April 16, 2009
The African wild dog, also known as the “African painted dog,” is a carnivore native to Sub-Saharan Africa. As a member of the canine family, this animal is highly social and lives in packs that commonly feature gender dominance hierarchies. The painted dog has been classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and current populations are estimated at less than 7,000 adults, with the Okavango Delta featuring one of the richest pack densities in the world. The African wild dog hunts mostly antelopes and has few natural predators. These dogs are unlike any of their counterparts in that they have four toes on each paw, as opposed to the regular five. The wild dogs’ coats are like human fingerprints – every single one is different and is a useful identifier when distinguishing one dog from another.
