Swahili Name: Mbwa Mwitu

The African Wild Dog, also called African Hunting Dog, is a mammal of the Canidae family, and thus related to the domestic dog. It is the only species in its genus, Lycaon, and the only species in the canid family to lack dewclaws on the forelimbs. They are, as their name indicates, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and other lightly wooded areas. The Latin name of the species means painted wolf and it is characteristic of the species that no two individuals have the same pattern of coat.

African Hunting Dogs hunt in packs. Their main prey are impala and similar medium sized ungulates. They're known for their stamina and for being clever hunters -- they have been observed hunting prey in relays, or even blocking a potential escape route for prey. Their voice is characterized by an unusual chirping or squeaking sound, similar to a bird. Their need for a large territory has led to the situation where today they are threatened with extinction. Their relatively small physique also makes them vulnerable to attacks by their competitors, lions and hyenas. They tend to be elusive and unlike most other members of the dog family, are extremely difficult to tame.

They have a highly complex social system, within which related adult members cooperate to produce a single litter of pups annually. Most populations have more males than females because more male pups appear in litters; it is very unusual among mammals to have this kind of gender bias. Wild dogs will often regurgitate meat to other members of the group: older dogs, the young, and adults that have stayed behind to guard the young during hunting sojourns.

The current estimate for remaining wild dogs in the wild is approximately 5,600. Of these, the majority live in the two remaining large populations associated with the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and the population centered in northern Botswana and eastern Namibia. Isolated populations persist in Zambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa.