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Lars Gorschlüter
SAVE African Animals
African Wilddog
Conservation and Classification
African Predators
Carnivores belong to the family of mammals. The term “carnivora” was derived from the Latin
caro, carnis (meat) and vorare (V). However, not all carnivores live off of meat. Ecologists
describe a predator as being an organism that consumes the whole or parts of other living
organisms. Hence, their prey is still alive at the time of consumption. That is why herbivores,
carnivores and parasites all belong to the same family of predators.
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Carnivores have a highly important ecological function, as, by hunting prey, they prevent
certain kinds from multiplying too much, which could otherwise harm certain vegetations and
endanger the stabilization of the ecosystem. Predators are also referred to as ecological key
stone species or umbrella species because of their particular preference in food, but also
because of their size and their low psycho-logical tolerance regarding environmental
fluctuations.
Hence, their important ecological role makes predators quite valuable and worthy of
protection. If they are protected so are multitudes of other species. With that said, predators
are one of various sensitive indicators that account for the health of an eco system’s welfare.
An important reason for the decline of many natural inhibited wildlife populations
(especially carnivores) is the conflict between wild animals and humans. Even in our
project’s region of central Kalahari, such a conflict is present. The need for more land among
the population has steadily increased, which, in turn, has brought a growing pressure on
wild animal habitats.
African Wilddogs
Characteristics
The Lycaon Pictus, better known as the African wild dog, is the most seldom found mammal in
Africa. Its body length is only about 0.9 m, its width 0.7 m and its weight around 25 kg. In
comparison to other cats of prey, wild dogs are much smaller and frailer. They are cursorily hunters,
as they can only move slightly from side to side. However, when chasing, wild dogs can achieve a
speed of up to 55km/h and maintain that speed for several kilometers. Studies have shown them
roaming through a territory of 15 km in just 35 minutes. A wild dog’s fur is colorful, short and
shaggy. They resemble wolves and are not territorial.
The tint of skin and fur is black, though the fur is covered with spots ranging from red to brown to
yellow tones. Since there is no distinct pattern, no dog looks alike. Solely the white tip of the tail
can be found on all of them. The large ears are an indicator of the importance of hearing, which
mostly serves as communication purposes among the pack. The outstanding sense of smell is
important, in order to identify pack members.
African wild dogs are a species that evolved through evolution and not, as originally assumed,
breeds of distant relatives. Most dogs lives in packs led by a monogamous male and female couple.
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
Classification: Grade of endangerment: 7 – threatened with extinction
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Habitat
The wild dog lives in the African savannah. Basically, it conforms to the available prey and
existing predators. It loves wide plains and avoids deserts and woods. In contrast to earlier times,
today, wild dogs are only found in a few African countries. Many of them live in animal
reservations and wild parks. They need a lot of room, hence, their territories can be as large as
500 squared kilometers. However, these territories are flexible, meaning they do not mark its
range. Merely during the estrus phase, male and female alpha animals will make their mark
around their site, although, it is more about marking their dominance than marking their
territory.
Diet
The entire pack always hunts together. Because of their special hunting technique and in order to
avoid rivalry issues with lions and hyenas that seek food at night, African wild dogs tend to hunt
during the day. They are able to track down their prey by detecting their movements. Once they
do, the hunt begins and the alpha animal leads. Only the weak and young stay away. Antelopes
and gazelles are the most frequent kind of prey for wild dogs. However, smaller animals such as
rodents and migratory birds are eaten as well. The soon to be food is hunted down until total
exhaustion. Then, the pack leader grabs the victim by its rear legs. As soon as the rest of the pack
has joined the alpha dog, it is ripped to pieces. There is no single deadly bite that occurs. Often
with smaller prey, the “dead-shake” is applied, in which the neck or back is broken. With larger
animals, they tend to bite them in the lips or snout, forcing them to die of shock or loss of blood.
Wild dogs hunt twice a day, once in the morning and once in late afternoon. As they are
frequently on the move, they require a lot of energy, which can only be supplied by food.
