wildcaty
Leader of the pack
The Alpha male of a pack of nine Painted Dogs (Lycaon pictus) - Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.
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The African Wild Dog, also known as the Painted Dog or Painted Wolf is critically endangered with only about 5,000 left in the wild. They have been subjected to systematic persecution over many decades, from farmers who destroy them as ‘vermin’, poachers’ snares, and, like so much of Africa’s wildlife, loss of habitat. However, the main cause of their decline is disease. Rabies in particular, but also distemper, contracted from domestic animals. Because of their highly social nature, one diseased dog will quickly infect the whole pack, wiping it out entirely.
Thankfully, there are numerous people and projects throughout East and Southern Africa dedicated to protecting these amazing predators and even reintroducing them to areas where they once roamed.
Leader of the pack
The Alpha male of a pack of nine Painted Dogs (Lycaon pictus) - Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.
_______
The African Wild Dog, also known as the Painted Dog or Painted Wolf is critically endangered with only about 5,000 left in the wild. They have been subjected to systematic persecution over many decades, from farmers who destroy them as ‘vermin’, poachers’ snares, and, like so much of Africa’s wildlife, loss of habitat. However, the main cause of their decline is disease. Rabies in particular, but also distemper, contracted from domestic animals. Because of their highly social nature, one diseased dog will quickly infect the whole pack, wiping it out entirely.
Thankfully, there are numerous people and projects throughout East and Southern Africa dedicated to protecting these amazing predators and even reintroducing them to areas where they once roamed.