African Wild Dog

Many of Africa's carnivores have been threatened by increasing habitat loss, decreased prey populations, and overhunting. The wild dog has been hit hardest, with as few as 3000 to 5000 wild dogs left in the wild. They are one of the most heavily endangered species in the world and will continue to decrease from their already depleted populations without large-scale action. Many conservation programs are in the process of helping the species get off this slippery slope to extinction. The Kruger National Park management and conservation projects are part of this struggle. The main reasons behind the species' current survival struggle are habitat loss resulting in conflict with humans and infectious diseases. Many diseases can quickly spread from domesticated dogs to wild dogs. In addition, the loss of their natural habitat has driven many packs to hunt domestic animals in towns and villages near unfenced protected areas, leading some local farmers to kill them to protect their livestock.

Wild dogs are very unbothered by the vegetation and climate of the habitat in which they live – they go wherever their search for prey leads them. Open grassland plains usually have the largest supply of antelope at around 50kg in weight, a comfortable size for wild dogs, so most recorded wild dog hunting takes place here. The added challenge where there is lots of prey, though, is that there is also lots of competition for prey. Lions and hyenas often overpower wild dogs shortly after a kill, leaving wild dogs little time to feast after a hunt. Lowland Forest areas, flood plains, and semi-desert and mountain environments are some of the many regions these animals have struggled to establish themselves.

Wild dogs are pack animals and form groups consisting of a handful of individuals to nearly a hundred in some areas – overall, the average is six adults per pack. They are known for their intricate social structure and the clever way it aids their hunting and survival. A dominant mating pair leads the group. They secrete a pheromone that prevents subordinate members of the pack from procreating. The dominant female is almost always pregnant or nursing pups – if there is a steady supply of food. Because they move around all the time and have large home ranges, their young may be left vulnerable to predation and other dangers if the whole pack goes hunting. As a result, a group of females always remains behind to look after the young when the pack hunts. The hunting members bring back food for the young, females, and weak members of the pack in the form of regurgitated food. Unlike other pack animals, wild dogs feed their young first, allowing pups to mature quickly.

A large part of their social behavior revolves around the hunt. Wild dogs are master hunters, with better success rates than any other African predator. They have intricate flanking and chasing strategies, one of which involves members taking turns to lead the chase, allowing other members to rest as they wait for their turn. This allows wild dogs to run for tens of kilometers without tiring. In addition, wild dogs are known to start eating away at their prey while it is still alive. This may seem like a cruel practice, however, this is mainly to maximize the amount of food they can get before being chased off their kill by larger predators. Wild dogs are also territorial animals. The responsibility of marking out the pack's territory falls to the dominant breeding pair, who urinate and defecate where they wish to set out the border of their territory, leaving behind scents other wild dogs will recognize.

A large part of their social behavior revolves around the hunt. Wild dogs are master hunters, with better success rates than any other African predator. They have intricate flanking and chasing strategies, one of which involves members taking turns to lead the chase, allowing other members to rest as they wait for their turn. It enables them to run for tens of kilometers without tiring. They start feeding on prey animals while it is still alive. It may seem like a cruel practice. However, this is mainly to maximize the food they can get before being chased off their kill by larger predators. The responsibility of marking out the pack's territory falls to the dominant breeding pair, who urinate and defecate where they wish to set out the border of their territory, leaving behind scents other wild dogs will recognize.

Wild dogs are some of the most predator-tormented animals in Africa, primarily because of their small size. Lions and hyenas are the biggest worries for any pack of wild dogs. They often overpower the pack to steal their kill and are known to kill wild dog pups when given a chance. As a result, they can make the most of a kill in as little time as possible. The two main strategies they employ are eating away at their prey while it is still alive and eating enough to feed their young upon returning to their den with food that they regurgitate. It allows these animals to remain mobile and avoid danger as much as possible.