ENDANGERED ANIMALS

African Hunting Dogs

CharacteristicsSize Like a medium size domestic dog(60-75 cms

tall).Diet Carnivores (eats meat).

Colour Shaded brown black and beige fur.

Reproduction Only alpha male and female mate. Pack care for up to 16 offspring.

Social behaviour They live and hunt in packs lead by a alpha male and female.The pack communicates with squeaks and chirps like birds

Unusual fact Four toes instead of five like a wolf or dogThey have the strongest jaw of any carnivore

Life span Up to 10 years.

Habitat

• The African hunting dogs are native to Africa. There used to be about 500,000 in 39 countries. Now there are 2000-5000 in less than 25 countries mostly in game preserves. They live in savannahs and grass lands and need big territories in which to hunt.

Map

• They can still be found in the wild in Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia.

What is the future for the African Hunting dog?

THREATS• Human actionFarmers hunt the dogs that hunt their domestic animals

• Other animalsThe dogs hunt antelope, zebras, wildebeests, gazelles and impala.Lions and hyenas hunt the dogs who are rivals for territory and prey.

Resources

• http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Wild_Dog#Distribution _and threats

• http://www.wildnet.org/wildlife/africandog.html

WCN - WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK

• http://animaldiversity.unmz.umich.edu.edu/site/accounts/information/Lycaon_pictus.html

ADW