 1915), lademanni (Matschie, 1915), langheldi (Matschie, 1915), prageri (Matschie, 1912), richteri (Matschie, 1915), ruwanae (Matschie, 1915), ssongaeae (Matschie, 1915), stierlingi (Matschie, 1915), styxi (Matschie, 1915), wintgensi (Matschie, 1915)
Somali wild dog L. p. somalicus Thomas, 1904	This subspecies is smaller than the East African wild dog, has shorter and coarser fur and has a weaker dentition. Its colour closely approaches that of the Cape wild dog, with the yellow parts being buff.^[30]	luchsingeri (Matschie, 1915), matschie (Matschie, 1915), rüppelli (Matschie, 1915), takanus (Matschie, 1915), zedlitzi (Matschie, 1915)
Chadian wild dog L. p. sharicus Thomas and Wroughton, 1907	Brightly coloured with very short 15 mm (0.6 in) hair. Brain case is fuller than L. p. pictus.^[31]	ebermaieri (Matschie, 1915)
West African wild dog L. p. manguensis Matschie, 1915	The West African wild dog used to be widespread from western to central Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria. Now only two subpopulations survive: one in the Niokolo-Koba National Park of Senegal and the other in the W National Park of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger.^[2]^[32] It is estimated that 70 adult individuals are left in the wild.^[33]	mischlichi (Matschie, 1915)

Although the species is genetically diverse, these subspecific designations are not universally accepted. East African and Southern African wild dog populations were once thought to be genetically distinct, based on a small number of samples. More recent studies with a larger number of samples showed that extensive intermixing has occurred between East African and Southern African populations in the past. Some unique nuclear and mitochondrial alleles are found in Southern African and northeastern African populations, with a transition zone encompassing Botswana, Zimbabwe and southeastern Tanzania between the two. The West African wild dog population may possess a unique haplotype, thus possibly constituting a truly distinct subspecies.^[34] The original Serengeti and Maasai Mara population of painted dogs is known to have possessed a unique genotype, but these genotypes may be extinct.^[35]

Description

Closeup of an African wild dog in Kruger National Park

African wild dog skull (*left*) compared with that of the *gray wolf* (*right*): Note the former's shorter muzzle and fewer molars.

The African wild dog is the bulkiest and most solidly built of African canids.^[36] The species stands 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in) at the shoulders, measures 71 to 112 cm (28 to 44 in) in head-and-body length and has a tail length of 29 to 41 cm (11 to 16 in). Adults have a weight range of 18 to 36 kg (40 to 79 lb). On average, dogs from East Africa weigh around 20–25 kg (44–55 lb). By body mass, they are only outsized amongst other extant canids by the gray wolf species complex.^[29]^[37]^[38] 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.^[39] 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.^[7] The skull is relatively shorter and broader than those of other canids.^[36]

The fur of the African wild dog differs significantly from that of other canids, consisting entirely of stiff bristle-hairs with no underfur.^[36] Adults gradually lose their fur as it ages, with older individuals being almost naked.^[40] Colour variation is extreme, and may serve in visual identification, as African wild dogs can recognise each other at distances of 50–100 m (160–330 ft).^[39] 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 ones are more brightly coloured, sporting a mix of brown, black and white coats.^[7] 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.^[39]

Distribution and habitat

The African wild dog occurs foremost in Southern and East Africa.^[2] It is rare in North Africa and mostly absent in West Africa, with the only potentially viable population occurring in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park. It is occasionally sighted in other parts of Senegal, Guinea and Mali. Its distribution is patchy in East Africa.^[41] It inhabits mostly savannas and arid zones, generally avoiding forested areas.^[29] This preference is likely linked to its hunting habits, which require open areas that do not obstruct vision or impede pursuit.^[36] It travels through scrubland, woodland and montane areas in pursuit of prey. A forest-dwelling population has been identified in the Harenna Forest, a wet montane forest up to an elevation of 2,400 m (7,900 ft) in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia.^[42] At least one record exists of a pack being sighted on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.^[29] In Zimbabwe, it has been recorded at the elevation of 1,800 m (5,900 ft).^[12] In Ethiopia, several packs were sighted at elevations of 1,900 to 2,800 m (6,200 to 9,200 ft), and a dead individual was found in June 1995 at 4,050 m (13,290 ft) on the Sanetti Plateau.^[43] A stable population comprising more than 370 individuals is present in Kruger National Park.^[44]

Behaviour and ecology

Social and reproductive behaviour

Play fighting after a kill in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Regurgitating food for puppies at den site at Working with Wildlife

The African wild dog have strong social bonds, stronger than those of sympatric lions and spotted hyenas; thus, solitary living and hunting are extremely rare in the species.^[45] It lives in permanent packs consisting of two to 27 adults and yearling pups. The typical pack size in the Kruger National Park and the Maasai Mara is four or five adults, while packs in Moremi and Selous Game Reserves contain eight or nine. However, larger packs have been observed and temporary aggregations of hundreds of individuals may have gathered in response to the seasonal migration of vast springbok herds in Southern Africa.^[46] 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 monopolises breeding.^[39] 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 such as gorillas, chimpanzees, and red colobuses). Furthermore, males in any given pack tend to outnumber females 3:1.^[29] 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.^[39] Males rarely disperse, and when they do, they are invariably rejected by other packs already containing males.^[29] 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.^[18] The species does have an extensive vocal repertoire consisting of twittering, whining, yelping, squealing, whispering, barking, growling, gurling, rumbling, moaning and hooing.^[47]

African wild dog populations in East Africa appear to have no fixed breeding season, whereas those in Southern Africa usually breed during the April–July period.^[45] During estrus, the female is closely accompanied by a single male, which keeps other members of the same sex at bay.^[29] The estrus period can last as long as 20 days.^[48] The copulatory tie characteristic of mating in most canids has been reported to be absent^[49] or very brief (less than one minute)^[50] in African wild dog, possibly an adaptation to the prevalence of larger predators in its environment.^[51] 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.^[29] African wild dogs have an average lifespan of about 10 to 11 years in the wild.^[52]

When separated from the pack, an African wild dog becomes depressed and can die as a result of broken heart syndrome.^[53]^[54]

Male/female ratio

Packs of African wild dogs have a high ratio of males to females. This is a consequence of the males mostly staying with the pack whilst female offspring disperse and is supported by a changing sex-ratio in consecutive litters. Those born to maiden females contain a higher proportion of males, second litters are half and half and subsequent litters biased towards females with this trend increasing as females get older. As a result, the earlier litters provide stable hunters whilst the higher ratio of dispersals amongst the females stops a pack from getting too big.^[5]

Sneeze communication and ‘voting’

African wild dog pack in Kruger National Park

Populations in the Okavango Delta have been observed ‘rallying’ before setting out to hunt. Not every rally results in a departure, but departure becomes more likely when more individual dogs ‘sneeze’. These sneezes are characterized by a short, sharp exhale through the nostrils.^[55] When members of dominant mating pairs sneeze first, the group is much more likely to depart. If a dominant dog initiates, around three sneezes guarantee departure. When less dominant dogs sneeze first, if enough others also sneeze (about 10), then the group will go hunting. Researchers assert that wild dogs in Botswana "use a specific vocalization (the sneeze) along with a variable quorum response mechanism in the decision-making process [to go hunting at a particular moment]".^[55]

Inbreeding avoidance

Because the African wild dog largely exists in fragmented, small populations, its existence is endangered. Inbreeding avoidance by mate selection is a characteristic of the species and has important potential consequences for population persistence.^[56] Inbreeding is rare within natal packs. Inbreeding may have been selected against evolutionarily because it leads to the expression of recessive deleterious alleles.^[57] Computer simulations indicate that all populations continuing to avoid incestuous mating will become extinct within 100 years due to the unavailability of unrelated mates.^[56] Thus, the impact of reduced numbers of suitable unrelated mates will likely have a severe demographic impact on the future viability of small wild dog populations.^[56]

Hunting and diet

Wild dogs kill a Common Eland at Working with Wildlife in South Africa

The African wild dog is a specialised pack hunter of common medium-sized antelopes.^[58] It and the cheetah are the only primarily diurnal African large predators.^[29] The African wild dog hunts by approaching prey silently, then chasing it in a pursuit clocking at up to 66 km/h (41 mph) for 10–60 minutes.^[46] 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 simply pulled down and torn apart.^[5]

African wild dog pack consuming a blue wildebeest in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

African wild dogs adjust their hunting strategy to the particular prey species. They will rush at wildebeest to panic the herd and isolate a vulnerable individual, but pursue territorial antelope species (which defend themselves by running in wide circles) by cutting across the arc to foil their escape. Medium-sized prey is often killed in 2–5 minutes, whereas larger prey such as wildebeest may take half an hour to pull down. Male wild dogs usually perform the task of grabbing dangerous prey, such as warthogs, by the nose.^[59] A species-wide study showed that by preference, where available, five prey species were the most regularly selected, namely the greater kudu, Thomson's gazelle, impala, Cape bushbuck and blue wildebeest.^[58]^[60] More specifically, 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,^[29] and smaller prey such as common duiker, dik-dik, hares, spring hares, insects and cane rats.^[45]^[61] Staple prey sizes are usually between 15 and 200 kg (33 and 441 lb), though some local studies put upper prey sizes as variously 90 to 135 kg (198 to 298 lb). In the case of larger species such as kudu and wildebeest, calves are largely but not exclusively targeted.^[58]^[62]^[63] However, certain packs in the Serengeti specialized in hunting adult plains zebras weighing up to 240 kg (530 lb) quite frequently.^[64] Another study claimed that some prey taken by wild dogs could weigh up to 289 kg (637 lb).^[65] This includes African buffalo juveniles during the dry season when herds are small and calves less protected.^[62] Footage from Lower Zambezi National Park taken in 2021 showed a large pack of wild dogs hunting an adult, healthy buffalo, though this is apparently extremely rare.^[66] 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.^[12]

Hunting success varies with prey type, vegetation cover and pack size, but African wild dogs tend to be very successful: often more than 60% of their chases end in a kill, sometimes up to 90%.^[67] 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.^[68]^[69]

Small prey such as rodents, hares and birds are hunted singly, with dangerous prey such as cane rats and Old World porcupines being killed with a quick and well-placed bite to avoid injury. Small prey is eaten entirely, while large animals are stripped of their meat and organs, leaving the skin, head, and skeleton intact.^[45]^[70] The African wild dog is a fast eater, 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 (2.6–13.0 lb) 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.^[12]

Unlike most social predators, African wild dogs will regurgitate food for other adults as well as young family members.^[45] Pups old enough to eat solid food are given first priority at kills, eating even before the dominant pair; subordinate adult dogs help feed and protect the pups.^[71]

Enemies and competitors

Pack confronting a spotted hyena in Sabi Sand Game Reserve

Lions dominate African wild dogs and are a major source of mortality for both adults and pups.^[72] Population densities are usually low in areas where lions are more abundant.^[73] One pack reintroduced into Etosha National Park was wiped out by lions. A population crash in lions in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area during the 1960s resulted in an increase in African wild dog sightings, only for their numbers to decline once the lions recovered.^[72] 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.^[74]^[75] However, a few cases have been reported of old and wounded lions falling prey to African wild dogs.^[76]^[77] On occasion, packs of wild dogs have been observed defending pack members attacked by single lions, sometimes successfully. One pack in the Okavango in March 2016 was photographed by safari guides 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.^[78]

African wild dogs commonly lose their kills to larger predators.^[79] Spotted hyenas are important kleptoparasites^[72] 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, though they may be mobbed in the attempt. When operating in groups, spotted hyenas are more successful in pirating African wild dog kills, though the latter's greater tendency to assist each other puts them at an advantage against spotted hyenas, which rarely work cooperatively. 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,^[80] with African wild dog densities being negatively correlated with high hyena populations.^[81] Beyond piracy, cases of interspecific killing of African wild dogs by spotted hyenas are documented.^[82] African wild dogs are apex predators, only fatally losing contests to larger social carnivores.^[83] When briefly unprotected, wild dog pups may occasionally be vulnerable to large eagles, such as the martial eagle, when they venture out of their dens.^[84]

Threats

The African wild dog is primarily threatened by habitat fragmentation, which results from human–wildlife conflict, transmission of infectious diseases and high mortality rates; it has been exterminated in large parts of North and West Africa, and its population has greatly reduced in Central Africa, Uganda and much of Kenya.^[2] Surveys in the Central African Republic's Chinko area revealed that the African wild dog population decreased from 160 individuals in 2012 to 26 individuals in 2017. At the same time, transhumant pastoralists from the border area with Sudan moved in the area with their livestock.^[83]

Conservation

The non-governmental organization African Wild Dog Conservancy began working in 2003 to conserve the African wild dog in northeastern and coastal Kenya, a convergence zone of two biodiversity hotspots. This area largely consists of community lands inhabited by pastoralists. With the help of local people, a pilot study was launched confirming the presence of a population of wild dogs largely unknown to conservationists.^[85] Over the next 16 years, local ecological knowledge revealed this area to be a significant refuge for African wild dogs and an important wildlife corridor connecting Kenya's Tsavo National Parks with the Horn of Africa in an increasingly human-dominated landscape. This project has been identified as a wild dog conservation priority by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group.^[86]^[87]

In culture

Ancient Egypt

Cosmetic palette from the Naqada III period depicting African wild dogs, Louvre.

Depictions of African wild dogs are prominent on cosmetic palettes and other objects from Egypt's predynastic period, likely symbolising order over chaos and the transition between the wild and the domestic dog. Predynastic hunters may have identified with the African wild dog, as the Hunters Palette shows them wearing the animals' tails on their belts. By the dynastic period, African wild dog illustrations became much less represented, and the animal's symbolic role was largely taken over by the wolf.^[88]^[89]

Ethiopia

According to Enno Littmann, the people of Ethiopia's Tigray Region believed that injuring a wild dog with a spear would result in the animal dipping its tail in its wounds and flicking the blood at its assailant, causing instant death. For this reason, Tigrean shepherds used to repel wild dog attacks with pebbles rather than with edged weapons.^[90]

San people

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 forever hunted by African wild dogs after the hare rebuffs the moon's promise to allow all living things to be reborn after death.^[91] 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.^[92] 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.^[92]

Ndebele

The Ndebele have a story explaining why the African wild dog hunts in packs: in the beginning, when the first wild dog's wife was sick, the other animals were concerned. An impala went to hare, who was a medicine man. Hare gave Impala a calabash of medicine, warning him not to turn back on the way to Wild Dog's den. Impala was startled by the scent of a leopard and turned back, spilling the medicine. A zebra then went to Hare, who gave him the same medicine along with the same advice. On the way, Zebra turned back when he saw a black mamba, thus breaking the gourd. A moment later a terrible howling was heard: Wild Dog's wife had died. Wild Dog went outside and saw Zebra standing over the broken gourd of medicine, so Wild Dog and his family chased Zebra and tore him to shreds. To this day, African wild dogs hunt zebras and impalas as revenge for their failure to deliver the medicine that could have saved Wild Dog's wife.^[93]

In media

Documentary

A Wild Dog's Tale (2013), a single painted dog (named Solo by researchers) befriends hyenas and jackals in Okavango, hunting together. Solo feeds and cares for jackal pups.^[94]^[95]
The Pale Pack, Savage Kingdom, Season 1 (2016), was the story of Botswana African wild dog pack leaders Teemana and Molao written and directed by Brad Bestelink, and narrated by Charles Dance premiered on National Geographic.^[96]^[97]
Dynasties (2018 TV series), episode 4, Produced by Nick Lyon: Tait is the elderly matriarch of a pack of painted wolves in Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park. Her pack is driven out of their territory by Tait's daughter, Blacktip, the matriarch of a rival pack in need of more space for their large family of 32. Their combined territory also shrunk over Tait's lifetime due to the expansion of human, hyena and lion territories. Tait leads her family into the territory of a lion pride in the midst of a drought, with Blacktip's pack in an eight month long pursuit. When Tait died, the pack was observed performing a rare "singing", the purpose of which is unclear.^[98]

Explanatory notes

^ For a full set of supporting references refer to the note (a) in the phylotree at Evolution of the wolf#Wolf-like canids

References

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^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Woodroffe, R. & Sillero-Zubiri, C. (2020) [amended version of 2012 assessment]. "Lycaon pictus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T12436A166502262. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T12436A166502262.en. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
^ Temminck (1820), Ann. Gen. Sci. Phys., 3:54, pl.35
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^ ^a ^b ^c Creel, S.; Creel, N. M. (2019). The African Wild Dog: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-691-20700-1.
^ Whittington-Jones, Brendan (2015). African Wild Dogs: On the Front Line. Jacana. ISBN 978-1-4314-2129-9.
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External links

painteddog.org, Painted Dog Conservation Website
painteddog.co.uk/, Painted Dog Conservation United Kingdom Website
African Wild Dog Conservancy
African Wild Dog Watch
Wild Dog conservation in Zimbabwe
Namibia Nature Foundation Wild Dog Project: Conservation of African wild dogs in Namibia
African Wild Dog at African Wildlife Foundation
The Zambian Carnivore Programme
Save the African wild dog
Wildentrust.org
Painted Dog Conservation (conservation organization)
Photos, videos and information from ARKive
ibream wild dog project

[mtdna_seq_desc-17] For a full set of supporting references refer to the note (a) in the phylotree at Evolution of the wolf#Wolf-like canids

[MN_R-1] Martínez-Navarro, B. & Rook, L. (2003). "Gradual evolution in the African hunting dog lineage: systematic implications". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 2 (8): 695–702. Bibcode:2003CRPal...2..695M. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2003.06.002.

