African wild dog

아프리카들개

Nicknamed the "painted wolf" for its patchy coat, it catches prey on more than half of its pack hunts, far better than lions. No two coat patterns are alike. Packs even seem to vote on setting off to hunt by sneezing.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Class: Mammals
Lives in: Mana Pools, Zimbabwe
Diet: Meat eater (carnivore)
Weight: about 27 kg
Length: about 1.25 m
Top speed: about 66 km/h
Lifespan: up to about 13 years
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN EN)
Habitat: savannas, grasslands

Quick answers

Where does the African wild dog live?

It lives in savannas, grasslands. On the globe you can find it near Mana Pools, Zimbabwe.

How big is the African wild dog?

It grows to about 1.25 m and 27 kg.

What does the African wild dog eat?

Its diet: meat eater (carnivore).

How fast is the African wild dog?

It can reach about 66 km/h.

How long does the African wild dog live?

It can live up to about 13 years.

Is the African wild dog endangered?

It is listed as Endangered (IUCN EN).

The African wild dog, also called the painted dog or painted wolf, is a wild canine of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild dog in Africa, and no other living dog is like it: its teeth are built for a meat-only diet, and it has no dewclaws.

It has a patchy coat of black, brown and yellow-white, and no two dogs have the same pattern. It is Endangered. About 6,600 adults, including 1,400 mature ones, live in 39 groups. It is the only living member of its genus, Lycaon. It hunts mostly in the early morning and evening and is a champion of teamwork.

Hunting as a team

Wild dogs hunt hoofed animals mostly at dawn and dusk, using stamina and teamwork to wear their prey out. A pack's success rate is high, and it is one of the best hunters in Africa.

They share food by bringing it up for pack members, and young dogs get to eat first at a kill. The IUCN has listed it as Endangered since 1990.

Living in packs

Packs are very social. In an unusual twist, it is the young females, not males, who leave their birth pack when they grow up.

Lions often kill wild dogs, and spotted hyenas steal their food. The biggest dangers to wild dogs are shrinking habitat, persecution by people and disease. It is unusual because the pack shares food even with adult members, not only the pups.