AFRICAN WILD PAINTED DOG ─ Even Leopards and Buffaloes are Afraid of this Animal

Half of the world's wildlife is filled with deadly predators that remain thirsty for the blood and flesh of other animals. No, we are not talking about vampires, but about one such predator who resides in the African savannah, the African wild dog. We know that you must be thinking how dangerous a dog can be just because it has the word wild before it. Well, too dangerous would be an understatement. So much so that even the huge and ferocious animals like leopards and buffaloes maintain a safe distance from the African wild dog. While a single wild dog cannot cause much harm, a full pack can cause serious destruction that we cannot even imagine. Hence, animals try to avoid these packs at all costs, for otherwise they might end up being the wild dog's prey. The wild dogs are extremely strategic and know how to make the best use of their abilities. They have a few of the bald eagle's traits too, as these dogs also prefer to steal food from other predators and feed on prey that has already been hunted down. Not that they don't believe in themselves, but who does not like shortcuts? Also, if it was not already clear by now, let us tell you that the African wild dog is indeed a social animal and likes being in packs where he can communicate with other wild dogs. However, they are not as progressive as we are and prefer to have separate packs for male and female wild dogs. The African wild dog follows a routine that is quite similar to humans wherein they stay active throughout the day and have a good 6-7 hours sleep at night. One of the most common victims of wild dogs is the antelope. Catching an antelope can be a little tricky as they run really fast, but that's what the dogs take advantage of. They chase them to the point where they get completely exhausted and then kill them as soon as they catch hold of them. The most prominent enemies of the wild dogs are lions and hyenas. The smaller wild dogs can also fall prey to the large eagles, like the marshal eagle, more often than not, especially when they step out of their dens without their parents being around. These wild dogs are usually found in the arid and dry regions of Africa and tend to avoid the heavily forested areas. This is mainly because they prefer to hunt in open areas where their Other than antelopes, its diet majorly comprises of Thompson's gazelle, impala, bushbuck, blue wildebeest, and the greater kudu. You all must be aware that our parents usually think a lot of names for us when we are born and then finalize one of them which later becomes our name for life. Similarly, the African wild dog is called by a lot of names like African hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, etc. Out of all of these names, scientists and conservationists have always wanted it to be called a painted wolf due to its uncanny resemblance and shared characteristics with wolves. However, African wild dog still remains the most common and widely used. If we go down the historical lane, we would get to know that these wild dogs were first scientifically discovered in 1820. Initially, it was thought to be a part of the hyena family, but the theory was later rejected when deeper studies were conducted. Much later, it was identified that the wild dog belonged to the family of canids, a group of species that have a dog-like demeanor. The canid family also includes wolves, foxes, and coyotes, along with the African wild dog itself. According to the research done by a famous paleontologist, George G. Simpson, it was claimed that the African wild dog, the bush dog, and the dhole belonged to the same family of animals. However, this research was later proved wrong by Juliet Clutton Brock on the grounds of not having any scientific evidence to back the theory up. He also firmly stated that apart from their body structure, there are absolutely no other similarities that exist between the three animals. As far as adaptation and evolution are concerned, the African wild dog is believed to have the most significant set of evolved features. These features define the dog in terms of the color of its coat, its diet, and the way it chases its prey through exceptional running capabilities. It has a streamlined skeleton that contributes to its speed. The various adaptations help the wild dog to hunt its prey even in plain areas by covering long distances. Also, a fun fact about the wild dog is that its premolars are probably the largest in comparison to other carnivorous animals. Another distinctive feature of the African wild dog is the variety of colors that its furry coat comes in. In fact, color diversification would almost be equivalent to the clothes in your wardrobe. Different wild dogs might also possess coats of different patterns and designs which indicate the huge variation in their genes. It is rather interesting to note that the exact reason for these patterns and colors is yet to be known by the researchers. However, there are theories that suggest that the coats facilitate temperature regulation since the wild dogs prefer hunting during daytime. Some also suggest that the difference in coat styles helps the dogs to identify and communicate with each other in a more effective manner. It is often believed that the African wild dog is divided into 39 subpopulations throughout the world with around 6,600 adult wild dogs in total. However, five subspecies have been recognized worldwide as of 2005. These five subspecies are Cape Wild Dog, East African Wild Dog, Somali Wild Dog, Chadian Wild Dog, and the West African Wild Dog. The East Africa Wild Dog is the one that has the darkest coat and the Chadian Wild Dog is the one that has bright colored short hair on its body. All of these subspecies are said to be extremely diversified and different from one another in more than one aspect. Hence, these species were not welcomed by scientists and are not universally accepted. There used to be another species by the name of Southern African Wild Dog, but it was later found that due to rapid intermixing, the South African Wild Dog has almost become like the duplicate of the East African Wild Dog and hence, both the species began to be treated as a single unit. Moreover, the West African Wild Dog is said to be the only species that has truly distinct features in comparison to others. The female African wild dogs are estimated to be 3 to 7 percent smaller than their male counterparts. These wild dogs are believed to have the best physical features and build as compared to other members of the canid family. They can grow up to a maximum of 75 centimeters in height and can weigh around 18 to 36 kilograms. Contrary to other members of the family, the African wild dog is leaner and taller with a pair of overgrown ears. The only feature that they seem to lack is dewclaws and other than that, they are quite alpha in their existence. While we are on the subject of its uniqueness, we might as well talk about its fur, which is again a point of major difference between them and other members of their family. Instead of having a soft coat of fur, they have rough and bristle-like hair all over their bodies. Also, unlike others, it has a tendency to lose all of its hair owing to the process of aging. Yes, exactly how humans lose their hair as they grow old. This is why the older African wild dogs often look naked from a Speaking of its reproduction patterns, the wild dogs from East Africa do not seem to have a fixed breeding season whereas the South African wild dogs usually breed during April and July. A male African wild dog always remains with a female who is expecting to protect her from any sort of danger that might pose a risk to her and the puppy's life. A female usually gives birth after a gestation period of approximately 70 days and every pregnancy has a gap of 12 to 14 months between them. The African wild dog is greatly threatened by human poaching and the disturbances occurring in its natural habitat due to unnecessary interference by humans. The population has been declining at a rapid rate since the African wild dog is primarily threatened by habitat fragmentation, which results in human-wildlife conflict, the transmission of infectious diseases, and high mortality rates. Surveys in the Central African Republic's Chinko area revealed that the population of wild dogs declined from 160 in 2012 to just 26 in 2017. As the largest subpopulation probably comprises fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1990. It is also the second most endangered animal in Africa. The African wild dogs have held great cultural significance among the ancient Egyptians and the San people in the past. The Fauna and Flora International, FFI, is the organization that is actively working towards conserving the African wild dogs and to protect their habitat for survival. The sustainability of these wild dogs has become the topmost priority of most organizations and environmentalists so as to prevent their extinction in the near future. Who knew that a dog could scare away leopards, right? Which amazing beast would you like to know more about next time? Let us know in the comments section below. 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