[iucn-2] Woodroffe, R. & Sillero-Zubiri, C. (2020) [amended version of 2012 assessment]. "Lycaon pictus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T12436A166502262. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T12436A166502262.en. Retrieved 17 February 2022.

[3] Temminck (1820), Ann. Gen. Sci. Phys., 3:54, pl.35

[WildAfricaAWD-4] "African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus Temminck, 1820) - WildAfrica.cz - Animal Encyclopedia". Wildafrica.cz. Retrieved 5 September 2017.

[:0-5] Creel, S.; Creel, N. M. (2019). The African Wild Dog: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-691-20700-1.

[6] Whittington-Jones, Brendan (2015). African Wild Dogs: On the Front Line. Jacana. ISBN 978-1-4314-2129-9.

[iucn2004-7] Woodroffe, R.; McNutt, J.W. & Mills, M.G.L. (2004). "African Wild Dog Lycaon pictus". In Sillero-Zubiri, C.; Hoffman, M. & MacDonald, D. W. (eds.). Foxes, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. pp. 174–183. ISBN 978-2-8317-0786-0. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011.

[COL2018awd-8] Roskov Y.; Abucay L.; Orrell T.; Nicolson D.; Bailly N.; Kirk P.M.; Bourgoin T.; DeWalt R.E.; Decock W.; De Wever A.; Nieukerken E. van; Zarucchi J.; Penev, L., eds. (2018). "Canis lycaon Temminck 1820". Catalogue of Life 2018 Checklist. Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 30 November 2018.

[9] "Painted Dog Conservation - Main page". Painted Dog Conservation.

[10] "African wild dog facts and photos". National Geographic. 10 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2023.

[smith1839-11] Smith, C. H. (1839). Dogs, W.H. Lizars, Edinburgh, p. 261–269

[chimimba2005-12] Skinner, J. D. & Chimimba, C. T. (2005). "The African wild dog". The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 474–480. ISBN 978-0-521-84418-5.

[13] Scott, Jonathan (1991). Painted Wolves: Wild Dogs of the Serengeti-Mara. Viking Press. p. 8. ISBN 0241124859.

[kristof-14] Kristof, N. D. (2010). "Every (wild) dog has its day". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 October 2010.

[15] "The Painted Wolf Foundation - A Wild Dog's Life". The Painted Wolf Foundation. Retrieved 7 December 2018.

[16] Blades, B. (2020). "What's in a name? An evidence-based approach to understanding the implications of vernacular name on conservation of the painted dog (Lycaon pictus)". Language & Ecology. 2019–2020: 1–27.

