wild dog
Habitat
What is your animal's natural environment?
African wild dogs are mostly found in eastern and southern Africa. They once roamed a much larger area of Africa. They primarily live in the savanna grasslands, but can also be found in woodland and mountain areas in Africa.
Appearance
size
African wild dogs grow to about the size of a medium to large dog. Fully grown they weigh between 40 and 80 pounds and grow to between 30 and 43 inches tall at the shoulders
colour
their most unique feature is their coat. It is mottled with blotches of different colors including white, brown, black, red, and yellow. They are often called the painted dog due to their coats. Each wild dog has a unique pattern.
predators
what animals hunt your animal?
they are often killed by farmers to
Protect livestock
Class
Is your animal a mammal? Reptile?
Wild Dogs are mammals
Status
Is your animal endangered? Vulnerable?
African wild dogs are an endangered species. There were once nearly 500,000 of them living in Africa, but today there are only between 3,000 and 5,000 living in the wild.
food
Wild dogs hunt in packs and can bring down some large mammals. They will eat most any mammal that they can catch and kill including antelopes, impala, wildebeest calves, gazelles, and even large birds like ostriches.
adaptations
what special skills or features does your animal have that helps it survive?
The pack stays on the move, rarely staying in one place for more than a day or two. African wild dogs live in an organized pack similar to wolves. A typical pack will have between 6 and 20 dogs, but some larger packs do exist. The pack hunts together and offers protection from predators. They have been known to help each other out, sharing food and taking care of weaker members. The pack is lead by a dominant male and female pair of dogs.