![]() ![]() Globally, there are only 6 000 wild dogs. ![]() In South Africa there are fewer than 400 free-ranging wild dogs left – 130 of them in the Kruger National Park, and 160 in KwaZulu-Natal. You no longer find them in North or West Africa, and their numbers have been greatly reduced in Central and North East Africa too. The wild dog is southern Africa’s most endangered large carnivore, and has all but disappeared from most of its original range… And they have only four toes per foot, unlike the five toes of domestic dogs.Ĭatching a glimpse of one is difficult. Wild dogs have a black, furrow-like vertical line on the forehead between the eyes that is rather endearing. Their hide is different from a dog’s too – covered with irregular patches of black, brown, red, white and yellow fur. They’re nothing like a wolf’s either, yet this beautiful Cape hunting dog, or painted dog as it’s also known, is given the Latin name Lycaon pictus, meaning ‘painted wolf-like animal’, because it is closest in nature to a wolf. Probably the most distinctive feature of African wild dogs is the big, round ears.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |