Know Your African Wildlife: Wild Dogs

Sightings of wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), also known as Cape hunting dogs, painted dogs or painted wolves, are among the most sought-after by safari visitors. This is partly because they are interesting, charismatic and extremely beautiful animals, and largely because declining numbers have turned them into a rarity in many areas.

If there is one characteristic that typifies wild dogs, it is their ability to run. Their hunting technique – of pursuing prey over long distances, rather than ambushing it – is unusual among predators and results in packs moving large distances each day in search of food.

In South Luangwa, pack sizes tend to range between eight and 20 individuals. They are intensely social creatures, spending time resting, hunting and playing together. They are co-operative breeders: only the dominant (alpha) pair in the pack will breed, and the subordinate dogs assist in raising a successful litter of pups.

They take a variety of prey, but favour small antelope such as impala and puku, working as a pack to split the herds and cause maximum confusion. Often, one dog will catch an antelope and the others will quickly join to assist. Since they’re near the bottom of the carnivore hierarchy, they feed extremely rapidly, stripping a carcass in minutes. After a successful hunt, all the dogs return to the den and regurgitate lumps of meat for the alpha female and the pups.

After a productive denning season, the introduction of the pups can swell the pack size by as many as 10. At this stage, dispersal groups – often, but not always, formed by yearling dogs from the previous litter – separate from their natal pack and seek opportunities of their own. In searching for another pack, these dispersal groups can travel large distances, sometimes even to other National Parks.

African wild dogs are making a real comeback in the Luangwa Valley, thanks to the concerted efforts of the Zambia Carnivore Programme and Zambia’s Department for National Parks and Wildlife. There are now more than 170 individual dogs in the Luangwa system – this year’s denning season will add many more to that – and we see them almost daily. We hope this trend continues as their conservation status is Endangered.

I hope you enjoy your safari in Zambia!

By: Edward Selfe Photos: Edward Selfe For more in the ‘Know Your African Wildlife’ series, visit: www.edwardselfephotography.com