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Line 1: {{Short description\|Endangered species of canine native to Africa}} {{Good article}} {{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2020}} {{Speciesbox \| fossil_range = [[Middle Pleistocene]] – present (200,000–0 years [[Before Present\|BP]])<ref name=MN_R/> \| ~~image~~image2 = African ~~wild~~Wild ~~dog~~Dog ~~(Lycaon~~at ~~pictus~~Working ~~pictus)~~with Wildlife.jpg \| ~~image_caption~~image2_caption = African wild dog in ~~[[Tswalu Kalahari Reserve]],~~ [[South Africa]] \| status = EN \| status_system = IUCN3.1 Line 19 ⟶ 20: }} The '''African wild dog''' ('''''Lycaon pictus'''''), also ~~called~~known as the '''painted dog''' or '''Cape hunting dog''', is a wild [[Caninae\|canine]] ~~which is a [[~~native ~~species]]~~ to [[sub-Saharan Africa]]. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only [[Neontology#Extant taxa ~~vs.~~versus extinct taxa\|extant]] member of the [[genus]] ''[[Lycaon (genus)\|Lycaon]]'', which is distinguished from ''[[Canis]]'' by dentition highly specialised for a [[Hypercarnivore\|hypercarnivorous]] diet, and by a lack of [[dewclaw]]s. It is [[estimated]] that about 6,600 adults (including 1,400 mature individuals) live in 39 subpopulations that are all threatened by [[habitat fragmentation]], human persecution, and outbreaks of disease. As the largest subpopulation probably comprises fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as [[Endangered species\|endangered]] on the [[IUCN Red List]] since 1990.<ref name=iucn/> It is estimated that there are around 6,600 adults (including 1,400 mature individuals) living in 39 subpopulations, all threatened by [[habitat fragmentation]], human persecution and outbreaks of disease. As the largest subpopulation probably consists of fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as [[Endangered species\|endangered]] on the [[IUCN Red List]] since 1990.<ref name=iucn/> The species is a specialised [[diurnality\|diurnal]] hunter of [[antelope]]s, which it catches by chasing them to exhaustion. Its natural enemies are [[lion]]s and [[spotted hyena]]s: the former will kill the dogs where possible, whilst hyenas are frequent [[kleptoparasitism\|kleptoparasite]]s.<ref name="PDRT">{{cite web \|url=http://www.painteddogresearch.org/african-painted-dogs.asp \|title=Painted Dogs\|access-date=June 12, 2021}}</ref> The species is a specialised [[diurnality\|diurnal]] hunter of terrestrial [[ungulate]]s, which it captures by using its stamina and cooperative hunting to exhaust them. Its natural competitors are [[lion]]s and [[spotted hyena]]s: the former will kill the dogs where possible whilst the latter are frequent [[kleptoparasitism\|kleptoparasite]]s.<ref name="WildAfricaAWD" /> Like other canids, the African wild dog regurgitates food for its young, but also extends this action to adults, as a central part of the pack's social ~~life~~unit.<ref name="~~BornFreeAWDFacts~~:0"~~>{{cite~~ ~~web\|title=AWD - Facts\|url=http:~~/~~/www.bornfree.org.uk/animals/african-wild-dog/facts/\|website=Born Free Foundation\|access-date=5 September 2017\|language=en}}</ref~~><ref name="WildAfricaAWD">{{cite web\|title=African Wild Dog (''Lycaon pictus'' Temminck, 1820) - WildAfrica.cz - Animal Encyclopedia \|url=http://www.wildafrica.cz/en/animal/african-wild-dog/\|website=Wildafrica.cz\|access-date=5 September 2017}}</ref><ref ~~name="AWDConservancy"~~>{{~~cite~~Cite book ~~web~~\|~~title~~last=~~African~~Whittington-Jones ~~Wild Dog Natural History~~\|first=Brendan \|url=~~http~~https://~~www~~books.~~awdconservancy~~google.~~org~~com/~~natural%20history.html~~books?id=Xi2IrgEACAAJ \|~~website~~title=~~Awdconservancy.org~~African Wild Dogs: On the Front Line \|~~access-~~date=52015 ~~September~~\|publisher=Jacana ~~2017~~\|isbn=978-1-4314-2129-9 \|language=en}}</ref> The young ~~are~~have ~~allowed~~the toprivilege of ~~feed~~feeding first on carcasses. The African wild dog has been ~~respected~~revered in several [[hunter-gatherer]] societies, particularly those of the [[San people]] and [[Prehistoric Egypt]]. == Etymology and naming == The English language has several names for the African wild dog, including African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog,<ref name="iucn2004">{{~~cite~~Cite book \|~~author1~~last1=Woodroffe, R. \|~~name-list-style~~url=~~amp~~http://www.canids.org/cap/index.htm \|~~author2~~title=Foxes, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan \|last2=McNutt, J.W. \|~~author3~~last3=Mills, M.G.L. \|publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group \|year=2004 \|~~chapter~~isbn=~~African~~978-2-8317-0786-0 ~~Wild~~\|editor-last=Sillero-Zubiri, ~~Dog~~C. ~~''Lycaon~~\|location=Gland, ~~pictus''~~Switzerland \|pages=174–183 \|~~title~~chapter=~~Foxes,~~African ~~Jackals~~Wild ~~and~~Dog ~~Dogs:~~''Lycaon ~~Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan~~pictus'' \|~~editor1=Sillero~~editor-~~Zubiri, C. \|editor2~~last2=Hoffman, M. \|~~editor3~~editor-last3=MacDonald, D. W. \|~~publisher~~archive-url=~~IUCN~~https:/~~SSC Canid Specialist Group~~/web.archive.org/web/20111006222952/http://www.canids.org/cap/index.htm \|~~location~~archive-date=~~Gland, Switzerland~~2011-10-06 \|~~isbn~~url-status=~~978~~dead \|name-2list-~~8317-0786-0~~style=amp}}</ref> painted hunting dog,<ref name=COL2018awd>{{cite web \|date=2018 \|title=''Canis lycaon'' Temminck 1820 \|editor=Roskov Y. \|editor2=Abucay L. \|editor3=Orrell T. \|editor4=Nicolson D. \|editor5=Bailly N. \|editor6=Kirk P.M. \|editor7=Bourgoin T. \|editor8=DeWalt R.E. \|editor9=Decock W. \|editor10=De Wever A. \|editor11=Nieukerken E. van \|editor12=Zarucchi J. \|editor13=Penev, L. \|website=Catalogue of Life 2018 Checklist \|publisher=Catalogue of Life\|access-date=30 November 2018 \|url=http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2018/details/species/id/52fba5321357578285952cce9c1b6dac}}</ref> painted dog,<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.painteddog.org/ \|title=Painted Dog Conservation - Main page \|publisher=Painted Dog Conservation}}</ref> painted wolf,<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2011-06-10 \|title=African wild dog facts and photos \|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/african-wild-dog \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412074125/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/african-wild-dog \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=12 April 2021 \|access-date=2023-05-28 \|website=National Geographic \|language=en}}</ref> and painted lycaon.<ref name="smith1839"/> ~~One~~Though ~~conservation~~the ~~organisation~~name African wild dog is ~~promoting~~widely ~~the~~used,<ref name="chimimba2005">{{cite ~~'painted~~book ~~wolf'~~\|author1=Skinner, asJ. aD. ~~way~~\|title=The Mammals of ~~rebranding~~ the ~~species~~Southern African Sub-region \|author2=Chimimba, asC. T. \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|year=2005 \|isbn=978-0-521-84418-5 \|location=Cambridge \|pages=474–480 \|chapter=The African wild dog ~~has~~\|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iqwEYkTDZf4C&pg=PA477 \|name-list-style=amp}}</ref> 'wild dog' is thought by conservation groups to ~~several~~have negative connotations that could be detrimental to its image.; one organisation promotes the name 'painted wolf',<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Scott \|first=Jonathan \|url=https://archive.org/details/paintedwolveswil0000scot \|title=Painted Wolves: Wild Dogs of the Serengeti-Mara \|~~first1~~publisher=~~Jonathan~~Viking ~~\|last1=Scott~~Press \|year=1991 \|~~publisher~~isbn=~~Viking~~0241124859 ~~Press~~\|pages=8 \|~~isbn~~url-access=~~0241124859~~limited}}</ref><ref name="kristof">{{cite news \|last=Kristof \|first=N. D. \|title=Every (wild) dog has its day \|newspaper=The New York Times \|date=2010 \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/opinion/15kristof.html \|access-date=18 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|url=https://paintedwolf.org/\|title=The Painted Wolf Foundation - A Wild Dog's Life \|website=The Painted Wolf Foundation\|access-date=7 December 2018}}</ref> Nevertheless, the name "African wild dog" is still widely used,<ref name="chimimba2005">{{cite book \|author1=Skinner, J. D. \|author2=Chimimba, C. T. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=2005 \|title=The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region \|location=Cambridge \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|pages=474–480 \|chapter=The African wild dog \|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iqwEYkTDZf4C&pg=PA477 \|isbn=978-0-521-84418-5}}</ref> ~~However,~~whilst the name "'painted dog"' ~~was~~has been found to be the most likely to counteract negative perceptions ~~of the species~~.<ref>{{Cite journal \|last=Blades \|first=B. \|date=2020 \|title=What's in a name? An evidence-based approach to understanding the implications of vernacular name on conservation of the painted dog (''Lycaon pictus'') \|journal=Language & Ecology \|volume=2019–2020 \|pages=1–27 \|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344464990}}</ref> ~~<!-- PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE ADDING AN INDIGENOUS OR LOCAL NAME FOR THIS BOX~~ All names should be from languages present in areas where African wild dogs are indigenous, or were once indigenous. Names must be sourced and verifiable. ~~-->~~ ~~{\| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="font-size: small"~~ ~~\|+Indigenous names for the African wild dog<ref name="iucn2004"/>~~ \|- ~~! Linguistic group or area !! Indigenous name~~ \|- ~~\| [[Amharic language\|Amharic]] \|\| ታኩላ (''takula'')~~ \|- ~~\| [[Ateso language\|Ateso]] \|\| ''apeete''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Damara language\|Damara]] \|\| ''!Gaub''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Zimbabwean Ndebele language\|isiNdebele]] \|\| ''iganyana iketsi leKapa''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Xhosa language\|isiXhosa]] \|\| ''ixhwili''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Zulu language\|isiZulu]] \|\| ''inkentshane''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Nandi–Markweta languages\|Kalenjin]] \|\| ''suyo''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Omati language\|Kibena]] \|\| ''liduma''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Kibungo\|Kibungu]] \|\| ''eminze''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Kichagga language\|Kichagga]] \|\| ''kite kya nigereni''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Hehe language\|Kihehe]] \|\| ''ligwami''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Kijitonyama\|Kijita]] \|\| ''omusege''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Kikamba language\|Kikamba]] \|\| ''nzui''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Kikuyu language\|Kikuyu]] \|\| ''muthige''~~ \|- ~~\| Kiliangulu \|\| ''eeyeyi''~~ \|- ~~\| Kimarangoli \|\| ''imbwa''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Turu language\|Kinyaturu]] \|\| ''mbughi''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Isanzu language\|Kinyiha]] \|\| ''inpumpi''~~ \|- ~~\| Kinyiramba \|\| ''mulula''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Sukuma language\|Kisukuma]] \|\| ''mhuge''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Swahili language\|Kiswahili]] \|\| ''mbwa-mwitu wa Afrika''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Kitai, Tanzania\|Kitaita]] \|\| ''Kikwau''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Zigula language\|Kizigua]] \|\| ''mauzi''~~ \|- ~~\| Limeru \|\| ''mbawa''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Lozi language\|Lozi]] \|\| ''liakanyani''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Luo dialect\|Luo]] \|\| ''sudhe, prude''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Maasai language\|Maasai]] \|\| ''osuyiani''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Mandinka language\|Mandingue]] \|\| ''juruto''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Nama language\|Nama]] \|\| ''!Gaub''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Pulaar language\|Pulaar]] \|\| ''saafandu''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Samburu language\|Samburu]] \|\| ''Suyian''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Elgon languages\|Sebei]] \|\| ''kulwe, suyondet''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Sepedi language\|Sepedi]] \|\| ''lehlalerwa, letaya''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Sesotho language\|Sesotho]] \|\| ''lekanyane, mokoto, tlalerwa''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Setswana language\|Setswana]] \|\| ''leteane, letlhalerwa, lekanyana''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Shona language\|Shona]] \|\| ''mhumhi''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Swazi language\|siSwati]] \|\| ''budzatja, inkentjane''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Tshivenda language\|Tshivenda]] \|\| ''dalerwa''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Wolof language\|Woloof]] \|\| ''saafandu''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Xitsonga language\|Xitsonga]] \|\| ''hlolwa''~~ \|- ~~\| [[Yei language\|Yei]] \|\| ''umenzi''~~ \|} == Taxonomic and evolutionary history == ===Taxonomy=== {{Cladogram\|align=right\|title=[[Phylogenetic tree]] of the [[Canina (subtribe)\|wolf-like canids]] with timing in millions of years{{refn\|group=lower-alpha\|name=mtdna_seq_desc\|For a full set of supporting references refer to the note (a) in the phylotree at [[Evolution of the wolf#Wolf-like canids]]}} \|cladogram={{clade \| style = font-size:85%;line-height:80%;width:~~400px;~~500x \|label1=[[Caninae]] 3.5 [[Megaannum\|Ma]] \|1={{clade Line 142 ⟶ 53: \|1={{clade \|1={{clade \|1=[[Dog\|Domestic dog]] <span style="{{MirrorH}}">[[File:~~Tibetan mastiff (white~~202104 ~~background)~~Dog.~~jpg~~svg\|50 px]]</span> \|2=[[Wolf\|Gray wolf]] [[File:Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate I).jpg\|50 px]] }} Line 168 ⟶ 79: }} }} The earliest written reference tofor the species appears to be from [[Oppian]], who wrote of the ''thoa'', a hybrid between the wolf and leopard, which resembles the former in shape and the latter in colour. [[Gaius Julius Solinus\|Solinus]]'s ''Collea rerum memorabilium'' from the third century AD describes a multicoloured wolf-like animal with a mane native to [[Ethiopia]].<ref name="smith1839">Smith, C. H. (1839). ''[https://archive.org/stream/Smith1839hr25D-b#page/260/mode/2up Dogs]'', W.H. Lizars, Edinburgh, p. ~~261–69~~261–269</ref> The African wild dog was ~~first~~[[scientifically described ~~scientifically~~]] in 1820 by [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck]], after examining a specimen from the coast of [[Mozambique]]. He named the animal ''Hyaena picta'', erroneously classifying it as a species of hyena. It was later recognised as a [[canidae\|canid]] by [[Joshua Brookes]] in 1827, and renamed ''Lycaon tricolor''. The [[Root (linguistics)\|root word]] of ''Lycaon'' is the [[Greek language\|Greek]] λυκαίος (''lykaios''), meaning ~~"wolf~~‘wolf-~~like"~~like’. The specific epithet ''pictus'' ([[Latin language\|Latin]] for ~~"painted"~~‘painted’), which derived from the original ''picta'', was later returned to it, in conformity with the International Rules on Taxonomic Nomenclature.<ref name="bothma">Bothma, J. du P. & Walker, C. (1999). ''Larger Carnivores of the African Savannas'', Springer, pp. 130–157, {{ISBN\|978-3-540-65660-9}}</ref> Paleontologist [[George Gaylord Simpson\|George G. Simpson]] placed the African wild dog, the [[dhole]], and the [[bush dog]] together in the [[subfamily]] [[Simocyon]]inae on the basis of all three species having similarly trenchant [[carnassial]]s. This grouping was disputed by [[Juliet Clutton-Brock]], who argued that, other than dentition, too many differences exist ~~between~~among the three species to warrant classifying them in a single subfamily.<ref name="cluttonbrock1976">{{cite journal\|last1=Clutton-Brock \|first1=J. \|last2=Corbet \|first2=G. G. \|last3=Hills \|first3=M. \|date=1976 \|title=A review of the family Canidae, with a classification by numerical methods \|journal=Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) \|volume=29 \|pages=119–199 \|url=http://biostor.org/reference/65860 \|doi=10.5962/bhl.part.6922\|doi-access=free }}</ref> ===Evolution=== [[File:Bartolini-Lucenti, S., Madurell-Malapeira, J., Martínez-Navarro, B. et al. (2021) fig. 4 Xenocyon lycaonoides.png\|thumb~~\|left~~\|Artistic reconstruction by [[Mauricio Antón]] of ''[[Xenocyon]]'', a possible ancestral genus]] The African wild dog possesses the most specialized adaptations among the canids for coat colour, and diet, and for pursuing its prey through its [[cursorial]] (running) ability. It ~~possesses~~has a graceful skeleton, and the loss of the first digit on its forefeet increases its stride and speed. This adaptation allows it to pursue prey across open ~~plains~~terrain for long distances. The teeth are generally [[carnassial]]-shaped, and its [[premolars]] are the largest relative to body size of any living [[carnivoran]] ~~except~~with ~~for~~the exception of the [[spotted hyena]]. On the lower carnassials (first lower [[molars]]), the [[talonid]] has evolved to become a cutting blade for flesh-slicing, with a reduction or loss of the post-carnassial molars. This adaptation also occurs in the two other ~~hypercarnivores~~hypercarnivorous canids – the [[dhole]] and the [[bush dog]]. The African wild dog exhibits one of the most varied coat colours among ~~the~~ mammals. Individuals differ in patterns and colours, indicating a diversity of the underlying [[genes]]. The purpose of these coat patterns may be an adaptation for communication, concealment, or temperature regulation. In 2019, a study indicated that the ''lycaon'' lineage diverged from ''Cuon'' and ''Canis'' 1.7 million years ago through this suite of adaptations, and these occurred at the same time as large [[ungulates]] (its prey) diversified. The findings also suggest that the African wild dog is largely isolated from [[gene transfer]] with other canid species.<ref name=Chavez2019/> The oldest ~~''L.~~African ~~pictus''~~wild dog [[fossil]] dates back to 200,000 years ago and was found in [[HaYonim Cave]], Israel.<ref>{{~~cite~~Cite journal \| last1 = Stiner \|first1=M. C. \| last2=Howell \|first2=F. C. \|last3=Martınez-Navarro \|first3=B. \|last4=Tchernov \|first4=E. \| last5=Bar-Yosef \|first5=O. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=2001 \|title=Outside Africa: Middle Pleistocene Lycaon from Hayonim Cave, Israel \|url=https://www.paleoitalia.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/23_Stiner-et-al_2001_BSPI_402.pdf \|journal = Bollettino della Societa Paleontologica Italiana \|volume=40 \|issue=2\|pages=293–302}}</ref><ref name=MN_R/> The [[evolution]] of the African wild dog is poorly understood ~~due~~owing to the scarcity of fossil finds. Some authors consider the extinct ''Canis'' [[subgenus]] ''[[Xenocyon]]'' as ancestral to both the genus ''Lycaon'' and the genus ''[[Dhole\|Cuon]]'',<ref name=moulle2006/><ref name=baryshnikov2012/><ref name=cherin2013/><ref name=wang2008/>{{rp\|p149}} which lived throughout [[Eurasia]] and Africa from the [[Early Pleistocene]] to the early [[Middle Pleistocene]]. Others propose that ''Xenocyon'' should be reclassified as ''Lycaon''.<ref name=MN_R/> The species ''Canis'' (''Xenocyon'') ''falconeri'' shared the African wild dog's absent first [[Metacarpal bones\|metacarpal]] ([[dewclaw]]), though its dentition was still relatively unspecialised.<ref name="MN_R">{{~~cite~~Cite journal \|last1=Martínez-Navarro \|first1=B. \|last2=Rook \|first2=L. \|name-list-style=amp \|date=2003 \|title=Gradual evolution in the African hunting dog lineage: systematic implications \|journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol \|volume=2 \|issue=8 \|pages=695–702 \|bibcode=2003CRPal...2..695M \|doi=10.1016/j.crpv.2003.06.002 \|~~volume~~doi-access=~~2 \|issue=8 \|pages=695–702~~free}}</ref> This connection was rejected by one author because ''C''. (''X''.) ''falconeri''{{'}}s ~~lacks~~lack ~~metacarpal,~~of ~~which~~the first metacarpal is a poor indication of phylogenetic closeness to the African wild dog, and the dentition was too different to imply ancestry.<ref name=hartstone2010/> Another ancestral candidate is the [[Plio-Pleistocene]] ''[[Lycaon ~~sekowei\|L.~~ sekowei]]'' of [[South Africa]] on the basis of distinct accessory [[Cusp (anatomy)\|cusps]] on its [[premolar]]s and anterior accessory cuspids on its lower premolars. These adaptions are found only in ''Lycaon'' among living canids, which shows the same adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. ''L. sekowei'' had not yet lost the first metacarpal absent in ''L. pictus'' and was more robust than the modern species, having 10% larger teeth.