This animal is known by a number of different names including African Wild Dog, Painted Hunting Dog, Cape Hunting Dog, Spotted Dog and Spotted Wolf. The English name ?painted dog? refer to the dogs? mottled coats that appear to be splashes of brown, red, black, yellow, tan and white. The patterns are unique to each dog though generally the fur on the head is dark and the tail tip white Once numbering around 500,000 and spread over 39 countries, with packs of 100 or more dogs fairly common. However, the Painted hunting dog is now critically endangered with a [population between 3,000 and 5,500 animals in as few as possibly 14 countries, they are now considered to be the second most endangered carnivore (after the Ethiopian wolf) in Africa. They are often shot and poisoned by game hunters and local livestock farmers. They also fall prey to cars, buses and trucks on the roads and suffer from diseases such as canine distemper and rabies. The dogs are also subject to habitat loss and fragmentation human encroachment. Group Structure Painted hunting dogs live in packs with a passive hierarchy, submission being emphasized rather than aggression. Separate hierarchies exist among male and female pack members; females are ranked and settle disputes, within their own sex, as do the males, with no influence of ranks from the opposite sex. The alpha female is in charge of all the females in the pack, and the alpha male is in charge of all the males it is usually only the alpha male and female who breed. These dogs are very social and once pups are above ground the whole pack will involve themselves in their feeding and upbringing, regurgitating food for pups and babysitters after a hunt. More unusually packs members have also been known to share food and to assist weak, ill and old members who are not able to hunt with the pack. Hunting The African Hunting Dog is a cursorial hunter meaning it will pursue its prey in a long open chase. They are incredibly efficient with almost 80% of hunts ending in a kill. The hunting dogs prey is usually medium sized antelope such as impala or similar sized animals but they can bring down much larger prey such as wildebeest, zebra and eland. Knowsley Safari Park is proud to be involved in the funding of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve Wild Dog Project which aims to establish a viable pack of wild dogs within the Limpopo Valley region.

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