African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)
Kenya
East Africa
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
African painted dogs have suffered severe decline in range and are now found in small pockets throughout the continent.
1) They are wanderers: Their territory can be over 500km and hence they can be hard to find on a game drive. However, once a litter is born, they will limit their nomadic movements and hunting areas closer to the den.
2) They look out for each other: Once they reach maturity, the males stay within the natal pack, and the females move on to join new packs. When the pups are old enough to eat solids, they are given the priority at a kill.
3) They care for the young ones: A pack of about six dogs usually consists of one breeding pair and several non-breeding adult males. A breeding female will give birth once a year with a litter of an average of 10 pups. The pups are born in a shelter of thick bush or in a hole. The entire pack is normally involved in the nurturing and welfare of the pups.
4) They are some of the most efficient hunters ever known. They hunt by day usually in the early hours of dawn, in the late evenings and occasionally in the moonlight. When they hunt, some dogs follow their prey closely, whilst the others stay behind. They then take over when the front team gets tired. They have phenomenal stamina that tires their prey, and use their strength as a pack to bring their victim down. The leading dog – normally a dominant male or female will select a particular target and pursue it with others following close behind.
5) To avoid their kill being stolen, they eat fast. Their biggest competitors are the scavenging, spotted hyenas. The dogs will keep the hyenas at bay by having some dogs on guard duty whilst others feed. The larger the pack, the stronger the resistance. They share when they feed and do not fight for food. Puppies will be fed first. Sick and injured dogs are also fed as long as they remain with the pack.
African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)
Kenya
East Africa
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
African painted dogs have suffered severe decline in range and are now found in small pockets throughout the continent.
1) They are wanderers: Their territory can be over 500km and hence they can be hard to find on a game drive. However, once a litter is born, they will limit their nomadic movements and hunting areas closer to the den.
2) They look out for each other: Once they reach maturity, the males stay within the natal pack, and the females move on to join new packs. When the pups are old enough to eat solids, they are given the priority at a kill.
3) They care for the young ones: A pack of about six dogs usually consists of one breeding pair and several non-breeding adult males. A breeding female will give birth once a year with a litter of an average of 10 pups. The pups are born in a shelter of thick bush or in a hole. The entire pack is normally involved in the nurturing and welfare of the pups.
4) They are some of the most efficient hunters ever known. They hunt by day usually in the early hours of dawn, in the late evenings and occasionally in the moonlight. When they hunt, some dogs follow their prey closely, whilst the others stay behind. They then take over when the front team gets tired. They have phenomenal stamina that tires their prey, and use their strength as a pack to bring their victim down. The leading dog – normally a dominant male or female will select a particular target and pursue it with others following close behind.
5) To avoid their kill being stolen, they eat fast. Their biggest competitors are the scavenging, spotted hyenas. The dogs will keep the hyenas at bay by having some dogs on guard duty whilst others feed. The larger the pack, the stronger the resistance. They share when they feed and do not fight for food. Puppies will be fed first. Sick and injured dogs are also fed as long as they remain with the pack.