<ref name=hartstone2010>{{cite journal \|last1=Hartstone-Rose \|first1=A. \|last2=Werdelin \|first2=L. \|last3=De Ruiter \|first3=D. J. \|last4=Berger \|first4=L. R. \|last5=Churchill \|first5=S. E. \|date=2010 \|title=The Plio-pleistocene ancestor of Wild Dogs, ''Lycaon sekowei'' n. sp \|journal=Journal of Paleontology \|doi=10.1666/09-124.1 \|volume=84 \|issue=2 \|name-list-style=amp \|pages=299–308 \|bibcode=2010JPal...84..299H \|s2cid=85585759 \|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228515255}}</ref> The African wild dog [[Genetic divergence\|genetically diverged]] from other canid [[Lineage (genetic)\|lineage]]s between {{mya\|1.74\|1.70}} and is thought to be isolated from [[gene transfer]] with other canid species.<ref>{{cite journal \|author1=Chavez, D.E. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Gronau, I. \|author3=Hains, T. \|author4=Kliver, S. \|author5=Koepfli, K.-P. \|author6=Wayne, R. K. \|year=2019 \|title=Comparative genomics provides new insights into the remarkable adaptations of the African wild dog (''Lycaon pictus'') \|journal=Scientific Reports \|volume=9 \|issue=8329 \|page=8329 \|doi=10.1038/s41598-019-44772-5 \|pmid=31171819 \|pmc=6554312 \|bibcode=2019NatSR...9.8329C \|doi-access=free}}</ref> === Admixture with the dhole === [[File:Postcranial skeleton of a wild dog.jpg\|thumb~~\|left~~\|Fossil of ''[[Lycaon sekowei]]'', a possible ancestor of the modern ~~''L.~~African ~~pictus''~~wild dog]] The African wild dog has 78 chromosomes, the same number as those of species in the genus ''[[Canis]]''.<ref>{{Cite book \|title=Zoology in Early Modern Culture: Intersections of Science, Theology, Philology, and Political and Religious Education: Intersections of Science, Theology, Philology, and Political and Religious Education \|date=2014 \|publisher=Brill \|place= \|isbn=978-90-04-27917-9 \|pages=83 \|last1=Enenkel \|first1=K.A.E. \|last2=Smith\|first2= P. J. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KQoSBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA83}}</ref> In 2018 [[whole genome sequencing]] was used to compare the [[dhole]] (''Cuon alpinus'') with the African wild dog. There was strong evidence of ancient [[genetic admixture]] between the two species. Today their ranges are remote from each other; however during the [[Pleistocene]] era the dhole could be found as far west as Europe. The study proposes that the dhole's distribution may have once included the [[Middle East]], from where it may have admixed with the African wild dog in [[North Africa]]. However, there is no evidence of the dhole having existed in the Middle East or North Africa.<ref name=gopalakrishnan2018/> In 2018, [[whole genome sequencing]] was used to compare the [[dhole]] (''Cuon alpinus'') with the African wild dog. There was strong evidence of ancient [[genetic admixture]] between the two. Today, their ranges are remote from each other; however, during the [[Pleistocene]] era the dhole could be found as far west as Europe. The study proposes that the dhole's distribution may have once included the [[Middle East]], from where it may have admixed with the African wild dog in [[North Africa]]. However, there is no evidence of the dhole having existed in the Middle East or North Africa.<ref name=gopalakrishnan2018/> ~~{{clear}}~~ === Subspecies === Line 214 ⟶ 120: \|-style="vertical-align: top;" \|'''Chadian wild dog'''<br /> ''L. p. sharicus'' {{small\|Thomas and [[Robert Charles Wroughton\|Wroughton]], 1907}} \|Brightly coloured with very short ~~15mm~~{{convert\|15\|mm\|abbr=on\|sigfig=1}} hair. Brain case is fuller than ''L. p. pictus''.<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Thomas\|first1=Oldfield \|last2=Wroughton \|first2=R.C.\|journal=Magazine of Natural History \|title=XLIII.—New mammals from Lake Chad and the Congo, mostly from the collections made during the Alexander-Gosling expedition\|year=1907\|volume=19\|page=375\|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/24254830#page/389/mode/1up}}</ref> \|<small>''ebermaieri'' (Matschie, 1915)</small> \|-style="vertical-align: top;" \|'''West African wild dog'''<br /> {{nowrap\|''L. p. manguensis'' {{small\|[[Paul Matschie\|Matschie]], 1915}}}}[[File:West African Wild Dog.jpg\|150px]] \|The West African wild dog used to be widespread from western to [[central Africa]], from [[Senegal]] to [[Nigeria]]. Now only two subpopulations survive: one in the [[Niokolo-Koba National Park]] of Senegal and the other in the [[W National Park]] of [[Benin]], [[Burkina Faso]] and [[Niger]].<ref name=iucn/><ref>{{cite web\|title=Lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs dwindle in West and Central African protected areas\|url=http://news.mongabay.com/2015/07/lions-cheetahs-and-wild-dogs-dwindle-in-west-and-central-african-protected-areas/\|author=Victor Montoro\|publisher=Mongabay\|date=14 July 2015\|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref> It is estimated that 70 adult individuals are left in the wild.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=West African wild dog\|url=https://www.zsl.org/west-african-wild-dog\|access-date=2021-05-03\|website=Zoological Society of London (ZSL)\|language=en}}</ref> \|<small>''mischlichi'' (Matschie, 1915)</small> \|} ~~Nevertheless, although~~Although the species is genetically diverse, these subspecific designations are not universally accepted. East African and Southern African wild dog populations were once thought to be genetically distinct, based on a small number of samples. More recent studies with a larger number of samples showed that extensive intermixing has occurred between East African and Southern African populations in the past. Some unique [[nuclear DNA\|nuclear]] and [[mitochondrial DNA\|mitochondrial]] [[allele]]s are found in Southern African and northeastern African populations, with a transition zone encompassing [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]] and southeastern [[Tanzania]] between the two. The West African wild dog population may possess a unique [[haplotype]], thus possibly constituting a truly distinct subspecies.<ref name="edwards2009">{{cite thesis \|author=Edwards, J. \|date=2009 \|url=https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/29439 \|title=Conservation genetics of African wild dogs ''Lycaon pictus'' (Temminck, 1820) in South Africa \|type=Magister Scientiae \|publisher=University of Pretoria \|location=Pretoria \|hdl=2263/29439\|hdl-access=free}}</ref> The original [[Serengeti]] and [[Maasai Mara]] population of painted dogs is known to have possessed a unique [[genotype]]s, but these genotypes may be extinct.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Woodroffe \|first1=Rosie \|last2=Ginsberg \|first2=Joshua R. \|title=Conserving the African wild dog Lycaon pictus. II. Is there a role for reintroduction? \|journal=Oryx \|date=April 1999 \|volume=33 \|issue=2 \|pages=143–151 \|doi=10.1046/j.1365-3008.1999.00053.x\|s2cid=86776888 \|doi-access=free }} See p 147.</ref> ==Description == ~~== Physical description ==~~ [[File:Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) ~~& Canis lupus skulls~~(16394165128).~~png~~jpg\|thumb\|~~''L.~~Closeup ~~pictus''~~of ~~skull~~an ~~(''left'')~~African ~~compared~~wild ~~with~~dog ~~that~~in ~~of ''~~[[~~Canis~~Kruger ~~lupus\|C.~~National ~~lupus~~Park]]~~'' (''right''): Note the former's shorter muzzle and fewer molars.~~]] [[File:Lycaon pictus & Canis lupus skulls.png\|thumb\|African wild dog skull (''left'') compared with that of the ''[[gray wolf]]'' (''right''): Note the former's shorter muzzle and fewer molars.]] The African wild dog is the bulkiest and most solidly built of African canids.<ref name="rosevear">Rosevear, D. R. (1974). ''[https://archive.org/stream/carnivoresofwest00rose#page/74/mode/2up The carnivores of West Africa]''. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). pp. 75–91. {{ISBN\|978-0-565-00723-2}}.</ref> The species stands {{cvt\|60\|to\|75\|cm}} inat ~~shoulder~~the ~~height~~shoulders, measures {{cvt\|71\|to\|112\|cm}} in head-and-body length and has a tail length of {{cvt\|29\|to\|41\|cm}}. ~~Body~~Adults ~~weight~~have ofa ~~adults~~weight range ~~from~~of {{cvt\|18\|to\|36\|kg}}. On average, dogs from East Africa weigh around {{cvt\|20\|-\|25~~\|kg}} while in southern Africa, males reportedly weighed a mean of {{cvt\|32.7\|kg}} and females a mean of {{cvt\|24.5~~\|kg}}. By body mass, they are only outsized amongst other extant canids by the [[Wolf\|gray wolf]] [[species complex]].<ref name="estes1992">Estes, R. (1992). ''The behavior guide to African mammals: including hoofed mammals, carnivores, primates''. University of California Press. pp. 410–419. {{ISBN\|978-0-520-08085-0}}.</ref><ref>{{cite journal \| last1 = McNutt \| first1 = J. W. \| year = 1996 \| title = Adoption in African wild dogs, ''Lycaon pictus'' \| journal = Journal of Zoology \| volume = 240 \| issue =1 1\| pages = 163–173 \| doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05493.x }}</ref><ref>Castelló, J. R. (2018). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=HXKYDwAAQBAJ~~&printsec=frontcover#v=snippet~~&q=%22Lycaon~~%20pictus~~+pictus%22~~%20OR%20~~+OR+%22African~~%20wild%20dog~~+wild+dog%22 Canids of the World: Wolves, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Coyotes, and Their Relatives]''. Princeton University Press.~~</ref><ref>Kingdon,~~ ~~J. (1974). ''East African Mammals; an Atlas of Evolution in Africa''. Volume II Part A (Insectivores and Bats). Academic Press~~pp.230</ref> Females are ~~generally~~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 [[dewclaw]]s. The middle two toepads are usually fused. Its dentition ~~also~~ differs from that of ''Canis'' by the degeneration of the last lower [[molar (tooth)\|molar]], the narrowness of the [[Canine tooth\|canines]] and proportionately large [[premolar]]s, which are the largest relative to body size of any carnivore other than hyenas.<ref name="creel1">{{cite book \|last1=Creel \|first1=Scott \|last2=Creel \|first2=Nancy Marusha \|date=2002 \|title=The African Wild Dog: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|isbn=978-0-691-01654-2 \|pages=1–11}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="iucn2004"/> The skull is relatively shorter and broader than those of other canids.<ref name="rosevear"/> The fur of the African wild dog differs significantly from that of other canids, consisting entirely of stiff bristle-hairs with no underfur.<ref name="rosevear"/> Adults gradually lose their fur as it ages, with older individuals being almost naked.<ref>{{Cite journal \|last1=Pole \|first1=A. \|last2=Gordon\|first2=I. J. \|last3=Gorman \|first3=M. L.\|last4=MacAskill\|first4=M. \|date=2004 \|title=Prey selection by African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') in southern Zimbabwe\|journal=Journal of Zoology \|volume=262 \|issue=2 \|pages=207–215 \|doi=10.1017/s0952836903004576}}</ref> Colour variation is extreme, and may serve in visual identification, as African wild dogs can recognise each other at distances of {{cvt\|50–100\|m}}.<ref name="creel1"/> 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 ones are more brightly coloured, sporting a mix of brown, black and white coats.<ref name="iucn2004"/> 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.<ref name=creel1/> ~~[[File:Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) (16394165128).jpg\|thumb\|left\|Closeup view of an African wild dog's head taken in [[Kruger National Park]]]]~~ == Distribution and habitat == The fur of the African wild dog differs significantly from that of other canids, consisting entirely of stiff bristle-hairs with no underfur.<ref name="rosevear"/> It gradually loses its fur as it ages, with older individuals being almost naked.<ref>{{Cite journal\|last1=Pole\|first1=Alistair\|last2=Gordon\|first2=Iain J.\|last3=Gorman\|first3=Martyn L.\|last4=MacAskill\|first4=Mairi\|date=February 2004 \|title=Prey selection by African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') in southern Zimbabwe\|journal=Journal of Zoology \|volume=262 \|issue=2 \|pages=207–215 \|doi=10.1017/s0952836903004576}}</ref> Colour variation is extreme, and may serve in visual identification, as African wild dogs can recognise each other at distances of {{cvt\|50–100\|m}}.<ref name="creel1"/> 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 ones are more brightly coloured, sporting a mix of brown, black and white coats.<ref name="iucn2004"/> 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 that of the right.<ref name="creel1"/> The African wild dog occurs foremost in Southern and East Africa.<ref name=iucn/> ~~{{clear}}~~ It is rare in North Africa and mostly absent in West Africa, with the only potentially viable population occurring in Senegal's [[Niokolo-Koba National Park]]. It is occasionally sighted in other parts of [[Senegal]], [[Guinea]] and [[Mali]]. Its distribution is patchy in East Africa.<ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Fanshawe \|first1=J. H. \|url=https://archive.org/details/africanwilddogst0000unse \|title=Status Survey and Conservation Plan: The African Wild Dog \|last2=Ginsberg \|first2=J. R. \|last3=Sillero-Zubiri \|first3=C. \|last4=Woodroffe \|first4=R. \|publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group \|year=1997 \|editor-last=Woodroffe \|editor-first=R. \|location=Gland \|pages=11–56 \|chapter=The Status and Distribution of Remaining Wild Dog Populations \|isbn=978-2-8317-0418-0 \|editor-last2=Ginsberg, J. \|editor-last3=MacDonald, D. \|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/africanwilddogst0000unse/page/11 \|url-access=limited \|name-list-style=amp}}</ref> It inhabits mostly [[savanna]]s and [[arid]] zones, generally avoiding forested areas.<ref name=estes1992/> This preference is likely linked to its hunting habits, which require open areas that do not obstruct vision or impede pursuit.<ref name=rosevear/> It travels through [[scrubland]], [[woodland]] and [[montane]] areas in pursuit of prey. A forest-dwelling population has been identified in the [[Harenna Forest]], a wet montane forest up to an elevation of {{cvt\|2400\|m}} in the [[Bale Mountains]] of [[Ethiopia]].<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Dutson \|first1=Guy \|last2=Sillero-Zuberi \|first2=Claudio \|date=2005 \|title=Forest-dwelling African wild dogs in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia \|journal=Canid News \|volume=8 \|issue=3 \|pages=1–6 \|url=http://www.canids.org/canidnews/8/African_wild_dogs_in_Ethiopia.pdf}}</ref> At least one record exists of a pack being sighted on the [[summit]] of [[Mount Kilimanjaro]].<ref name=estes1992/> In Zimbabwe, it has been recorded at the elevation of {{cvt\|1800\|m}}.<ref name=chimimba2005/> In Ethiopia, several packs were sighted at elevations of {{cvt\|1900\|to\|2800\|m}}, and a dead individual was found in June 1995 at {{cvt\|4050\|m}} on the [[Sanetti Plateau]].<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Malcolm\|first1=J. R. \|last2=Sillero-Zubiri\|first2=C. \|year=2001 \|title=Recent records of African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') from Ethiopia \|journal=Canid News \|volume=4 \|url=http://www.canids.org/canidnews/4/ethiopian_wild_dog.htm}}</ref> A stable population comprising more than 370 individuals is present in [[Kruger National Park]].<ref>{{Cite journal \|last1=Nicholson \|first1=S. K. \|last2=Marneweck \|first2=D. G. \|last3=Lindsey \|first3=P. A. \|last4=Marnewick \|first4=K. \|last5=Davies-Mostert \|first5=H. T. \|date=2020 \|title=A 20-year review of the status and distribution of African Wild Dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') in South Africa \|journal=African Journal of Wildlife Research \|volume=50 \|issue=1 \|pages=8 \|doi=10.3957/056.050.0008 \|s2cid=213655919 \|doi-access=free \|hdl=2263/82809 \|hdl-access=free}}</ref> ==Behaviour and ecology== ~~=== Genetics ===~~ ~~The African wild dog has 78 chromosomes, the same number that species of the genus ''[[Canis]]'' have. However, they are unable to be bred with other canids.~~ ~~== Behaviour ==~~ === Social and reproductive behaviour === [[File:African wild dog (Lycaon pictus pictus) ~~with~~play ~~springbok~~fighting.jpg\|thumb\|~~left\|[[Springbok]]~~Play fighting after a kill, [[in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve~~]], South Africa~~]] [[File:African Wild Dog feeding puppies at Working with Wildlife.jpg\|alt=Regurgitating food for puppies at den site at Working with Wildlife\|thumb\|Regurgitating food for puppies at den site at Working with Wildlife]] ~~[[File:African wild dog (Lycaon pictus pictus) play fighting.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Play fighting after a kill, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa]]~~ The African wild dog ~~has very~~have strong social bonds, stronger than those of sympatric lions and [[spotted ~~hyena]]s~~hyenas; thus, solitary living and hunting are extremely rare in the species.<ref name="kingdon1988">{{cite book \|author=Kingdon, ~~Jonathan~~J. (\|year=1988). ''\|title=East African mammals: an atlas of evolution in Africa, \|volume=(( Volume 3, Part 1~~''.~~)) \|location=Chicago \|publisher=University of Chicago Press. ~~pp. 36–53. {{ISBN~~\|isbn=978-0-226-43721-7 \|pages=36–53 \|chapter= \|chapter-url=}}.</ref> It lives in permanent packs consisting of two to 27 adults and yearling pups. The typical pack size in [[the Kruger National Park]] and the [[Maasai Mara]] is four or five adults, while packs in [[Moremi Game Reserve\|Moremi]] and [[Selous Game Reserve~~\|Selous~~]]s contain eight or nine. However, larger packs have been observed and temporary aggregations of hundreds of individuals may have gathered in response to the seasonal migration of vast [[springbok]] herds in Southern Africa.<ref name="Nowak, Ronald M 2005. p112">{{cite book \|author=Nowak, ~~Ronald~~R. M. (\|year=2005). ''\|title=Walker's Carnivores of the World~~''.~~ \|location=Baltimore: \|publisher=Johns Hopkins Press~~. p.~~ \|pages=112. ~~{{ISBN~~\|chapter= \|chapter-url= \|isbn=978-0-8018-8032-2}}.</ref> 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 monopolises breeding.<ref name="creel1"/> The species differs from most other social ~~species~~carnivorans in that males remain in the natal pack, while females disperse (a pattern also found in [[primate]]s such as [[gorilla]]s, [[chimpanzee]]s, and [[red colobus]]es). Furthermore, males in any given pack tend to outnumber females 3:1.<ref name="estes1992"/> 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.<ref name="creel1"/> Males rarely disperse, and when they do, they are invariably rejected by other packs already containing males.<ref name="estes1992"/> 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.<ref name="cluttonbrock1976"/> The species does have an extensive vocal repertoire consisting of twittering, whining, yelping, squealing, whispering, [[Bark (sound)\|barking]], [[growling]], gurling, rumbling, moaning and hooing.<ref>{{cite journal\|last=Robbins\|first=R. L. \|title=Vocal communication in free-ranging African Wild Dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') \|date=2000 \|journal=Behaviour \|volume=137 \|issue=10 \|pages=1271–1298 \|doi=10.1163/156853900501926 \|jstor=4535774}}</ref> {{anchor\|Breeding}}African wild dog populations in [[East Africa]] appear to have no fixed [[Seasonal breeder\|breeding season]], whereas those in Southern Africa usually breed during the April–July period.<ref name="kingdon1988"/> During [[Estrous cycle\|estrus]], the female is closely accompanied by a single male, which keeps other members of the same sex at bay.<ref name="estes1992"/> The estrus period can last as long as 20 days.<ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Solomon \|first1=N. G. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6_brrHFGmEcC&pg=PA139 \|title=Cooperative Breeding in Mammals \|last2=French \|first2=J. A. \|date=1997 \|publisher=Cambridge University Press \|isbn=978-0-521-45491-9}}</ref> The [[Canine reproduction\|copulatory tie]] characteristic of mating in most canids has been reported to be absent<ref name = "Kleiman">{{Cite journal \| last = Kleiman \| first = D. G. \|title = Some aspects of social behavior in the Canidae \|journal=[[American Zoologist]] \|volume=7 \|issue=2 \|pages=365–372 \|year=1967 \|doi=10.1093/icb/7.2.365\|doi-access=free }}</ref> or very brief (less than one minute)<ref name = "Creel">{{Cite book \|last=Creel \|first=S. \|title=Behavioral ecology and conservation biology \|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] \|year=1998 \|chapter=Social organization and effective population size in carnivores \|chapter-url=http://google.com/books?id=Pn4jHskZ7F0C&pg=PA256 \|pages=246–270 \|editor=Caro, T. M. \|editor-link=Tim Caro \| isbn=978-0-19-510490-5}}</ref> in African wild dog, possibly an adaptation to the prevalence of larger predators in its environment.<ref name="Kleiman2">{{cite journal \|last1=Kleiman \|first1=D.G. \|last2=Eisenberg \|first2=J. F. \|title=Comparisons of canid and felid social systems from an evolutionary perspective \|journal=[[Animal Behaviour (journal)\|Animal Behaviour]] \|volume=21 \|issue=4 \|pages=637–659 \|year=1973 \|doi=10.1016/S0003-3472(73)80088-0 \|pmid=4798194}}</ref> The [[~~List of mammalian gestation durations\|~~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.