Dogs in nature there are both domestic and wild.Predatory representatives of this genus are the African Wild Dog.They are called in another way: Hyenas, African wild.The name comes from the Greek word «Lycaon», which translated sounds like a "wolf" and the Latin - «pictus», which means "motley".If you look at pictures of these animals, we immediately understand why they are so named.This predator sizes resembles a wolf and a close relative of the red wolf.Coat color is extremely colorful, it seems as if the nature of his invisible brush ponastavili the beast spots of different colors and different sizes.Very resemble each other not only in name but also in appearance hyena and African Wild Dog.Unlike small is, what kind of, you can find out by reading the description of this amazing spotted the beast.Additionally, this article describes how to live these amazing animals in the wild.
African Wild Dog: description
different bat-eared fox slender, powerfully built body.The legs are long and strong predator, no wonder people say that the legs feed the wolf, because this animal is also of this type.The tail is long and bushy.The front paws have only four fingers, is what distinguishes animals from other dogs, but not from the hyena, which is also on the four fingers.
big head like a dog.The muzzle is broad, blunt nose with long channels.Powerful jaws with sharp teeth.Due to the large wide oval ears that are almost not covered with hair, African dogs are very reminiscent of hyenas.
African Wild Dog fur is short and rough and so rare that you can see the black leather seats.Colour six unusually colorful and bright, it joined in disarray black, white and yellow-brown color.A similar pattern in several predators can only be at the back and head.For the rest, it is impossible to find exactly the same animals.Each individual is colored differently.
adult body length of 75-105 cm bat-eared fox, but there are many more animals and 1.4 - 1.5 meters in length, forty centimeters accounted for the tail.Height is 70-80 cm. The male is larger females, but otherwise they are similar in almost everything.Weight depends on how the animal is fed, sated or whether it always goes with an empty stomach for food.African Wild Dog can in one sitting to eat a piece of meat weighing 9-10 kg.
Areal
African Wild Dog live in Africa, the Sahara, and from sea level to the upper limits of the forest in the mountains.In the last area of the African dogs spread from Algeria and Sudan to the southern border of the continent.Nowadays, it has become a mosaic, covering national parks and places that are not even touched the man's hand.
Habitats Cape hunting dogs:
• Transvaal.
• Namibia.
• Swaziland.
• Botswana.
• Zimbabwe.
• Tanzania.
• Mozambique.
Lifestyle
African Wild Dog are active in the daytime.They produce their own food, hunting in the morning and evening.Their prey, they rather see than the smell, so they need a good review in the daytime.
African dog runs well even on long distances can reach speeds of 55 km / h.If you have to jerk one non-durable, the speed reaches 65 km / h.
Almost every hunt these predators succeeds because of the fact that they do it all flock together, because they need to be fed every day, and the adult members of the pack with a dozen kids.In search of food dogs can go up to 15-20 kilometers.
In a natural environment under normal conditions of life of colorful animals can live 9-10 years.
Reproduction
The pack dominates all steam alpha male and alpha female.They lead and establish the laws, they also produce offspring.None of the female subordinate has no right to become a mother.If this happens, the puppies die from hunger or breaks the alpha female.
Home vapor formed once and for all life.When the female is ready for mating season the male at this time not for a moment did not leave her, no one else has the right to her even closer.
Pregnancy lasts an average of 70-75 days.Schenyatsya females in burrows, leading at once to the light from 2 to 20 kids.In captivity, the young always less at will, on average litter consists of 10-12 pups.They are born completely helpless, blind and deaf.In the third week open eyes, but out of the den when they begin to eat solid food.Mother stays with the children during the first month.At this time, the food is a father to them.Milk kids stop drinking at the age of five months.
younger generation guarding the whole flock.In 8-9 weeks, the puppies leave the burrow and start to get acquainted with the surrounding world.At the same time, their black and white coat color add a beautiful yellow color.
African Wild Dog: population size
It would seem that quite recently, these motley predators lived great flocks numbering a hundred or more goals.Today, African Wild Dog, whose population has declined sharply, no more going in groups of 20-30 animals.The reason for this was infectious diseases, human colonization of the usual habitat of animals and uncontrolled hunting.Now people come to their senses, and this unusually colored creation is listed in the Red Book labeled species which is on the verge of extinction.Now according to the calculations of researchers in nature, there are 500-1000 flocks with a total of dogs 3500-5500.
African Wild Dog and man
Uncontrolled shooting of African wild dogs can not explain the value of the animal, like a hunting trophy, or a large commercial value of these animals.Just in time the local people considered them very harmful animals, which destroyed livestock and were carriers of various infections.Nowadays the view of these dogs has changed for the better.They were treated with care, they are protected as one of the smallest large African predators.
Watching as the beast hunts colorful, it seems that he is bloodthirsty and cruel.This is quite true, but by observing their behavior in the pack, you can see that they can be caring and affectionate.If you take a puppy in the house, then it will rise quite homely African Wild Dog.Tame this wild beast is quite possible, but only from a small age.This animal is able to become a true loyal friend, just like regular home dog.
