African Hunting Dog

The African hunting dog(Lycaon pictus)roams the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.African hunting dogs live in packs that are usually dominated by a monogamous breeding pair. The female has a litter of 2 to 20 pups, which the whole pack cares for. They hunt in cooperative packs up to 6-20, or even more. Packs hunt antelopes and even larger prey like wildebeests,particularly if their quarry is ill or injured. The dogs supplement their diet with rodents and birds. Nearly 80% of all hunts end in a kill. Lions, the top predator, only 30%.

African hunting dogs are endangered. They are faced with shrinking room to roam in their African home. They are also quite susceptible to diseases spread by domestic animals.