<ref name="estes1992"/> African wild dogs have an average lifespan of about 10 to 11 years in the wild. <ref>{{Cite web \|~~last~~last1=Allen \|~~first~~first1=~~Michael~~M. ~~Mulheisen; Crystal~~M. \|last2=Allen;, ~~Crystal~~C. \|title=''Lycaon pictus'' (African wild dog) \|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lycaon_pictus/ \|access-date=2022-12-20 \|website=Animal Diversity Web ~~\|language=en~~}}</ref> When separated from the pack, an African wild dog becomes depressed and can die as a result of [[broken heart syndrome]].<ref name="Nature 2023">{{cite web \| title=Dogs in the Wild: Defending Wild Dogs ~ How Wild Dogs Recover from 'Broken Hearts' \|website=PBS Nature \| date=2023 \|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/how-wild-dogs-recover-broken-hearts/28517/ \| access-date=February 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Nature BHS">{{cite web \|title=Dogs in the Wild: Defending Wild Dogs \|website=PBS Nature \|date=2023 \|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/about-dogs-wild-defending-wild-dogs/28429/ \|access-date=February 23, 2023}}</ref> ~~=== Ratio male/female ===~~ Packs of African wild dogs have a high ratio of males to females. This is a consequence of the males mostly staying with the pack whilst female offspring disperse and is supported by a changing sex-ratio in consecutive litters. Those born to maiden females contain a higher proportion of males, second litters are half and half and subsequent litters biased towards females with this trend increasing as females get older. As a result, the earlier litters provide stable hunters whilst the higher ratio of dispersals amongst the females stops a pack from getting too big.<ref name="PDRT" /> === Male/female ratio === ~~=== Sneeze communication and "voting" ===~~ Packs of African wild dogs have a high ratio of males to females. This is a consequence of the males mostly staying with the pack whilst female offspring disperse and is supported by a changing sex-ratio in consecutive litters. Those born to maiden females contain a higher proportion of males, second litters are half and half and subsequent litters biased towards females with this trend increasing as females get older. As a result, the earlier litters provide stable hunters whilst the higher ratio of dispersals amongst the females stops a pack from getting too big.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book \|last1=Creel \|first1=S. \|title=The African Wild Dog: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation \|last2=Creel \|first2=N. M. \|date=2019 \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|place=Princeton \|isbn=978-0-691-20700-1 \|page=158 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FX2-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA158}}</ref> African wild dog populations in the [[Okavango Delta]] have been observed "rallying" before they set out to hunt. Not every rally results in a departure, but departure becomes more likely when more individual dogs "sneeze". These [[sneeze]]s are characterized by a short, sharp exhale through the nostrils.<ref>{{Cite journal \|last1=Walker\|first1=R. H.\|last2=King\|first2=A. J. \|last3=McNutt \|first3=J. W. \|last4=Jordan \|first4=N. R. \|date=2017 \|title=Video 1. Two sneezes in the last five minutes of AP pack's second rally on June 10, 2014 in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. from Sneeze to leave: African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') use variable quorum thresholds facilitated by sneezes in collective decisions \|journal=Figshare \|doi=10.6084/m9.figshare.5302978.v1}}</ref> When members of dominant mating pairs sneeze first, the group is much more likely to depart. If a dominant dog initiates, around three sneezes guarantee departure. When less dominant dogs sneeze first, if enough others also sneeze (about 10), then the group will go hunting. Researchers assert that wild dogs in Botswana, "use a specific vocalization (the sneeze) along with a variable quorum response mechanism in the decision-making process [to go hunting at a particular moment]".<ref>{{Cite journal\|last1=Walker \|first1=R. H. \|last2=King \|first2=A. J. \|last3=McNutt \|first3=J. W. \|last4=Jordan \|first4=N. R.\|date=2017 \|title=Sneeze to leave: African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') use variable quorum thresholds facilitated by sneezes in collective decisions \|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B \|volume=284 \|issue=1862 \|pages=20170347 \|doi=10.1098/rspb.2017.0347 \|pmid=28878054 \|pmc=5597819}}</ref> ~~[[File:Wild Dog Kruger National Park South Africa.jpg\|thumb\|African wild dog pack in [[Kruger National Park]]]]~~ === Sneeze communication and ‘voting’ === [[File:Wild Dog Kruger National Park South Africa.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.2\|African wild dog pack in Kruger National Park]] Populations in the [[Okavango Delta]] have been observed ‘rallying’ before setting out to hunt. Not every rally results in a departure, but departure becomes more likely when more individual dogs ‘sneeze’. These [[sneeze]]s are characterized by a short, sharp exhale through the nostrils.<ref name=Walker2017>{{Cite journal \|last1=Walker \|first1=R. H. \|last2=King \|first2=A. J. \|last3=McNutt \|first3=J. W. \|last4=Jordan \|first4=N. R. \|date=2017 \|title=Sneeze to leave: African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') use variable quorum thresholds facilitated by sneezes in collective decisions \|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences \|volume=284 \|issue=1862 \|pages=20170347 \|doi=10.1098/rspb.2017.0347 \|pmc=5597819 \|pmid=28878054}}</ref> When members of dominant mating pairs sneeze first, the group is much more likely to depart. If a dominant dog initiates, around three sneezes guarantee departure. When less dominant dogs sneeze first, if enough others also sneeze (about 10), then the group will go hunting. Researchers assert that wild dogs in Botswana "use a specific vocalization (the sneeze) along with a variable quorum response mechanism in the decision-making process [to go hunting at a particular moment]".<ref name=Walker2017/> === Inbreeding avoidance === Because the African wild dog largely exists in fragmented, small populations, its existence is endangered. Inbreeding avoidance by mate selection is a characteristic of the species and has important potential consequences for population persistence.<ref name=Becker>{{cite journal \|last1=Becker \|first1=P.A. \|last2=Miller \|first2=P.S. \|last3=Gunther \|first3=M.S. \|last4=Somers \|first4=M.J. \|last5=Wildt \|first5=D.E. \|last6=Maldonado \|first6=J.E. \|name-list-style=amp \|date=2012 \|title=Inbreeding avoidance influences the viability of reintroduced populations of African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') \|journal=PLOS ONE \|pmid=22615933 \|pmc=3353914 \|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0037181 \|volume=7 \|issue=5 \|page=e37181\|bibcode=2012PLoSO...737181B\|doi-access=free }}</ref> Inbreeding is rare within natal packs. Inbreeding ~~behavior~~ may have been selected against evolutionarily because it leads to the expression of recessive deleterious alleles.<ref name="pmid19834483">{{cite journal \|last1=Charlesworth \|first1=D. \|last2=Willis \|first2=J. H. \|name-list-style=amp \|date=2009 \|title=The genetics of inbreeding depression \|journal=Nature Reviews Genetics \|pmid=19834483 \|doi=10.1038/nrg2664 \|volume=10 \|issue=11 \|pages=783–96 \|s2cid=771357 }}</ref> Computer simulations indicate that all populations continuing to avoid incestuous mating will become extinct within 100 years due to the unavailability of unrelated mates.<ref name=Becker /> Thus, the impact of reduced numbers of suitable unrelated mates will likely have a severe demographic impact on the future viability of small wild dog populations.<ref name=Becker /> ~~=== Hunting and feeding behaviour ===~~ The African wild dog is a specialised pack hunter of common medium-sized [[antelope]]s.<ref name= Pole>{{cite journal \|author1=Pole, A. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Gordon, I. J. \|author3=Gorman, M. L. \|author4=MacAskill, M. \|year=2004 \|title=Prey selection by African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') in southern Zimbabwe \|journal=Journal of Zoology \|volume=262 \|issue=2 \|pages=207–215 \|doi=10.1017/S0952836903004576 }}.</ref> It and the cheetah are the only primarily diurnal African large predators.<ref name="estes1992"/> The African wild dog hunts by approaching prey silently, then chasing it in a pursuit clocking at up to {{cvt\|66\|km/h\|}} for 10–60 minutes.<ref name="Nowak, Ronald M 2005. p112"/> The average chase covers some {{cvt\|2\|km}}, during which the prey animal, if large, is repeatedly bitten on the legs, belly, and rump until it stops running, while smaller prey is simply pulled down and torn apart. === Hunting and diet === [[File:African Wild Dogs take down 1,000lbs Common Eland at Working with Wildlife in South Africa.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Wild dogs kill a [[Common eland\|Common Eland]] at Working with Wildlife in South Africa]] The African wild dog is a specialised pack hunter of common medium-sized [[antelope]]s.<ref name=Pole>{{cite journal \|author1=Pole, A. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Gordon, I. J. \|author3=Gorman, M. L. \|author4=MacAskill, M. \|year=2004 \|title=Prey selection by African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') in southern Zimbabwe \|journal=Journal of Zoology \|volume=262 \|issue=2 \|pages=207–215 \|doi=10.1017/S0952836903004576}}</ref> It and the cheetah are the only primarily diurnal African large predators.<ref name=estes1992/> The African wild dog hunts by approaching prey silently, then chasing it in a pursuit clocking at up to {{cvt\|66\|km/h}} for 10–60 minutes.<ref name="Nowak, Ronald M 2005. p112"/> The average chase covers some {{cvt\|2\|km}}, during which the prey animal, if large, is repeatedly bitten on the legs, belly, and rump until it stops running, while smaller prey is simply pulled down and torn apart.<ref name=":0" /> [[File:African wild dog3.jpg\|thumb\|African wild dog pack consuming a [[blue wildebeest]] in [[Madikwe Game Reserve]], South Africa]] African wild dogs adjust their hunting strategy to the particular prey species. They will rush at wildebeest to panic the herd and isolate a vulnerable individual, but pursue territorial antelope species (which defend themselves by running in wide circles) by cutting across the arc to foil their escape. Medium-sized prey is often killed in 2–5 minutes, whereas larger prey such as wildebeest may take half an hour to pull down. Male wild dogs usually perform the task of grabbing dangerous prey, such as [[Phacochoerus\|warthogs]], by the nose.<ref name=r1>{{cite journal \|last=Morell \|first=V. \|date=1996 \|title=Hope Rises for Africa's wild dog \|journal=International Wildlife \|volume=26 \|issue=3 \|pages=28–37 \|url=https://www.questia.com/library/1G1-18213384/hope-rises-for-africa-s-wild-dog}}</ref> A species-wide study showed that by preference, where available, five prey species were the most regularly selected, namely the [[greater kudu]], [[Thomson's gazelle]], [[impala]], [[Cape bushbuck]] and [[blue wildebeest]].<ref name= Pole/><ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Hayward \|first1=M. W. \| last2=O'Brien \| first2=J. \| last3=Hofmeyr \|first3=M. \|last4=Kerley \|first4=G. I. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=2006 \|title=Prey preferences of the African wild dog ''Lycaon pictus'' (Canidae: Carnivora): ecological requirements for conservation \|journal=Journal of Mammalogy \|volume=87 \|issue=6 \|pages=1122–1131 \|doi=10.1644/05-mamm-a-304r2.1 \|doi-access=free}}</ref> More specifically, 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]],<ref name="estes1992"/> and smaller prey such as [[common duiker]], [[dik-dik]], [[hare]]s, [[spring hare]]s, insects and cane rats.<ref name="kingdon1988"/><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lycaon_pictus\|title=Painted Wolf\|website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> Staple prey sizes are usually between {{cvt\|15\|and\|200\|kg}}, though some local studies put upper prey sizes as variously {{cvt\|90\|to\|135\|kg}}. In the case of larger species such as kudu and wildebeest, calves are largely but not exclusively targeted.<ref name=Pole/><ref name="Diet choice and capture success of">{{cite journal \|last1=Krüger \|first1=S. \|last2=Lawes \|first2=M. \|last3=Maddock \|first3=A. \|title=Diet choice and capture success of wild dog (''Lycaon pictus'') in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa \|journal=Journal of Zoology \|date=1999 \|volume=248 \|issue=4 \|pages=543–551 \|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb01054.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Ramnanan \|first1=R. \|last2=Swanepoel \|first2=L. H. \|last3=Somers \|first3= M. J. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=2013 \|title=The diet and presence of African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') on private land in the Waterberg region, South Africa \|url=https://journals.co.za/content/wild/43/1/EJC137242?crawler=true&mimeType=application%2Fpdf \|journal=African Journal of Wildlife Research \|volume=43 \|issue=1 \|pages=68–74 \|doi=10.3957/056.043.0113 \|hdl=2263/37231 \|s2cid=54975768 \|hdl-access=free}}</ref> However, certain packs in the [[Serengeti]] specialized in hunting adult [[plains zebra]]s weighing up to {{cvt\|240\|kg}} quite frequently.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Malcolm \|first1=J. R. \|last2=Van Lawick \|first2=H. \|name-list-style=amp \|date=1975 \|title=Notes on wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') hunting zebras \|journal=Mammalia \|doi=10.1515/mamm.1975.39.2.231 \|volume=39 \|issue=2 \|pages=231–240\|s2cid=83740058 }}</ref> Another study claimed that some prey taken by wild dogs could weigh up to {{cvt\|289\|kg}}.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Clements \|first1= H. S. \|last2=Tambling \|first2=C. J. \|name-list-style=amp \|last3=Hayward \|first3=M. W. \| last4=Kerley \|first4=G. I. \|year=2014 \|title=An objective approach to determining the weight ranges of prey preferred by and accessible to the five large African carnivores \|journal=PLOS ONE \|volume=9 \|issue=7 \|page=e101054 \|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0101054 \|pmid=24988433 \|pmc=4079238 \|bibcode=2014PLoSO...9j1054C \|doi-access=free}}</ref> This includes [[African buffalo]] juveniles during the dry season when herds are small and calves less protected.<ref name="Diet choice and capture success of"/> Footage from [[Lower Zambezi National Park]] taken in 2021 showed a large pack of wild dogs hunting an adult, healthy buffalo, though this is apparently extremely rare.<ref>{{cite news \|last1=Nkajeni \|first1=U. \|title=WATCH - More than 15 wild dogs take down an adult buffalo \|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/travel/2021-08-27-lift-watch-more-than-15-wild-dogs-take-down-an-adult-buffalo/ \|work=Sunday Times (South Africa) \|access-date=16 July 2023}}</ref> One pack was recorded to occasionally prey on [[bat-eared fox]]es, 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 [[Animal trapping#Snares\|snare]]s.<ref name=chimimba2005/> Hunting success varies with prey type, vegetation cover and pack size, but African wild dogs tend to be very successful: often more than 60% of their chases end in a kill, sometimes up to 90%.<ref>Schaller, George B. (1973). ''Golden Shadows, Flying Hooves''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 277. {{ISBN\|978-0-394-47243-0}}.</ref> Despite their smaller size, they are much more consistently successful than lion (27–30%) and hyena (25–30%),<ref>{{cite ~~web\|date=18~~book ~~June 2014~~\|~~title~~author=~~Facts~~Schaller, ~~on the African wild dog\|url=http://goodnature~~G.~~nathab.com/ten-facts-about-the-african-wild-dog/\|access-date=14~~ ~~March 2019\|website=goodnature~~B.~~nathab.com/}}</ref> but African wild dogs commonly lose their kills to these two large predators.<ref>{{cite journal~~ \|~~volume~~year=~~1 \|issue=1~~1973 \|title=~~Six~~Golden ~~ecological factors that may limit African wild dogs~~Shadows, ~~''Lycaon~~Flying ~~pictus''~~Hooves \|~~year~~location=~~1998~~New York \|~~journal~~publisher=~~Animal~~Alfred ~~Conservation~~A. Knopf \|pages=~~1–9~~277 \|~~last1~~url=~~Creel~~ \|~~first1~~chapter=S. \|~~last2~~chapter-url=~~Marusha Creel~~ \|~~first2~~isbn=~~N. \|name~~978-~~list~~0-~~style=amp \|doi=10.1111/j.1469~~394-~~1795.1998.tb00220.x \|doi~~47243-~~access=free~~ 0}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="Hubel">{{cite journal \|last1=Hubel \|first1=Tatjana Y. \|last2=Myatt \|first2=Julia P. \|last3=Jordan \|first3=Neil R. \|last4=Dewhirst \|first4=Oliver P. \|last5=McNutt \|first5=J. Weldon \|last6=Wilson \|first6=Alan M. \|title=Additive opportunistic capture explains group hunting benefits in African wild dogs \|journal=Nature Communications \|date=April 2016 \|volume=7 \|issue=1 \|pages=11033 \|doi=10.1038/ncomms11033 \|pmid=27023355 \|pmc=4820541 \|bibcode=2016NatCo...711033H \|s2cid=7943459 }}</ref><ref name="Wilson">{{cite journal \|last1=Hubel \|first1=~~Tatjana~~T. Y. \|last2=Myatt \|first2=~~Julia~~J. P. \|last3=Jordan \|first3=~~Neil~~N. R. \|last4=Dewhirst \|first4=~~Oliver~~O. P. \|last5=McNutt \|first5=J. ~~Weldon~~W. \|last6=Wilson \|first6=~~Alan~~A. M. \|title=Energy cost and return for hunting in African wild dogs and cheetahs \|journal=Nature Communications \|date=2016 \|volume=7 \|issue=1 \|pages=11034 \|doi=10.1038/ncomms11034 \|pmid=27023457 \|pmc=4820543 \|bibcode=2016NatCo...711034H }}</ref> Small prey such as [[rodent]]s, [[hare]]s and birds are hunted singly, with dangerous prey such as [[cane rat]]s and [[Old World ~~porcupine\|~~porcupine]]s being killed with a quick and well-placed bite to avoid injury. Small prey is eaten entirely, while large animals are stripped of their meat and organs, leaving the skin, head, and skeleton intact.<ref name="kingdon1988" /><ref>{{cite journal \|author1=Woodroffe, R. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2= Lindsey, P. A. \|author3=Romañach, S. S. \|author4=Ranah, S. M. O. \|year=2007 \|title=African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') can subsist on small prey: implications for conservation \|journal=Journal of Mammalogy \|volume=88 \|issue=1 \|pages=181–193 \|doi=10.1644/05-mamm-a-405r1.1 \|doi-access=free}}</ref> The African wild dog is a fast eater, with a pack being able to consume a [[Thomson's gazelle]] in 15 minutes. In the wild, the species' consumption is {{cvt\|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.<ref name="chimimba2005" /> Unlike most social predators, African wild dogs will regurgitate food for other adults as well as young family members.<ref name="kingdon1988" /> Pups old enough to eat solid food are given first priority at kills, eating even before the dominant pair; subordinate adult dogs help feed and protect the pups.<ref>Nowak, R. M. (2005). ''Walker's Carnivores of the World''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press. p. 113. {{ISBN\|978-0-8018-8032-2}}.</ref> ~~=== Emotional behavior ===~~ When separated from the pack, an African wild dog becomes depressed and can die as a result of [[broken heart syndrome]].<ref name="Nature 2023">{{cite web \| title=Dogs in the Wild: Defending Wild Dogs ~ How Wild Dogs Recover from 'Broken Hearts' \| website=PBS Nature\| date=February 16, 2023 \| url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/how-wild-dogs-recover-broken-hearts/28517/ \| access-date=February 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Nature BHS">{{cite web \| title=Dogs in the Wild: Defending Wild Dogs \| website=PBS Nature \| date=January 31, 2023 \| url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/about-dogs-wild-defending-wild-dogs/28429/ \| access-date=February 23, 2023}}</ref> ~~== Ecology ==~~ ~~=== Habitat ===~~ The African wild dog is mostly found in [[savanna]] and [[Desert climate\|arid]] zones, generally avoiding forested areas.<ref name="estes1992"/> This preference is likely linked to the animal's hunting habits, which require open areas that do not obstruct vision or impede pursuit.<ref name="rosevear"/> Nevertheless, it will travel through [[scrubland\|scrub]], [[woodland]] and [[montane]] areas in pursuit of prey. Forest-dwelling populations of African wild dogs have been identified, including one in the [[Harenna Forest]], a wet montane forest up to {{cvt\|2400\|m}} in altitude in the [[Bale Mountains]] of [[Ethiopia]].<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Dutson \|first1=Guy \|last2=Sillero-Zuberi \|first2=Claudio \|date=2005 \|title=Forest-dwelling African wild dogs in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia \|journal=Canid News \|volume=8 \|issue=3 \|pages=1–6 \|url=http://www.canids.org/canidnews/8/African_wild_dogs_in_Ethiopia.pdf}}</ref> At least one record exists of a pack being sighted on the [[summit]] of [[Mount Kilimanjaro]].<ref name="estes1992"/> In Zimbabwe, the species has been recorded at altitudes of {{cvt\|1800\|m}}.