African Painted Dog

Lycaon pictus

Irish Name: Fiamhadra
IUCN Status: Endangered

The African painted dog is a wild canine with a uniquely patterned coat. It has a slim body, long legs and big, round ears. It is very social and a very efficient hunter.

African Painted Dog

Lycaon pictus

Irish Name: Fiamhadra
IUCN Status: Endangered

The African painted dog is a wild canine with a uniquely patterned coat. It has a slim body, long legs and big, round ears. It is very social and a very efficient hunter.

General Information

Where do they live? (Natural habitat)

African painted dogs are a highly adaptable species and live in a range of habitats, including forests, grasslands, scrublands, savannas and deserts. They once lived throughout sub-Saharan Africa, but they have disappeared from many of the places that they used to inhabit. The largest African painted dog populations can be found in southern and south-eastern African countries.

How long do they live?

African painted dogs live 9-10 years in the wild and up to 13 years in zoos.

What do they eat?

African painted dogs are carnivores (meat-eaters). They hunt in packs twice a day at dawn and dusk. Their prey are gazelles, impalas, kudus and wildebeests.

Animal Class

Mammalia

Animal Order

Carnivora

Zoo Location

African Plains

Group Name

Pack

Closest Related Species/Sister Species

African painted dogs are the only living species in their genus. They are distantly related to dogs, wolves, jackals, coyotes and dholes.

Fun Facts

A big appetite

While an adult African painted dog weighs 20-30 kg, the pack hunts animals that weigh around 50 kg. Sometimes, they will even hunt animals that weigh up to 200 kg.

Toes

While other canines have five toes per foot, the African painted dog only has four toes per foot.

Happy families

Only the dominant male and female in a pack produce offspring, but the whole pack helps to care for the pups.

Conservation

African painted dogs benefit greatly from the creation of wildlife corridors by conservation groups. Wildlife corridors are strips of land that link two separate wildlife places, allowing animals to move back and forth between these places.

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Family Life

African painted dogs are social animals and live in packs of 6-20 individuals. Each pack has a dominant breeding pair, a dominant male and female. African painted dog pups are born in an underground den. The dominant female is the leader of the pack.

The members of the packs have strong social bonds and work together extremely well when hunting. They have been known to share food and assist weak or ill pack members. They communicate through touch, body language and vocalisations (sounds).

Baby Name

Pup

Gestation period

Approximately 70 days

Number of young at birth

7-10 pups on average

Weight at birth

300 g

Age at maturity

2-3 years

Size adult

65-80 cm in height (at the shoulder), 75-105 cm in length (without tail), 18-30 kg in weight

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Conservation

Endangered

African painted dogs are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Current population estimate

Approximately 6,600 individuals

Threats

The main threat to African painted dogs is habitat fragmentation (where large habitats are split into smaller, disconnected habitats). This increases their contact with humans and domestic animals, resulting in conflict with humans and transmission of diseases.

What is Dublin Zoo doing?

Dublin Zoo has supported the Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) organisation in Zimbabwe since 2009, specifically the rehab facility for orphaned and injured dogs and the Children's Bush Camp. Dublin Zoo also participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for African painted dogs.

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Newborn Painted Dogs at Dublin Zoo in 2017

Newborn Painted Dog Puppies at Dublin Zoo

Did someone say PUPPIES?Helen is greeted by not one, but seven African painted dog pups as they surface from their den for the first time this week on The Zoo TV series, control yourselves people!Tune in on Sunday @ 7:30pm on RTÉ One 🐶🐶🐶

Posted by Dublin Zoo on Friday, May 11, 2018

Most asked questions

  • Are African painted dogs dangerous?

    Like all wild animals, African painted dogs can pose a threat to humans. They should only be cared for by those who are trained to do so.

  • Are African painted dogs endangered?

    African painted dogs are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their population is declining due to habitat loss, conflict with humans and diseases.

  • Are African painted dogs related to hyenas?

    Although hyenas look very similar to African painted dogs, they are more closely related to cats than they are to dogs.

  • How big are African painted dogs?

    African painted dogs stand approximately 65-80 cm tall (at the shoulder). They are 75-105 cm in length and weigh 18-30 kg.

  • How long do African painted dogs live?

    African painted dogs live 9-10 years in the wild and up to 13 years in zoos.

  • How many African painted dogs are left in the wild?

    There are around 6,600 adult African painted dogs left in the wild (approximately 1,400 of those are breeding individuals). Their population is continuing to decline.

  • What are African painted dogs?

    African painted dogs are a wild canine species native to sub-Saharan Africa. They are the only living member of the genus Lycaon. They are distantly related to dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals and dholes.

  • What do African painted dogs eat?

    African painted dogs eat gazelles, impalas, kudus and wildebeests.

  • Where do African painted dogs live?

    African painted dogs are a highly adaptable species and can live in a range of habitats, including forests, grasslands, scrublands, savannas and deserts. They once lived throughout sub-Saharan Africa, but they have disappeared from many of the places that they used to inhabit. Their largest populations are found in southern and south-eastern African countries.

  • Why are African painted dogs endangered?

    African painted dogs travel long distances and roam large areas. Habitat fragmentation (where large habitats are separated into smaller, disconnected habitats) results in fewer and fewer areas that can support substantial numbers of African painted dogs. This leads to increased conflict with humans. African painted dogs are also susceptible to diseases that are transferred from domesticated animals.

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