African wild dog

African wild dog

African wild dog is the most successful hunter in Africa. It hunts in pack . It nail its prey nine out of ten. It eats gazelle and zebras and large mammals. They have a big stamina in running.

Anatomy

This is the largest African dog canid and is the world's second largest extant wild canid, behind only the gray wolf,. Adults typically weigh 18–36 kilograms (40–79 lb). A tall, lean animal, it stands about 75 cm (30 in) at the shoulder, with a head and body length of 75–141 cm (30–56 in) plus a tail of 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in). Animals in southern Africa are generally larger than those in eastern or western Africa.

Distribution and threats

Once, about 500,000 African wild dogs existed in 39 countries, and packs of 100 or more were not uncommon. This range once included Egypt and parts of the Sahara Desert. Now, only about 3,000–5,500 are found in fewer than 25 countries, or perhaps only 14 countries. They are primarily found in eastern and southern Africa, mostly in the two remaining large populations associated with the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and the population centered in northern Botswana and easternNamibia. Smaller but apparently secure populations of several hundred individuals are found in Zimbabwe (Hwange National Park), South Africa (Kruger National Park), and in the Ruaha/Rungwa/Kisigo complex of Tanzania. Isolated populations persist in Zambia, Kenya, and Mozambique.

Hunting and diet

The wild dog's main prey varies among populations, but always centers around medium to large-sized ungulates, such as theimpala, Thomson's gazelle, springbok, kudu, reedbuck, and wildebeest calves. The most frequent single prey species depends upon season and local availability. For example, in the Serengeti in the 1970s, wildebeest (mostly calves) were the most frequently taken species (57%) from January to June, but Thomson's gazelles were the most frequently taken (79%) during the rest of the year. In the Selous Game Reserve, the most frequent prey is impala. While the vast majority of its diet is made up of mammal prey, it sometimes hunts large birds, especially ostriches. Other predators, such as lions, sometimes steal the prey that wild dogs catch.

PREY AND ENEMIES

prey

enemies

SAVE ANIMALS

—It's super-easy to help animals, no matter how old you are. Check out how Save Animals to get a jump-start on making a huge difference in the lives of animal everywhere: Animals are alive for their own reasons, not to entertain us. Animals in movies, circuses, and zoos are denied everything that is natural and important to them. They will never be allowed to hang out with their families, graze, or do anything that they would do in the wild. Refuse to support this cruelty by never going to a zoo, marine park, or circus that uses animals. If your class is planning on dissecting any animal, ask your teacher for a humane alternative assignment, such as using a computer program to perform a virtual dissection. An animal will be saved, and you will actually learn and remember way more! Check out more info on how to get a dissection alternative at your school.

— THE END

—THANK YOU