<ref name="chimimba2005"/> In Ethiopia, this species has been found at great altitudes; several live wild dog packs have been sighted at altitudes of from 1,900 to 2,800 m, and a dead individual was found in June 1995 at {{cvt\|4050\|m}} on the [[Sanetti Plateau]].<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Malcolm\|first1=James R. \|last2=Sillero-Zubiri\|first2=C. \|year=2001 \|url=http://www.canids.org/canidnews/4/ethiopian_wild_dog.htm \|title=Recent records of African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') from Ethiopia\|journal=Canid News \|volume=4}}</ref> ~~=== Diet ===~~ ~~[[File:African wild dog3.jpg\|thumb\|''L. p. pictus'' pack consuming a [[blue wildebeest]] in [[Madikwe Game Reserve]], South Africa]]~~ A species-wide study showed that by preference, where available, five species were the most regularly selected prey, namely the [[greater kudu]], [[Thomson's gazelle]], [[impala]], [[Cape bushbuck]] and [[blue wildebeest]].<ref name= Pole/><ref>{{cite journal \| last1 = Hayward \| first1 = M. W. \| last2=O'Brien \| first2=J. \| last3=Hofmeyr \|first3=M. \|last4=Kerley \|first4=G. I. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=2006 \|title=Prey preferences of the African wild dog ''Lycaon pictus'' (Canidae: Carnivora): ecological requirements for conservation \|journal=Journal of Mammalogy \|volume=87 \|issue=6 \|pages=1122–1131 \|doi=10.1644/05-mamm-a-304r2.1 \|doi-access=free}}</ref> More specifically, in East Africa, its most common prey is Thomson's gazelle, while in Central and Southern Africa, it targets [[impala]], [[reedbuck]], [[kob]], [[lechwe]] and [[springbok]].<ref name="estes1992"/> and smaller prey such as [[common duiker]], [[dik-dik]], [[hare]]s, [[spring hare]]s, insects and cane rats.<ref name="kingdon1988"/><ref>{{cite web\|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lycaon_pictus\|title=Painted Wolf}}</ref> Staple prey sizes are usually between {{cvt\|15\|and\|200\|kg}}, though some local studies put upper prey sizes as variously {{cvt\|90\|to\|135\|kg}}. In the case of larger species such as kudu and wildebeest, calves are largely but not exclusively targeted.<ref name= Pole/><ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Kruger \|first1=S. C. \|last2=Lawes \| first2=M. J. \|last3=Maddock \|first3=A. H. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=1999 \|title=Diet choice and capture success of wild dog (''Lycaon pictus'') in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa \|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-zoology/article/abs/diet-choice-and-capture-success-of-wild-dog-lycaon-pictus-in-hluhluweumfolozi-park-south-africa/0CCA86EFC319C12345BCD419C0692392 \|journal=Journal of Zoology \|volume=248 \|issue=4 \|pages=543–551 \|doi=10.1017/s0952836999008146}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal \| last1=Ramnanan \|first1=R. \|last2=Swanepoel \| first2 = L. H. \| last3 = Somers \| first3=M. J. \|name-list-style=amp \|year=2013 \|title=The diet and presence of African wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') on private land in the Waterberg region, South Africa \|url=https://journals.co.za/content/wild/43/1/EJC137242?crawler=true&mimeType=application%2Fpdf \|journal=African Journal of Wildlife Research \|volume=43 \|issue=1 \|pages=68–74 \|doi=10.3957/056.043.0113 \|hdl=2263/37231 \|s2cid=54975768 \|hdl-access=free}}</ref> However, certain packs in the [[Serengeti]] specialized in hunting adult [[plains zebra]]s weighing up to {{cvt\|240\|kg}} quite frequently.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Malcolm \|first1=J. R. \|last2=Van Lawick \|first2=H. \|name-list-style=amp \|date=1975 \|title=Notes on wild dogs (''Lycaon pictus'') hunting zebras \|journal=Mammalia \|doi=10.1515/mamm.1975.39.2.231 \|volume=39 \|issue=2 \|pages=231–240\|s2cid=83740058 }}</ref> Another study claimed that some prey taken by wild dogs could weigh up to {{cvt\|289\|kg}}.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Clements \|first1= H. S. \|last2=Tambling \|first2=C. J. \|name-list-style=amp \|last3=Hayward \|first3=M. W. \| last4=Kerley \|first4=G. I. \|year=2014 \|title=An objective approach to determining the weight ranges of prey preferred by and accessible to the five large African carnivores \|journal=PLOS ONE \|volume=9 \|issue=7 \|page=e101054 \|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0101054 \|pmid=24988433 \|pmc=4079238 \| bibcode= 2014PLoSO...9j1054C \|doi-access=free}}</ref> One pack was recorded to occasionally prey on [[bat-eared fox]]es, 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 [[Animal trapping#Snares\|snare]]s.<ref name="chimimba2005"/> === Enemies and competitors === [[File:Sabi Sand Wild Safari Live Feb 29 2016 sunrise - Spotted hyena vs wild dogs.png\|thumb\|~~African wild dog pack~~Pack confronting a spotted hyena in [[Sabi Sand Game Reserve]]]] [[Lion]]s dominate African wild dogs and are a major source of mortality for both adults and pups.<ref name="woodroffe2">{{cite book \|author1=Woodroffe, R. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Ginsberg, J. R. \|year=1997 \|chapter=Past and Future Causes of Wild Dogs' Population Decline \|pages=58–73 \|title=Status Survey and Conservation Plan: The African Wild Dog \|editor1=Woodroffe, R. \|editor2=Ginsberg, J. \|editor3=MacDonald, D. \|publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group \|location=Gland }}</ref> Population densities ofare ~~African wild dogs are~~usually low in areas where lions are more abundant.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Woodroffe \|first1=R. \|last2=Ginsberg \|first2=J. R. \|date=1999 \|title=Conserving the African wild dog ''Lycaon pictus''. I. Diagnosing and treating causes of decline \|journal=Oryx \|doi=10.1046/j.1365-3008.1999.00052.x \|volume=33 \|issue=2 \|pages=132–142\|doi-access=free }}</ref> One pack reintroduced into [[Etosha National Park]] was ~~destroyed~~wiped out by lions. A population crash in lions in the [[Ngorongoro Conservation Area~~\|Ngorongoro Crater~~]] during the 1960s resulted in an increase in African wild dog sightings, only for their numbers to decline once the lions recovered.<ref name="woodroffe2"/> 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 ~~larger species~~lions' dominance.<ref>{{cite journal \|author1=Creel, S. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Creel, N. M. \|year=1996 \|title= Limitation of African wild dogs by competition with larger carnivores \|journal=Conservation Biology \|volume=10 \|issue=2 \|pages=526–538 \|doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.1996.10020526.x\|bibcode=1996ConBi..10..526C }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal \|author1=Creel, S. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Creel, N. M. \|year=1998 \|title=Six ecological factors that may limit African wild dogs, ''Lycaon pictus'' \|journal=Animal Conservation \|volume=1 \|issue=1 \|pages=1–9 \|doi=10.1111/j.1469-1795.1998.tb00220.x \|doi-access=free\|bibcode=1998AnCon...1....1C }}</ref> However, a few cases have been reported of old and wounded lions falling prey to African wild dogs.<ref name=Pienaar1969>{{cite journal \|last1=Pienaar \|first1=U. de V. \|date=1969 \|title=Predator-prey relationships amongst the larger mammals of the Kruger National Park \|journal=Koedoe \|doi=10.4102/koedoe.v12i1.753 \|volume=12 \|issue=1 \|pages=108–176\|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="schaller1972">Schaller, G. B. (1972). ''The Serengeti lion: A study of predator-prey relations''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 188. {{ISBN\|978-0-226-73639-6}}.</ref> On occasion, packs of wild dogs have been observed defending pack members attacked by single lions, sometimes successfully. One pack in the Okavango in March 2016 was photographed by safari guides 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.<ref>{{cite book \|author1=McNutt, J. \|author2=Boggs, L. P. \|name-list-style=amp \|title=Running Wild: Dispelling the Myths of the African Wild Dog \|location=Washington, D.C. \|publisher=Smithsonian Books \|year=1997}}</ref> African wild dogs commonly lose their kills to larger predators.<ref>{{cite journal \|volume=1 \|issue=1 \|title=Six ecological factors that may limit African wild dogs, ''Lycaon pictus'' \|year=1998 \|journal=Animal Conservation \|pages=1–9 \|last1=Creel \|first1=S. \|last2=Creel, M. \|first2=N. \|name-list-style=amp \|doi=10.1111/j.1469-1795.1998.tb00220.x \|doi-access=free\|bibcode=1998AnCon...1....1C }}</ref> [[Spotted hyena]]s are important [[Kleptoparasitism\|kleptoparasites]]<ref name="woodroffe2"/> and follow packs of African wild dogs to appropriate their kills. They typically inspect areas where ~~African~~ wild dogs have rested and eat any food remains they find. When approaching ~~African~~ wild dogs at a kill, solitary hyenas approach cautiously and attempt to take off with a piece of meat unnoticed, though they may be mobbed in the attempt. When operating in groups, spotted hyenas are more successful in pirating African wild dog kills, though the latter's greater tendency to assist each other puts them at an advantage against spotted hyenas, which rarely work cooperatively. 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,<ref name="kruuk1972">{{cite book \|author=Kruuk, H. \|year=1972 \|title=The Spotted Hyena: A Study of Predation and Social Behaviour \|publisher=University of California Press \|pages=139–141 \|isbn=978-0-226-45508-2}}</ref> with African wild dog densities being negatively correlated with high hyena populations.<ref name="creel2">{{cite book \|last1=Creel \|first1=S. \|last2=Creel \|first2=N. M. \|name-list-style=amp \|date=2002 \|title=The African Wild Dog: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|isbn=978-0-691-01654-2 \|pages=253–254}}</ref> Beyond piracy, cases of interspecific killing of African wild dogs by spotted hyenas are documented.<ref>{{cite journal \|author1=Palomares, F., &\|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Caro, T. M. (\|year=1999). ''\|title=Interspecific killing among mammalian carnivores~~''.~~ \|journal=The American Naturalist, \|volume=153( \|issue=5), \|pages=492–508 \|doi=10.1086/303189 \|pmid=29578790 \|hdl=10261/51387 \|s2cid=4343007 \|url=\|hdl-access=free }}</ref> African wild dogs are [[apex predator]]s, ~~normally~~ only fatally losing contests to larger social carnivores~~, although anecdotally [[Nile crocodile]]s may opportunistically and rarely prey upon a wild dog~~.<ref~~>Grenard,~~ ~~S. (1991). ''Handbook of alligators and crocodiles''. Malabar, FL~~name=":1" ~~Krieger.<~~/~~ref~~> When briefly unprotected, wild dog pups may occasionally be vulnerable to large [[eagle]]s, such as the [[martial eagle]], when they venture out of their dens.<ref>Jackman, B., & Scott, J. (2012). ''The marsh lions: the story of an African pride''. Bradt Travel Guides.</ref> ~~== Distribution ==~~ African wild dogs once ranged across much of [[sub-Saharan Africa]], being absent only in the driest desert regions and lowland forests. The species has been largely exterminated in North and West Africa, and has been greatly reduced in number in Central Africa and northeast Africa. The [[majority]] of the species' population now occurs in Southern Africa and southern East Africa; more specifically in countries such as [[Botswana]], [[Namibia]], and [[Zimbabwe]]. However, it is hard to track where they are and how many there are because of the loss of habitat.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.africanwilddogssp.com/about/facts.htm\|title= African Wild Dog\|website=africanwilddogssp.com\|access-date=10 March 2019}}</ref><ref name=iucn/> ~~=== North Africa ===~~ The species is very rare in North Africa, and whatever populations remain may be of high conservation value, as they are likely to be genetically distinct from other ''L. pictus'' populations.<ref name="fanshawe">Fanshawe, J. H., Ginsberg, J. R., Sillero-Zubiri, C. & Woodroffe, R., eds. (1997). The Status & Distribution of Remaining Wild Dog Populations. In Rosie Woodroffe, Joshua Ginsberg & David MacDonald, eds., ''Status Survey and Conservation Plan: The African Wild Dog'': 11–56. IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group.</ref> ~~{\| class="wikitable collapsed"~~ \|- ~~! Country~~ ~~! Status~~ ~~! Distribution~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Algeria}}~~ ~~\|Although historically present, ''L. pictus'' is probably locally extinct, though it may exist as a relict population in the south.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|As of 1997, the only recent reports come from the [[Teffedest Mountains]]. The species once occurred in the Mouydir Arah Mountains, but has disappeared, likely due to trapping and poisoning by [[Tuareg people\|Tuareg tribesmen]]. The last sighting in the [[Hoggar Mountains\|Ahaggar]] National Park was in 1989.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Mauritania}}~~ ~~\|Probably not present.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|In 1992 hunters in the coastal area of [[Western Sahara]] described a wild dog that hunts in packs, although the identity of this animal is unconfirmed. They had seen one 30 years earlier.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|} ~~=== West Africa ===~~ The species is faring poorly in most of West Africa, with the only potentially viable population occurring in Senegal's [[Niokolo-Koba National Park]]. African wild dogs are occasionally sighted in other parts of Senegal, Guinea and Mali.<ref name="fanshawe"/> ~~{\| class="wikitable collapsed"~~ \|- ~~! Country~~ ~~! Status~~ ~~! Distribution~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Benin}}~~ ~~\|''L. pictus'' is most likely locally extinct, with a survey taken in 1990 indicating that locals thought that the species' continued survival in the country extremely unlikely.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|[[African Wildlife Foundation#Parc W\|Parc W]] might hold the country's remaining ''L. pictus'' populations, though they were considered either declining or locally extinct in 1988. It may occur in declining numbers in [[Pendjari National Park]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Burkina Faso}}~~ ~~\|''L. pictus'' is likely locally extinct, and widespread poverty prevents effective wildlife protection, despite the species' protected legal status.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|The last sightings of the animal occurred in 1985 in the [[Nazinga Game Ranch]]. It might still occur in the [[Arli National Park]] and the [[Comoé Province]], but in low numbers.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Gambia}}~~ ~~\|The most recent sighting occurred in 1995, on the northern border with Senegal.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|A small population may occur on the border area with Senegal.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Ghana}}~~ ~~\|Although ''L. pictus'' is legally protected, it is probably locally extinct, as poaching is rampant and traditional attitudes toward predators are hostile.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|Although no recent sightings have been made, the species may still occur in [[Bui National Park\|Bui]] and [[Digya National Park]]s. Hunters have reported the presence of ''L. pictus'' in the [[Kyabobo National Park]], though the species is probably rare there.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Guinea}}~~ ~~\|Although protected, the outlook for ''L. pictus'' in Guinea is poor.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|The species may occur in Badiar National Park, as the park is adjacent to Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, where ''L. pictus'' does occur. The most recent reports of the species include a sighting in 1991 along the [[Sankarani River]] and the deaths of three cows in 1996 in the Ndama Fôret Clasée.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Ivory Coast}}~~ ~~\|Very few sightings have been made and the majority of the public has not heard of the species. Furthermore, its legal status is 'noxious'.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|The species may still occur in [[Comoé National Park]] (where it was last sighted in the late 1980s) and [[Marahoué National Park]] (where the last sightings occurred during the 1970s).<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Liberia}}~~ ~~\|Liberian folklore makes no mention of ''L. pictus'', thus indicating that the species has probably never been common in the area.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|The species may have once inhabited the north, but it is almost certainly rare there now.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Mali}}~~ \|Although once widespread, ''L. pictus'' is now extremely rare in Mali. Although sighted in the Forêt Classée de la Faya in 1959, the species was notably absent during a ground survey in the 1980s.<ref name="fanshawe"/> ~~\|The species may still occur in the south and west of the country in the border regions with Senegal and Guinea.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Niger}}~~ \|The species is almost certainly locally extinct, having been the subject of an extermination campaign during the 1960s. Although legally protected, ''L. pictus'' specimens were still shot by game guards as recently as 1979. Even if still present, the species' chances of survival are still low, due to regular droughts and loss of natural prey.<ref name="fanshawe"/> ~~\|''L. pictus'' may still be present in low numbers in Parc W, in the extreme north and the [[Sirba River\|Sirba]] region.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Nigeria}}~~ \|Although legally protected, no resident ''L. pictus'' populations are in Nigeria, though vagrants from neighbouring countries occasionally appear. Factors inhibiting the species' recovery include a lack of effective protection and the drastic reduction of its prey.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|''L. pictus'' may still persist in low numbers in [[Gashaka Gumti National Park]], which is fairly close to Cameroon's Faro National Park, where the species still occurs, though no sightings were made in 1982–1986. ''L. pictus'' is occasionally reported in [[Chad Basin National Park#Chingurmi-Duguma sector\|Chingurmi-Duguma National Park]], with the most recent sighting having occurred in 1995. It is likely locally extinct in [[Kainji National Park]] and [[Borgu Game Reserve]], as poaching is intense and the species has not been sighted since the 1980s. It is also extinct in [[Yankari National Park]], with the last sighting having taken place in 1978. One confirmed sighting of a lone individual occurred in 1991 in the Lame Burra Game Reserve.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Senegal}}~~ \|Although only partially protected, ''L. pictus'' has increased in number since the 1990s in and around Niokolo-Koba National Park, thus making Senegal the best hope for the species in West Africa.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|''L. pictus'' is present in increasing numbers in and around Niokolo-Koba National Park. The population in the park was estimated to number 50–100 specimens in 1997. This population is monitored and studied by the IUCN's Canid Specialist Group, in conjunction with Senegal's Licaone Fund. Elsewhere, ''L. pictus'' is rare or extinct.<ref name="fanshawe"/> From 2011 to 2013, conservationists documented the continuing existence of wild dogs in Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal with photos and tracks of wild dogs.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/africanwildlifeconservationnews/posts/252444234941676 African Wildlife Conservation News - Timeline]. Facebook. Retrieved 2016-11-05.</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Sierra Leone}}~~ ~~\|The species is almost certainly extinct in Sierra Leone.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|''L. pictus'' may have once been present in the northern savannah-woodland areas, as natives there have names for the species, and some unconfirmed sightings were made in the 1980s. A small population may inhabit [[Outamba-Kilimi National Park]], though only one unconfirmed sighting has been recorded.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Togo}}~~ ~~\|Despite receiving partial protection, ''L. pictus'' is probably extinct, and the country is severely lacking in prey species.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|It may occur in [[Fazao Mafakassa National Park]], though in very low numbers. Rumours exist of some small ''L. pictus'' packs taking refuge in caves on the mountain-sides of Mazala, Kpeya, and Kbidi.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|} ~~=== Central Africa ===~~ The species is doing poorly in Central Africa, being extinct in Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo. The only viable populations occur in the Central African Republic, Chad and especially Cameroon.