The most successful hunter in Africa isn't a lion or some other big cat. It's a dog that's about the size of a golden retriever. The African wild dog nails its prey about nine out of ten times. These dogs run in packs, attacking victims from different angles and leaving no way to escape. This wild dog is an endurance champ. It's able to chase grazing animals for long distances until the victims tire and become an easy kill for the hungry pack.
Long Distance Runner: Instead of sprinting after victims like many African predators, the wild dog singles out a victim and begins a long-distance chase. The dog wears down its prey by maintaining a speed of 30 miles per hour for up to 3.5 miles.
Doggy Sense: Like most canines, the African wild dog has a great nose that helps it sniff out prey. Though its ears are huge, it has only average hearing-the ear surface helps the animal release body heat in the sweltering African climate.
Africa's Best[]
These dogs feast on a carcass and carry food back to their pack.
African wild dogs hunt herding animals-such as gazelles and wildebeest-and almost always succeed because the pack works together. The dogs charge a herd from different directions to isolate one member, cutting off all its escape routes. After a long chase, one dog holds the victim's tail in its jaws while the other runs around to grab it by the lip. The victim is helpless as the other dogs attack its body. These African hunting dogs catch a victim 70-90% of the time-that's a higher success rate than any other predator on the continent!
Whose the Boss? Unlike most mammal groups, a pack of these beasts is led by a female. Packs have anywhere from 5 to 100 members, and are highly social; they run, play and lick each other's faces to show their friendship.
Barf Bag: African wild dogs share their kills with young, elderly and other members of the pack that weren't in on the hunt. They bring meat back in their stomach and regurgitate (vomit) it whole so those who stayed behind can eat.
Above Average[]
- After sniffing out a herd of oxen, a pack of African wild dogs runs at the prey to make them panic. One dog comes from the opposite direction to trap a victim.
- The dogs successfully isolate an ox and steer it away from the herd. The predators chase the bulky animal for 45 minutes to tire it out.
- When the ox is worn down, two dogs grab it by each end so it can't escape. The rest of the pack rips chunks out of its body, completing the kill.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The image of the African wild dogs around the dead wildebeest, and the illustrations for "Above Average" are used for the Wildlife Explorer cards as well. The latter is named "Powerpack", and has a bonus second image of the dogs cutting one of the oxen away from the others.
- The African wild dog is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- It is first featured in Savage Serengeti on Monster Mania 92.
- It is then featured in Animal All-Stars on Monster Mania 106.