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Social behavior
The lycaon pictus, which means colorful dog, is a very social animal. It lives in packs with around
10 other dogs. Ideally, a pack is made up of 20 animals. However, the quantity depends on prey
sources. In the past, packs consisted of over 100 dogs. The alpha male and female are the only
ones that reproduce. It is forbidden for the others to mate. Nevertheless, the young are raised
within the whole pack. Thus, there is a special hierarchy. Although there are rarely any fights
among the pack they can occur for ranking purposes causing repression, which in turn, causes
the disablement of the lower ranked dogs’ hormone production. This is a natural process that
takes place in order to ensure that only the alpha-couple mates. It is not until the alpha couple is
either unable to continue reproducing or one of them dies that a new coming of power can
occur. Despite the small size of an African wild dog, it is very strong. One reason for their high
activity during daylight is that it can defend itself against predators without a doubt. Wild dogs
always battle their enemy in packs, thus being especially a threat to the predator’s young.
Reproduction
Summarized, alpha couples are the only members of a pack that are allowed to mate. The actual
mating occurs standing. Rutting season begins the beginning of February. Being prepared
animals, they build their mating structures for the puppies even before the actual mating occurs.
Sometimes aardvarks or warthog caves are adapted for such purposes. Often the same caves will
be re-used at other times.
The gestation period ranges around 70 days. A litter consists of 5-8 puppies. African wild dogs are
the only known mammals, in which the litter size depends on the body size of the mother.
Although the entire pack cares for the young, it is only the mother, and at the same time, the
strongest female of the pack that is able to nurse. Unfortunately, this means that the immune
system is not very versatile, a fact that could differ if more than one female nursed the puppies.
When the young ones are older they begin to eat solid foods in form of food that was formerly
eaten by pack members and then thrown up. In the case that another pack female, other than
the alpha female, litters, the puppies are often killed by the alpha female or the actual mother is
forced to give her young up. The death rate among youngsters during their first two birth years is
66 %, which is quite high. They are very fragile and especially endangered in parts of Africa
where there is a high density of lions. As an example, during one of our organization’s projects an
entire litter was killed when otters invaded a structure. On the other hand, the death rate is only
35% among grown wild dogs.
Threats
Unfortunately, African wild dogs are endangered animals. The
IUCN ranked them on their list of endangered species. At one
time, they were spread across every grass plain south of the
Sahara, as opposed to now, where they are only found in a
small part of Africa such as Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania,
Zimbabwe, Zambia, and at the South African Kruger National
Park. It is estimated that there are only 600 to a 1000
individual packs left. At fault is man, who has been hunting
them for the past generation.
During the sixties, wild dogs were hunted in order to ensure
their prey’s population. In many regions it is still legal today.
However, the gradual disappearance of natural habitats and
the upcoming of viral diseases such as rabies and distemper
are a further reason for the growing extinction.
Furthermore, for unexplainable reasons, many dogs fall in to
animal traps that were put up for other animals.
The preservation of the African wild dog population depends
on the size of the region in which they can live. To ensure such,
there has to be at least 9 packs to a 10,000 squared kilometer
space.
Another option would be the junction of as many different
meta-populations possible. Meta-populations are individual or
packs of animals that live in confined areas and do not have a
chance to congregate with other animals. Meta-populations
could also be animals living in captivity. Though, animals living
in freedom have much better chances of reproducing than
captivated ones. There have been frequent junctions of such
groups. Many have succeeded, others have not, as they have
caused the extinction of packs through rabies.
Nevertheless, these attempts resulted in the realization that
meta-populations must be vaccinated against rabies. In order
to be able to find solutions for the endangering population, a
harmonious co-existence between farmers and wild dogs must
be considered as well.
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Since 1990, the African wild dog is classified as "endangered" by the IUCN. The IUCN
is an international conservation organization that is responsible for creating the socalled "Red List" of threatened animal and plant species.
Despite this classification the population has not been able to recover: The African
wild dog is one of the most endangered predators on the continent. Probably less
than 5,000 animals are scattered over various protected areas south of the equator.
Habitat
Habitat
Today, African Wilddogs, at one time, they were spread across
Today,
African
at Sahara,
one time,
they were
every
grass
plainWilddogs,
south of the
as opposed
to spread
now, where
across
every
grass
plain
south
of
the
Sahara,
as
opposed
they are only found in a small part of Africa such as Kenya,
to now, where
they
are only Zambia,
found inand
a small
Botswana,
Tanzania,
Zimbabwe,
at the part
Southof
Africa
such
as
Kenya,
Botswana,
Tanzania,
Zimbabwe,
African Kruger National Park.
Zambia, and at the South African Kruger National Park.
It is estimated that there are only 600 to a 1000 individual packs
It is estimated that there are only 600 to a 1000
left.
individual packs left.
Range Map
Source:www.theani
malfiles.com
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