<ref name="fanshawe"/> ~~{\| class="wikitable collapsed"~~ \|- ~~! Country~~ ~~! Status~~ ~~! Distribution~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Cameroon}}~~ \|The status of the African wild dog in Cameroon is uncertain, though three packs occur in the north of the country, thus making it the only possible refuge for the species in Central Africa, along with those present in CAR and southern Chad. Historically, most conservation efforts were directed to rainforest reserves, where the African wild dog does not occur, though efforts in the 1990s sought to redress this. Nevertheless, attitudes towards the species remain negative, with 25 specimens having been killed by professional hunters in northern Cameroon in 1991–1992, with a government quota of 65 specimens during the December 1995 – May 1996 hunting season.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species is still regularly sighted in and around [[Faro National Park]], where four packs were recorded in 1997. It is present in smaller numbers in [[Bénoué National Park]], with several sightings having occurred in 1989 in the area between the two parks. The African wild dog was sighted several times in and around [[Bouba Njida National Park]] in 1993.<ref name="fanshawe"/> A recent 2012 study in the [[Benoue Complex]] in northern Cameroon did not find any wild dogs present.<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Croes\|first1=B. \|last2=Rasmussen \|first2=G. \|last3=Buij \|first3=R. \|last4=de Longh\|first4=H. \|year=2012\|title=Status of the African wild dog in the Bénoué Complex, North Cameroon \|journal=Canid News \|volume=15 \|url=http://www.canids.org/canidnews/15/African_wild_dogs_in_Cameroon.pdf}}</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Central African Republic}}~~ ~~\|Although afforded total legal protection, CAR's African wild dog population has an uncertain future, though it is not far from the larger Cameroonian population.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|It is rare in [[Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park]], with sightings having been reported as recently as 1992. It was once reportedly common in the [[Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and Biosphere Reserve]] during the 1980s, though there were only two sightings in 1988–1990.<ref name="fanshawe"/> African wild dogs have been documented in the south of the CAR in the [[Chinko River\|Chinko]]-[[Mbari River\|Mbari]] drainage basin in 2013.<ref>{{cite journal \|author1=Hickisch, R. \|name-list-style=amp \|author2=Aebischer, T. \|year=2013 \|title=Evidence of African wild dogs in the Central African Republic \|journal=Canid Biology and Conservation \|volume=16 \|issue=3 \|pages=8–11 \|url=http://www.canids.org/CBC/16/wild_dogs_in_CAR.pdf}}</ref> Between 2012 and 2017, wild dog populations in the CAR declined due to direct killing by pastoralists.<ref>{{cite journal\|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108326\|title=Apex predators decline after an influx of pastoralists in former Central African Republic hunting zones\|year=2020\|last1=Aebischer\|first1=Thierry\|last2=Ibrahim\|first2=Tidjani\|last3=Hickisch\|first3=Raffael\|last4=Furrer\|first4=Roman D.\|last5=Leuenberger\|first5=Christoph\|last6=Wegmann\|first6=Daniel\|journal=Biological Conservation\|volume=241\|page=108326\|s2cid=213766740\|url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/328409/files/weg_apd.pdf}}</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Chad}}~~ \|No other recent reports have been given of the African wild dog in Chad, and their legal status is unknown. The southern part of the country may form an important link between African wild dog populations in Cameroon and CAR.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species was already considered rare in the [[Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve]] during the 1980s and has not been sighted since. It is considered extinct in the [[Bahr Salamat Faunal Reserve]]. No recent records have placed the species in [[Manda National Park]] and the [[Siniaka-Minia Faunal Reserve]], though they once occurred in reasonable numbers during the 1980s.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Republic of the Congo}}~~ ~~\|Although afforded total legal protection, the African wild dog has not been sighted in the Republic of Congo since the 1970s.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|The species may have once inhabited [[Odzala National Park]], though it occurred largely in unprotected areas, where it preyed on livestock and was subsequently exterminated by local pastoralists.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}~~ ~~\|Although the DRC once held a healthy African wild dog population, it has probably been extirpated in the late 1990s.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|The most recent sighting occurred in 1986 in [[Upemba National Park]].<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Equatorial Guinea}}~~ ~~\|The species is extinct in Equatorial Guinea.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|No records exist of the species on the island of [[Bioko]] and [[Río Muni]].<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Gabon}}~~ ~~\| The African wild dog is probably extirpated.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|The species was apparently once present in the [[Petit Loango]] National Park, but has not been sighted in years.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|} ~~=== East Africa ===~~ The African wild dog's range in East Africa is patchy, having been eradicated in Uganda and much of Kenya. A small population occupies an area encompassing southern Ethiopia, South Sudan, northern Kenya and probably northern Uganda. The species may still occur in small numbers in southern Somalia and it is almost certainly extinct in Rwanda, Burundi and Eritrea. Nevertheless, it remains somewhat numerous in southern Tanzania, particularly in the [[Selous Game Reserve]] and Mikumi National Park, both of which are occupied by what could be Africa's largest African wild dog population.<ref name="fanshawe"/> ~~{\| class="wikitable collapsed"~~ \|- ~~! Country~~ ~~! Status~~ ~~! Distribution~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Burundi}}~~ ~~\|Declared extinct in 1976.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|No reports have been made in the large protected areas of [[Kibira National Park\|Kibira]] and [[Ruvubu National Park]]s and the remaining areas are too small to support the species.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Djibouti}}~~ ~~\|No data.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|The only protected area, [[Day Forest National Park]], is unlikely to support the species.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Eritrea}}~~ ~~\|Probably extinct.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|Reports from the early 1900s indicate that the species once occurred in some remote areas, including the future [[Yob Wildlife Reserve]], but with no recent reports.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Ethiopia}}~~ \|The African wild dog is rare in Ethiopia, despite total legal protection and the government's efforts at strengthening its network of protected areas. The species has been extirpated in three national parks, though it still occurs in the south of the country.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species was once occasionally recorded in and around [[Gambela National Park]], though the last sighting occurred in 1987. It is frequently sighted in the [[Omo National Park\|Omo]] and [[Mago National Park]]s, with the most recent sighting in the former having occurred in 1995. Between 1992 and 1993, an estimated one or two packs were in Omo and up to five were in Mago. It occasionally occurs in [[Bale Mountains National Park]], though it is hampered by rabies and persecution by shepherds. Sporadic sightings have also occurred in the [[Awash National Park\|Awash]] and [[Nechisar National Park]]s. Three specimens were sighted in the [[Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary]] in 1996. Outside protected areas, the species has been reported in [[Jijiga Zone\|Jijiga]] and [[Filtu (woreda)\|Filtu]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Kenya}}~~ \|Although widespread, the African wild dog receives only partial legal protection and primarily occurs in unprotected areas, with no high population densities. African wild dog numbers have declined and it has become locally extinct in many areas, with only 15 packs occurring throughout the entire country as of 1997. Local attitudes towards it are poor and it is frequently shot in livestock areas.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|It is occasionally sighted in the southern part of the [[Lake Turkana National Parks]] and the surrounding [[Turkana County]]. Vagrant individuals are sometimes sighted at the border with Sudan, in the northeast, around [[Mandera]], [[Wajir County]], and [[Marsabit National Park]]. It is rarely encountered in the [[Samburu National Reserve]] and has been absent from the [[Buffalo Springs National Reserve]] since the mid-1980s. It was observed twice in 1982–1983 in the [[Kora National Reserve]]. It is now absent from [[Mount Kenya]], though it was reportedly common in the 1950s. It is probably extinct in [[Lake Nakuru]] National Park and a fence erected around the park to protect rhinos prevents the species from recolonising the area. It was twice sighted outside [[Nairobi National Park]], though it is regularly shot and snared there. The species disappeared from the [[Maasai Mara]] in 1991 after a disease outbreak. It may still be present in the [[Rift Valley Province]] and [[Tsavo East National Park\|Tsavo East]] and [[Tsavo West National Park]]s. It is still present in small numbers in the [[Lamu District]], but is declining in the [[Dodori National Reserve]] and may be absent in the [[Tana River Primate Reserve]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> A few packs were present in [[Laikipia]] until 2017 when widespread illegal encroachment by cattle herders led to the animals being shot, or affected by disease introduced by domestic dogs. It is now thought to be absent from the region, except for perhaps a few individuals.<ref>{{Cite web \| url=https://m.phys.org/news/2017-09-wildlife-price-kenya-illegal-grazing.html \|title = Wildlife pays the price of Kenya's illegal grazing}}</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Rwanda}}~~ \|Although legally protected, the African wild dog is extinct in Rwanda, likely due to a disease outbreak. Modern Rwanda's overly high human population makes the country unsuitable for future recolonisation and a reintroduction project in 1989 was thwarted by the onset of the [[Rwandan Civil War]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species once occurred in high numbers in [[Akagera National Park]], to the point of it being known as ''Le Parc aux Lycaons''. A disease outbreak wiped out this population in 1983–1984.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Somalia}}~~ \|The ongoing [[Somali Civil War]] has made the outlook of the African wild dog very poor in the country, with deforestation, poaching, drought and overgrazing preventing the species from recovering, despite it being legally protected.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|Recent sightings of the African wild dog have occurred in 2015 and 2016 in Istanbuul-Kudaayo and Manaranni-Odow, and during the rainy season in Hola, Wajir, Yamani, and Manarani.<ref>{{cite report \|author1=Gedow, A.O. \|author2=De Leeuw, J. \|author3=Koech, G. \|year=2017 \|title=Assessment of the biodiversity in terrestrial and marine landscapes of the proposed Lag Badana National Park and surrounding areas, Jubaland, Somalia ICRAF Working Paper No 251 \|place=Nairobi \|publisher=World Agroforestry Centre \|doi=10.5716/WP16174.PDF \|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318529848}}</ref> The species may still be present in the north, though the last sighting occurred in 1982. It was once common in the [[Buloburde District]] before the late 1970s. A probably declining population may occur near the [[Jubba River]]. One pack was sighted in 1994 in [[Lag Badana National Park]], which may be the best stronghold for the species in Somalia.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Sudan}}~~ ~~\|As with all large carnivores, the African wild dog populations fell dramatically during the [[Second Sudanese Civil War]], though sightings have occurred in South Sudan.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|The species once occurred in the [[Sudd]], though updates are lacking, and it is not afforded any legal protection in the area. It may be present in the Bangagai Game Reserve. A pack was sighted in 1995 in [[Dinder National Park]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|South Sudan}}~~ \|In April 2020, African wild dogs were photographed in [[South Sudan]]'s [[Southern National Park]] by camera traps.<ref>{{cite news \|author=Knight, T. \|date=2020 \|title=Hope for the painted hunter – Endangered wild dogs snapped in South Sudan \|website=Fauna and Flora International \|url=https://www.fauna-flora.org/news/hope-painted-hunter-endangered-wild-dogs-snapped-south-sudan}}</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Tanzania}}~~ \|Prospects in Tanzania are good for the African wild dog, as the government imposed a [[Moratorium (law)\|moratorium]] on all hunting of the species, and it receives full legal protection. Although rare in the north, the south offers ideal habitat, as large [[tsetse fly]] populations prevent widespread human colonisation. The [[Selous Game Reserve]] and probably [[Ruaha National Park]] represent the best strongholds for the species in all of Africa.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species is common in the Selous Game Reserve, where about 880 adult specimens were estimated in 1997. It is also present in neighbouring [[Mikumi National Park]] and has been sighted in other nearby areas. The African wild dog may no longer occur in [[Serengeti National Park]], with only 34 individuals being counted in late 1990. It is occasionally seen in the [[Kilimanjaro National Park\|Kilimanjaro]] and [[Arusha National Park]]s.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Uganda}}~~ \|It is unlikely that Uganda has a resident African wild dog population, as the species was heavily persecuted after a 1955 directive to shoot it on sight. Vagrant specimens occasionally enter the country via Tanzania and South Sudan.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|A survey taken in 1982–1992 showed that the species was likely extirpated in Uganda, though sightings in some scattered areas may indicate that the African wild dog is recolonising the country. Single individuals and small packs were sighted in [[Murchison Falls National Park]] and were seen several times in the Northern [[Karamoja]] Controlled Hunting Area in 1994.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|} ~~=== Southern Africa ===~~ Southern Africa contains numerous viable African wild dog populations, one of which encompasses northern Botswana, northeastern Namibia and western Zimbabwe. In South Africa, around 400 specimens occur in the country's Kruger National Park. Zambia holds two large populations, one in Kafue National Park and another in the Luangwa Valley. However, the species is rare in Malawi and probably extinct in Mozambique.<ref name="fanshawe"/> ~~{\| class="wikitable collapsed"~~ \|- ~~! Country~~ ~~! Status~~ ~~! Distribution~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Angola}}~~ ~~\|Although the African wild dog is legally protected, the [[Angolan Civil War]] prevented the collection of data and there have been only a few reports of the species since 1990.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|The species was once found throughout Angola's protected areas, though it went into decline during the mid-1970s. It may still occur in the [[Cuando Cubango Province]], where vagrants may arrive from Zambia and Namibia, though the population is probably unviable.<ref name="fanshawe"/> In 2020, researchers found unequivocal evidence that wild dogs are resident and reproducing in [[Bicuar National Park]] and are present (but possibly only transient) in western [[Cuando Cubango]] province.<ref>{{cite journal\|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/updated-ranges-of-the-vulnerable-cheetah-and-endangered-african-wild-dog-in-angola/883F0754C40F9875A589A684DBA3E2F7\|title= Updated ranges of the Vulnerable cheetah and Endangered African wild dog in Angola\|date=February 12, 2020\|doi= 10.1017/S0030605319000966\|access-date=June 12, 2021\|last1= Monterroso\|first1= Pedro\|last2= Rocha\|first2= Filipe\|last3= Van Wyk\|first3= Stefan\|last4= António\|first4= Telmo\|last5= Chicomo\|first5= Milcíades\|last6= Kosmas\|first6= Selma\|last7= Lages\|first7= Fernanda\|last8= Fabiano\|first8= Ezequiel\|last9= Godinho\|first9= Raquel\|journal= Oryx\|volume= 54\|issue= 6\|pages= 851–853\|s2cid= 212779188}}</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Botswana}}~~ \|The species' prospects in Botswana are hopeful, with the north of the country probably holding the largest African wild dog populations in Africa. Nevertheless, it receives only partial protection and farmers are permitted to shoot it in defense of livestock.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species' most important stronghold in Botswana is [[North-West District (Botswana)\|Ngamiland]], which includes the [[Okavango Delta]], the [[Moremi Game Reserve]] and [[Chobe National Park]]. In 1997, at least 42 packs containing 450–500 individuals were estimated in the area. ''L. pictus'' is scarce elsewhere.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Malawi}}~~ \|Although rare, the African wild dog is legally protected and may only be taken by government hunters and private citizens with ministerial permits. By the 1990s, it was regularly sighted in [[Kasungu National Park]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species was regularly reported in Kasungu National Park in the 1990s, where there were 18 sightings in 1991 alone. It occurs in low numbers in [[Nyika National Park]] and the [[Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Mozambique}}~~ \|The outlook of the African wild dog in Mozambique is poor. The species underwent a rapid reduction in numbers after the [[Mozambican War of Independence]] in 1975, reaching the verge of extinction by 1986. Nevertheless, it regularly enters the country via Kruger National Park in neighbouring South Africa.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The African wild dog was once widely distributed in the remote and protected areas of the country, though it was declared extinct in western [[Manica Province\|Manica]], endangered in [[Tete Province\|Tete]] and [[Zambezia Province\|Zambezi]] and extinct in [[Nampula Province\|Nampula]]. The species still occurred in the [[Ruvuma Region\|Rovuma]] and [[Lugenda River]] regions in 1986 and a pack with pups was sighted in [[Cahora Bassa]] in 1996.<ref name="fanshawe"/> In 2018, 14 individuals from South Africa were reintroduced to [[Gorongosa National Park]].<ref>{{Cite news\|title=Painted Wolves\|url=https://gorongosa.org/painted-wolves/\|publisher=Gorongosa\|access-date= 26 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news\|title=Wild Pups Romp Again in an African Paradise\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/03/science/african-dogs-pups-gorongosa.html\|work=The New York Times\|date=3 August 2019 \|access-date= 26 November 2021\|last1=Angier \|first1=Natalie }}</ref> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Namibia}}~~ ~~\|Although heavily persecuted by farmers throughout the country, the species has full legal protection and is doing well in the northeastern part of the country.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|The species is restricted to the northeast, being extinct elsewhere. The northeastern population is probably connected to that in northern Botswana.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|South Africa}}~~ \|South Africa's ''L. pictus'' population is listed as 'specially protected' in the South African Red Data Book and it has a stronghold in [[Kruger National Park]], which held 350–400 specimens in the mid-1990s. There have been several attempts to reintroduce the species elsewhere, though only two of these attempts proved successful, and the resulting populations were not large enough to be viable.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species occurs in three regions: the [[Northern Cape]], Kruger National Park and [[KwaZulu-Natal]]. The Kruger population numbers at around 375–450 specimens, though they face pressure from lions and spotted hyenas, and are sometimes shot or snared outside the park boundaries. Six specimens were released into the [[Madikwe Game Reserve]] during the 1990s, though the reserve is too small to sustain a large population. In KwaZulu-Natal, the species is present in [[Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park]], where it was reintroduced during the early 1980s. This population has fluctuated since the reintroduction and local attitudes towards it vary from hostile to favourable.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Eswatini}}~~ ~~\|There appears to be no resident population in the country.