African Wild Dog
Natural History
Kim Scott The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) has been regarded as one of Africa’s most endangered canids. Historically, the range of the African wild dog extended across most of sub-Sahara Africa. Presently, they have been extirpated from most of their range; they are extinct in most countries in west and central Africa. Today, wild populations of wild dogs exist only in eight countries of Africa including Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Namibia, and Kenya. Current numbers of wild dogs are anywhere between 3,000 and 5,500.
African wild dogs can weigh anywhere from 37-80 pounds
(13.9kg – 30.3kg) and measure approximately 30 inches (76.2cm) in height. The dogs have very unique features including large, rounded ears and brown circles around their eyes. Each individual wild dog can also be distinguished by a unique patterning of black, white, and yellow patches on their bodies, which has given them the nickname of “painted wolves”. Wild dogs breed from late March through June and give birth to an average of 10 pups about 73 days later.
Similar to its cousin, the wolf, the African wild dog is a highly social animal. They have been described as being one of the most intensely social canid species, spending 80% of their time in close association with one another. During the whelping season, all pack members assist with the feeding and care of the newborn pups and their mother. In addition, once the pups emerge from their den about three weeks after birth, all pack members, including the males, regurgitate to pups after a meal. Packs are made up of adults and yearlings and can number up to 25 individuals.
This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
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This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Tsago, Davo, Mugabi and Dinnaos were siblings, from the same litter. Last week Mugabi died, cancer. They're all nine years old, ancient for AWDs. Tsago and Davo had paired off a few months ago, and Mugabi and Dinnaos had been constant companions as well. Since Mugabi died Dinnaos has been "huffing". He putting his muzzle straight down and huffs repeatedly. The other two will immediately come and find him, but the one he's calling has not responded. As the AWDs rarely make a sound humans can hear this has been especially moving to witness. I fear for Dinnaos now, AWDs are very social and closely bonded, but he continuously leaves the other two and goes off by himself.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Aw, those African wild dogs are the cutest too.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
And deadliest.Robert_S wrote:Aw, those African wild dogs are the cutest too.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Deadliest? even against lion prides or hyena packs?
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Awwwwww.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Yep. I watched a program on them; they're clever little buggers. Alone they're nothing, but in a pack.. they chase lions off from their kills and the lions know better than to put up a fight.Svartalf wrote:Deadliest? even against lion prides or hyena packs?
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Deadliest canid we have here. And they hunt in packs up to 100. A pride of lions would be nervous, I think. Hyenas are fucking nuts so I don't know about them.Svartalf wrote:Deadliest? even against lion prides or hyena packs?
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
They hunt the keepers here. They would hunt be except that I'm not stupid enough to go into their enclosure.PordFrefect wrote:Yep. I watched a program on them; they're clever little buggers. Alone they're nothing, but in a pack.. they chase lions off from their kills and the lions know better than to put up a fight.Svartalf wrote:Deadliest? even against lion prides or hyena packs?
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Do you also keep dholes?
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
We're a research center and sanctuary, so we focus on certain species. For us they are:Svartalf wrote:Do you also keep dholes?
Swift Fox (Vulpes velox)
African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)
South American Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Red Wolf (Canis rufus)
Mexican Grey Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)
Three of those are not wolves, but all are endangered. (The swift fox is endangered in Canada, threatened in the US.)
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
The behavior you describe - head down huffing - my dog, Seri, did that.
I found her as a small pup, just weeks old, stuck in a cattle guard on a country road. Once I got her mange and worms and what all cured I had her spayed. She never had any pups of her own. She stayed in my appartment except for daily walks. When she was about a year-and-a-half old we moved to a house with a fenced back yard. While we were living there the neighbors dog across the fence had pups. The day that the litter was allowed out to roam there own backyard Seri went to the fence, put her head down, and started huffing. Not a bark or whine, just *huff-huff-huff*. The whole litter came tumbling over and crammed themselves under the fence. They crowded around her, butting her with their heads to get her to let down her milk (which she was not going to do).
Their mom was frantic on the other side of the fence, alternately running back and forth and trying to dig under the fence. I had to go and pick up the pups and drop them back over the fence. Seri ended up with a massive case of fleas and lost all her hair. I had to block the fence with 2x6's to stop her calling those pup through. She did it twice more before I finally got all the holes plugged.
I never heard her ever make that noise again. But then, she was never again exposed to a litter of pups again.
I found her as a small pup, just weeks old, stuck in a cattle guard on a country road. Once I got her mange and worms and what all cured I had her spayed. She never had any pups of her own. She stayed in my appartment except for daily walks. When she was about a year-and-a-half old we moved to a house with a fenced back yard. While we were living there the neighbors dog across the fence had pups. The day that the litter was allowed out to roam there own backyard Seri went to the fence, put her head down, and started huffing. Not a bark or whine, just *huff-huff-huff*. The whole litter came tumbling over and crammed themselves under the fence. They crowded around her, butting her with their heads to get her to let down her milk (which she was not going to do).
Their mom was frantic on the other side of the fence, alternately running back and forth and trying to dig under the fence. I had to go and pick up the pups and drop them back over the fence. Seri ended up with a massive case of fleas and lost all her hair. I had to block the fence with 2x6's to stop her calling those pup through. She did it twice more before I finally got all the holes plugged.
I never heard her ever make that noise again. But then, she was never again exposed to a litter of pups again.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
You don't hear of them being a particular threat to humans in the wild in Africa.
Maybe they are and it doesn't get reported, or maybe they are just specialists in hunting certain types of game.
They certainly could kill humans with ease, if they were inclined to.
I read somewhere that they have an incredible bite, for an animal of that size.
Maybe they are and it doesn't get reported, or maybe they are just specialists in hunting certain types of game.
They certainly could kill humans with ease, if they were inclined to.
I read somewhere that they have an incredible bite, for an animal of that size.
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
Highest kill rate per hunt . Assuming that AWD are emotionally similar to domestic dogs I would say that they do forget a missing pack member eventually , Maybe the fact that they are in captivity has given them more time to be morose about this death than they would in the wild ?Svartalf wrote:Deadliest? even against lion prides or hyena packs?
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Re: This is what is sounds like...when the dogs cry.
How animals, particularly other mammals, respond to death is interesting ... I think animals in the wild must have some notion about death and their own mortality simple because they live in such close proximity with it, practically on a daily basis.
That's intriguing.eversbane wrote:The behavior you describe - head down huffing - my dog, Seri, did that.
I found her as a small pup, just weeks old, stuck in a cattle guard on a country road. Once I got her mange and worms and what all cured I had her spayed. She never had any pups of her own. She stayed in my appartment except for daily walks. When she was about a year-and-a-half old we moved to a house with a fenced back yard. While we were living there the neighbors dog across the fence had pups. The day that the litter was allowed out to roam there own backyard Seri went to the fence, put her head down, and started huffing. Not a bark or whine, just *huff-huff-huff*. The whole litter came tumbling over and crammed themselves under the fence. They crowded around her, butting her with their heads to get her to let down her milk (which she was not going to do).
Their mom was frantic on the other side of the fence, alternately running back and forth and trying to dig under the fence. I had to go and pick up the pups and drop them back over the fence. Seri ended up with a massive case of fleas and lost all her hair. I had to block the fence with 2x6's to stop her calling those pup through. She did it twice more before I finally got all the holes plugged.
I never heard her ever make that noise again. But then, she was never again exposed to a litter of pups again.
no fences
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