African wild dog
- Also called:
- Cape hunting dog, African hunting dog, or hyena dog
African wild dog, (Lycaon pictus), wild African carnivore that differs from the rest of the members of the dog family (Canidae) in having only four toes on each foot. Its coat is short, sparse, and irregularly blotched with yellow, black, and white. The African wild dog is about 76–102 cm (30–41 inches) long, exclusive of its 31–41-cm tail, stands about 60 cm (24 inches) tall at the shoulder, and weighs about 16–23 kg (35–50 pounds).
The African wild dog is long-limbed with a broad flat head, a short muzzle, and large erect ears. It hunts in packs of 15 to 60 or more and is found in parts of Africa south and east of the Sahara, particularly in grasslands. It usually preys on antelopes and some larger game but has been hunted in settled regions for the damage it sometimes does to domestic livestock. The average number of young per litter appears to be about six; gestation periods of about 60 and 80 days have been noted. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies the African wild dog as endangered.