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ ~~\|The African wild dog has only been sighted once, when a pack was observed to kill a [[blesbok]] in December 1992, staying in the area for two weeks before disappearing.<ref name="fanshawe"/>~~ \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Zambia}}~~ \|Although once extensively persecuted, the species has total legal protection in Zambia and can only be hunted after purchasing a costly licence from the Minister of Tourism. ''L. pictus'' remains widespread and occurs in most protected areas, which are large and hold suitable habitat and prey. Nevertheless, populations have declined since 1990.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The species was present in declining numbers in [[Lusenga Plain National Park]] in 1988 and have not been reported there since. Sightings have occurred in [[Sumbu National Park]], where the species is likely declining due to disease. Small numbers were recorded in [[North Luangwa National Park]] in 1994 and are occasionally seen in the adjoining Musalangu and Lumimba Game Management Areas. It is often sighted in [[South Luangwa National Park]], where it was previously declining due to an [[anthrax]] outbreak. Occasional sightings also occur in the Lupande Game Management Area, [[Luambe National Park]], [[Lukusuzi National Park]] and the [[Lower Zambezi National Park]].<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|- ~~\|{{flag\|Zimbabwe}}~~ \|Zimbabwe holds viable African wild dog populations, which were estimated to consist of 310–430 individuals in 1985. The population increased during the 1990s, with a survey taken in 1990–1992 having estimated the population to be made up of 400–600 animals. The species is legally protected and can only be hunted with a permit, which has only been given once between 1986 and 1992.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|The bulk of the African wild dog population in Zimbabwe lives in and around [[Hwange National Park]], including [[Victoria Falls National Park]], [[Matetsi]] and Deka Safari Areas and [[Kazuma Pan National Park]]. Collectively, these areas contain an estimated 35 packs made up of 250–300 individuals.<ref name="fanshawe"/> \|} == Threats ~~and conservancy~~ == The African wild dog is primarily threatened by [[habitat fragmentation]], which results infrom [[human–wildlife conflict]], transmission of [[infectious disease]]s and high mortality rates; it has been exterminated in large parts of North and West Africa, and its population has greatly reduced in Central Africa, [[Uganda]] and much of [[Kenya]].<ref name=iucn /> Surveys in the Central African Republic's [[Chinko]] area revealed that the African wild dog population decreased from 160 individuals in 2012 to 26 individuals in 2017. At the same time, [[transhumant]] [[Pastoralism\|pastoralist]]s from the border area with Sudan moved in the area with their livestock. Rangers confiscated large amounts of [[poison]] and found multiple [[lion]] [[cadaver]]s in the camps of livestock herders. They were accompanied by armed merchants who also engage in [[poaching]] large herbivores, sale of [[bushmeat]] and trading lion skins.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal \|author1=Äbischer, T. \|author2=Ibrahim, T. \|author3=Hickisch, R. \|author4=Furrer, R. D. \|name-list-style=amp \|author5=Leuenberger, C. \|author6=Wegmann, D. \|year=2020 \|title=Apex predators decline after an influx of pastoralists in former Central African Republic hunting zones \|journal=Biological Conservation \|volume=241 \|page=108326 \|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108326 \|bibcode=2020BCons.24108326A \|s2cid=213766740 \|url=https://doc.rero.ch/record/328409/files/weg_apd.pdf}}</ref> ==Conservation == The African Wild Dog Conservancy, a [[non-profit]], [[501(c)(3)]], [[non-governmental organization]], began working in 2003 to conserve the African wild dog in northeastern and coastal Kenya, a convergence zone of two [[biodiversity hotspots]]. This area largely consists of community lands inhabited by pastoralists. Working with local people, a pilot study was launched confirming the presence of a population of wild dogs largely unknown to conservationists.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=McCreery \|first1=E.K. \|last2=Robbins \|first2=R.L. \|year=2004 \|url=https://www.canids.org/canidnews/7/Wild_dogs_in_SE_Kenya.pdf \|title=Sightings of African wild dogs, ''Lycaon pictus'', in southeastern Kenya \|journal=Canid News \|volume=7 \|issue=4 \|pages=1–5}}</ref> Over the next 16 years, local ecological knowledge revealed this area to be a significant refuge for wild dogs and an important wildlife corridor connecting Kenya’s Tsavo National Parks with the Horn of Africa in an increasingly human-dominated landscape. This project has been identified as a wild dog conservation priority by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Sillero-Zubiri \|first1=C. \|last2=Hoffmann \|first2=M. \|last3=Macdonald \|first3=D.W. \|year=2004 \|title=Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan \|publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group, IUCN \|location=Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK \|pages=335–336 \|url=http://www.canids.org/cap/index.htm#On-line \|accessdate=2011-10-04 \|url-status=dead\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006222952/http://www.canids.org/cap/index.htm \|archivedate=2011-10-06}}</ref> The [[non-governmental organization]] African Wild Dog Conservancy began working in 2003 to conserve the African wild dog in northeastern and coastal Kenya, a convergence zone of two [[biodiversity hotspots]]. This area largely consists of community lands inhabited by pastoralists. With the help of local people, a pilot study was launched confirming the presence of a population of wild dogs largely unknown to conservationists.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=McCreery \|first1=E.K. \|last2=Robbins \|first2=R.L. \|year=2004 \|url=https://www.canids.org/canidnews/7/Wild_dogs_in_SE_Kenya.pdf \|title=Sightings of African wild dogs, ''Lycaon pictus'', in southeastern Kenya \|journal=Canid News \|volume=7 \|issue=4 \|pages=1–5}}</ref> Over the next 16 years, local ecological knowledge revealed this area to be a significant refuge for African wild dogs and an important wildlife corridor connecting Kenya's Tsavo National Parks with the Horn of Africa in an increasingly human-dominated landscape. This project has been identified as a wild dog conservation priority by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Sillero-Zubiri \|first1=C. \|last2=Hoffmann \|first2=M. \|last3=Macdonald \|first3=D.W. \|year=2004 \|title=Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan \|publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group, IUCN \|location=Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK \|pages=335–336 \|url=http://www.canids.org/cap/index.htm#On-line \|accessdate=2011-10-04 \|url-status=dead\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006222952/http://www.canids.org/cap/index.htm \|archivedate=2011-10-06}}</ref><ref>Githiru et al. (2007). [http://www.terranuova.org/file_download/59 African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) from NE Kenya: Recent records and conservation issues]. Zoology Department Research Report. National Museum of Kenya. </ref> == In culture == === Ancient Egypt === [[File:Palette with quadrupedes-E 11052-IMG 9460-9470-gradient.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|[[Cosmetic palette]] from the [[Naqada III]] period depicting African wild dogs, [[Louvre]].]] ~~Artistic depictions~~Depictions of African wild dogs are prominent on [[cosmetic palette]]s and other objects from [[Egypt]]'s [[Prehistoric Egypt\|predynastic period]], likely symbolising order over chaos and the transition between the wild and the domestic dog. Predynastic hunters may have ~~also~~ identified with the African wild dog, as the [[Hunters Palette]] shows them wearing the animals' tails on their belts. By the [[History of ancient Egypt#Dynastic Egypt\|dynastic period]], African wild dog illustrations became much less represented, and the animal's symbolic role was largely taken over by the wolf.<ref name="baines1993">{{cite journal \| last1 = Baines \| first1 = J \| year = 1993 \| title = Symbolic roles of canine figures on early monuments \| journal = Archéo-Nil: Revue de la société pour l'étude des cultures prépharaoniques de la vallée du Nil \| volume = 3 \| pages = 57–74 \| doi = 10.3406/arnil.1993.1175 \| s2cid = 193657797 \| url = https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d5944f51-0224-4de2-8088-843b087c88d3 }}</ref><ref name="hendrickx2006">Hendrickx, S. (2006). [https://web.archive.org/web/20220616160101/https://books.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeum/reader/download/218/218-30-77004-1-10-20170210.pdf The dog, the ''Lycaon pictus'' and order over chaos in Predynastic Egypt.] [in:] Kroeper, K.; Chłodnicki, M. & Kobusiewicz, M. (eds.), ''Archaeology of Early Northeastern Africa''. Studies in African Archaeology 9. Poznań: Poznań Archaeological Museum: 723–749.</ref> === Ethiopia === According to [[Enno Littmann]], the people of [[Ethiopia]]'s [[Tigray Region]] believed that injuring a wild dog with a spear would result in the animal dipping its tail in its wounds and flicking the blood at its assailant, causing instant death. For this reason, Tigrean shepherds ~~would~~used to repel wild dog attacks with pebbles rather than with edged weapons.<ref>Littman, Enno (1910). [https://archive.org/stream/publicationsofpr02littiala#page/78/mode/2up "Publications of the Princeton Expedition to Abyssinia"], vol. 2. Leyden : Late E. J. Brill. pp. 79–80</ref> === San people === 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 myth\|origin of death]], as the [[hare]] is cursed by the moon to be forever hunted by African wild dogs after the hare rebuffs the moon's promise to allow all living things to be reborn after death.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.dhushara.com/paradoxhtm/culture.htm\|title=Culture Out of Africa\|website=www.dhushara.com\|access-date=2019-03-03}}</ref> 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.<ref name="harpe2010" /> The San of Botswana see the African wild dog as the ultimate hunter and traditionally believe that [[shaman]]s 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.<ref name="harpe2010">De la Harpe R. & De la Harpe, P. (2010). ~~"In~~‘In search of the African wild dog: the right to ~~survive"~~survive’. ''Sunbird'' p. 41. {{ISBN\|978-1-919938-11-0}}.</ref> === Ndebele === The [[Southern Ndebele people\|Ndebele]] have a story explaining why the African wild dog hunts in packs: in the beginning, when the first wild dog's wife was sick, the other animals were concerned. An [[impala]] went to [[~~Hare~~hare]], who was a medicine man. Hare gave Impala a calabash of medicine, warning him not to turn back on the way to Wild Dog's den. Impala was startled by the scent of a [[leopard]] and turned back, spilling the medicine. A [[zebra]] then went to Hare, who gave him the same medicine along with the same advice. On the way, Zebra turned back when he saw a [[black mamba]], thus breaking the gourd. A moment later, a terrible howling iswas heard: Wild Dog's wife had died. Wild Dog went outside and saw Zebra standing over the broken gourd of medicine, so Wild Dog and his family chased Zebra and tore him to shreds. To this day, African wild dogs hunt zebras and impalas as revenge for their failure to deliver the medicine ~~which~~that could have saved Wild Dog's wife.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=When Hippo was Hairy and other tales from Africa\|last=Greaves\|first=Nick\|publisher=Bok Books\|year=1989\|isbn=978-0-947444-12-9\|pages=35–38}}</ref> ==In media== ===Documentary=== * ''A Wild Dog's Tale'' (2013), a single painted dog (named Solo by researchers) befriends hyenas and jackals in Okavango, hunting together. Solo feeds and cares for jackal pups.<ref>{{cite web \|title=National Geographic TV Shows, Specials & Documentaries \|url=http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/episodes/a-wild-dogs-tale/ \|website=[[National Geographic Channel]] \|language=en \|date=2013 \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140923072044/http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/episodes/a-wild-dogs-tale/ \|archive-date=23 September 2014 \|url-status=~~live~~dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title=The Amazing Story of Solo, the African Wild Dog Who Lost Her Pack (Video) \|url=https://isafari.nathab.com/blog/the-amazing-story-of-solo-the-african-wild-dog-who-lost-and-found-her-pack-video/ \|website=The Safarist \|date=20 December 2014}}</ref> * ''The Pale Pack'', Savage Kingdom, Season 1 (2016), was the story of Botswana African wild dog pack leaders Teemana and Molao written and directed by Brad Bestelink, and narrated by [[Charles Dance]] premiered on National Geographic.<ref name="Hollywood Soapbox">{{cite news \|title=INTERVIEW: 'Savage Kingdom' returns with wild, wild drama \|url=https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/interview-savage-kingdom-returns-with-wild-wild-drama/ \|access-date=9 January 2020 \|work=Hollywood Soapbox \|date=23 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title=The Pale Pack \|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/video/tv/pale-pack \|website=National Geographic \|access-date=9 January 2020 \|language=en-gb \|date=17 October 2017}}</ref> * [[Dynasties (2018 TV series)\|''Dynasties'' (2018 TV series)]], episode 4, Produced by Nick Lyon: Tait is the elderly matriarch of a pack of painted wolves in Zimbabwe's [[Mana Pools National Park]]. Her pack is driven out of their territory by Tait's daughter, Blacktip, the matriarch of a rival pack in need of more space for their large family of 32. Their combined territory also shrunk over Tait's lifetime due to the expansion of human, hyena and lion territories. Tait leads her family into the territory of a lion pride in the midst of a drought, with Blacktip's pack in an eight month long pursuit. When Tait died, the pack was observed performing a rare "singing", the purpose of which is unclear.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Shaw \|first1=Alfie \|title=Painted wolf singing ritual filmed for first time \|url=https://www.bbcearth.com/blog/?article=painted-wolf-singing-ritual-filmed-for-the-first-time \|website=[[BBC Earth]] \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201121195037/https://www.bbcearth.com/blog/?article=painted-wolf-singing-ritual-filmed-for-the-first-time \|archive-date=21 November 2020 \|language=en-gb \|date=2019 \|url-status=live}}</ref> Line 539 ⟶ 219: == Explanatory notes == {{~~notelist~~Notelist}} == References == {{Reflist\|refs= <ref name=baryshnikov2012>{{cite journal \| last1 = Baryshnikov \| first1 = Gennady F \| year = 2012 \| title = Pleistocene Canidae (Mammalia, Carnivora) from the Paleolithic Kudaro caves in the Caucasus \| journal = Russian Journal of Theriology \| volume = 11 \| issue = #2\| pages = 77–120 \| doi=10.15298/rusjtheriol.11.2.01\| doi-access = free }}</ref> Line 550 ⟶ 229: <ref name=cherin2013>{{cite journal\|doi=10.1007/s10914-013-9227-4\|title=Re-Defining ''Canis etruscus'' (Canidae, Mammalia): A New Look into the Evolutionary History of Early Pleistocene Dogs Resulting from the Outstanding Fossil Record from Pantalla (Italy)\|journal=Journal of Mammalian Evolution\|volume=21\|pages=95–110\|year=2013\|last1=Cherin\|first1=Marco\|last2=Bertè\|first2=Davide F. \|last3=Rook \|first3=Lorenzo \|last4=Sardella \|first4=Raffaele\|s2cid=17083040}}</ref> <ref name=gopalakrishnan2018>{{cite journal \|doi=10.1016/j.cub.2018.08.041 \|pmid=30344120 \|pmc=6224481 \|title=Interspecific Gene Flow Shaped the Evolution of the Genus ''Canis'' \|journal=Current Biology \|volume=28 \|issue=21\|pages=3441–3449.e5 \|year=2018\|last1=Gopalakrishnan\|first1=Shyam\|last2=Sinding\|first2=Mikkel-Holger S.\|last3=Ramos-Madrigal\|first3=Jazmín\|last4=Niemann\|first4=Jonas\|last5=Samaniego Castruita\|first5=Jose A.\|last6=Vieira\|first6=Filipe G.\|last7=Carøe\|first7=Christian\|last8=Montero\|first8=Marc de Manuel\|last9=Kuderna\|first9=Lukas\|last10=Serres\|first10=Aitor\|last11=González-Basallote\|first11=Víctor Manuel\|last12=Liu\|first12=Yan-Hu\|last13=Wang\|first13=Guo-Dong\|last14=Marques-Bonet\|first14=Tomas\|last15=Mirarab\|first15=Siavash\|last16=Fernandes\|first16=Carlos\|last17=Gaubert\|first17=Philippe\|last18=Koepfli\|first18=Klaus-Peter\|last19=Budd\|first19=Jane\|last20=Rueness\|first20=Eli Knispel\|last21=Heide-Jørgensen\|first21=Mads Peter\|last22=Petersen\|first22=Bent\|last23=Sicheritz-Ponten\|first23=Thomas\|last24=Bachmann\|first24=Lutz\|last25=Wiig\|first25=Øystein\|last26=Hansen\|first26=Anders J.\|last27=Gilbert\|first27=M. Thomas P.\|bibcode=2018CBio...28E3441G }}</ref> <ref name=moulle2006>{{cite journal \| author = Moulle, P.E. \| author2 = Echassoux, A. \| author3 = Lacombat, F. \| year = 2006 \| title = Taxonomie du grand canidé de la grotte du Vallonnet (Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes, France) \| journal = L'Anthropologie \| volume = 110 \| issue = #5 \| pages = 832–836 \| url = http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18357587 \| access-date = 2008-04-28 \| doi = 10.1016/j.anthro.2006.10.001 \| archive-date = 14 March 2012 \| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120314061933/http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18357587 \| url-status = dead }} (in French)</ref> <ref name=wang2008>Wang, Xiaoming; Tedford, Richard H.; [https://books.google.com/books?id=LnWdpK7ctI0C~~&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage~~&q=Lycaon Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History]. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008.</ref> }} == Further reading == {{Cite book \|last1=Van Lawick \|first1=H. \|author-link=Hugo van Lawick \|url=https://archive.org/details/innocentkillers00lawi \|title=Innocent Killers \|last2=Goodall \|first2=J. \|author-link2=Jane Goodall \|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company \|year=1971 \|isbn=0395121094 \|edition=1st American \|location=Boston \|lccn=78132786 \|ol=OL4767860M \|url-access=limited \|name-list-style=amp}} {{cite web \|title=African Wild Dogs Survive by 'Living in the Cracks' of a Landscape \|date=28 Feb 2022 \|website=Atlas Obscura \|author=Scott Creel \|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/african-wild-dogs}} * Githiru et al. (2007). [http://www.terranuova.org/file_download/59 African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) from NE Kenya: Recent records and conservation issues]. Zoology Department Research Report. National Museum of Kenya. * Wozencraft, W. C. (November 2005). D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds.). [http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp ''Mammal Species of the World''] (3rd edition). Johns Hopkins University Press. {{ISBN\|978-0-8018-8221-0}}. * Van Lawick, H. & Goodall, J. (1971). ''Innocent Killers''. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston == External links == {{Wikispecies\|Lycaon pictus}} ~~{{Commons and category\|Lycaon pictus\|Lycaon pictus}}~~ * [http://www.painteddog.org/ painteddog.org], Painted Dog Conservation Website * [http://www.painteddog.co.uk/ painteddog.co.uk/], Painted Dog Conservation United Kingdom Website Line 572 ⟶ 247: * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080429223610/http://zimbabwewilddogs.wildlifedirect.org/ Wild Dog conservation in Zimbabwe] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070627031842/http://www.nnf.org.na/NNF_pages/wilddogproject.htm Namibia Nature Foundation Wild Dog Project: Conservation of African wild dogs in Namibia] * [~~http~~https://www.awf.org/~~wildlives~~wildlife-conservation/~~4548~~african-wild-dog African ~~wild dogs: Wildlife~~Wild ~~summary~~Dog] at [[African Wildlife Foundation]] * [http://www.zambiacarnivores.org/ The Zambian Carnivore Programme] * [http://www.save-the-african-wild-dog.com Save the African wild dog] Line 579 ⟶ 254: * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101108095402/http://www.arkive.org/african-wild-dog/lycaon-pictus/ Photos, videos and information from ARKive] * [http://ibream.org/projects/the-african-wild-dog ibream wild dog project] * [http://wildlifeconservationnetwork.org/wildlife/africandog.html African Wild Dog – Painted Dog Conservation] at WCN [[Wildlife Conservation Network]] {{Carnivora\|Ca.}} Line 594 ⟶ 268: [[Category:Mammals of Sub-Saharan Africa]] [[Category:Species endangered by habitat fragmentation]] [[Category:Mammals of East Africa]]

Taxon identifiers
Lycaon pictus	Wikidata: Q173651 Wikispecies: Lycaon pictus ARKive: lycaon-pictus BOLD: 174679 CoL: 73256 CMS: lycaon-pictus ECOS: 3925 EoL: 328697 GBIF: 5219317 iNaturalist: 42093 IRMNG: 10591018 ISC: 75889 ITIS: 183833 IUCN: 12436 MDD: 1005960 MSW: 14000818 NCBI: 9622 Observation.org: 82121 Open Tree of Life: 821953 Paleobiology Database: 231463 TSA: 9740
Hyaena picta	Wikidata: Q109647314 CoL: 3MVFF GBIF: 8302883 ITIS: 998400