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African Wild Dog | African Hunting Dog

The African Wild Dog or African Hunting dog is a beautiful animal. Sadly now endangered, there are only a few thousand of these animals left. Learn all about the African Wild Dog.

Lycaon Pictus the Painted Dog

The Dog with Many Names

The African Wild Dog is a creature of many names. He's also known as an African Hunting Dog. My older son loves these dogs and has a toy one that had to be called African Wild Hunting Dog in full for a long time, now he's just African, which is much shorter!

The Latin name Lycaon Pictus means painted wolf and Painted Dog is another common name - just take a look at one of the pictures on this page to see why. The mix of black, white and tan on these dogs is very pretty. He's also known as the Cape Hunting Dog.

Wow that's a lot of names for one dog!

African Wild Dogs Eating Meat

African Wild Hunting Dogs are Endangered

Unfortunately, African Wild Hunting Dogs are endangered. Theses animals live only in Africa and there are only a few thousand of them left.

Conservationists are working to save them. And many zoos around the world keep African Wild Dogs as part of the effort to save the species. The African Wild Dog is one of my son's favorite animals. He chose a toy one at a zoo gift shop (they didn't have wild dogs at that zoo) and it became one of his favorite toys. He wanted to see real Painted Dogs.

We found a zoo not too far away where we could visit a pack. We stayed overnight and visited two days in a row. Each day we went to watch the dogs being fed - he loves carnivores. My son was fascinated as they searched for and then devoured their meat. He asked the keeper what the meat was, it was horse. (See photo above.)

We donated money to the conservation effort. There may only be 3500 of these creatures left and they are spread out in various locations across Africa. I do hope these animals don't become extinct in my son's lifetime.

African Wild Dog Poster

African Wild Dog 1932

African Wild Dog Book

In Search of the African Wild Dog
Jonathan Ball Publishing
$714.56

How Can You Help the African Wild Dogs?

African Wild Dog Conservation Charities

Painted Dog Conservation

The Predator Conservation Trust

African Wild Dog Conservancy

African Wildlife Foundation | African Wild Dog

African Wild Dog Video

Learn more about African Hunting Dogs

WILD DOG- Amazing Predator

More Photos of African Hunting Dogs

These dogs are very distinctive with their colored patches and big rounded ears. When we were watching them at the zoo, two girls came along next to my younger son, then 2.5 and said look at those Hyenas. He turned to them and said, "they aren't Hynenas (not a typo!), they are African Wild Hunting Dogs."

Let's take a look at some gorgeous pictures of Painted Dogs. Definitely not hyenas!

I want to color an African Hunting Dog

My son asked for an African Hunting Dog to color in. He wanted one where he could color the patches himself. Here are our favorites.

African Wild Dog Coloring Pages

African Wild Dog Coloring Page
My son liked this painted dog coloring page because he could color in the patches himself.

African Wild Dog with Facts Coloring Page
An excellent educational African Wild Dog coloring page by Nick Upton.

African Wild Dog Toys

African Wild Dog Toys
African Wild Dog Toy figures and cuddly plush wild dogs.

Lycaon Pictus

On wikipedia

Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and other lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African Wild Dog, African Hunting Dog, Cape Hunting Dog, Painted Dog, Painted Wolf, Painted Hunting ...

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Updated March 17, 2012

I Hope you Enjoyed the African Wild Dogs

CaceJun 14, 2011

Very well put WordCustard!
Such a beautiful animal. This article is so informative, I love that you have included ways to help.

WordCustardJun 11, 2011

Thanks for introducing me to the African Wild Dog, it's so sad that while people breed ever more exotic dogs and cats (often with resulting health problems) their wild counterparts who have evolved perfectly in tune with their environment are being driven to extinction.