Wild dog

(Lycaon pictus)

lion

Wild dogs are rarely seen in the Kruger National Park, partly because there are so few of them (between 250 and 350 in total) and partly because they are constantly on the move. They are most often seen in the south of the park, where impala numbers are very high. They live in packs of up to 40 or more, but are generally found in smaller family groups of five to 15 indiviuals.


Unique coat patterns:

Each wild dog has a unique coat pattern unlike any other dog.

pattern1 pattern2

 

Shoulder height:

60-75cm / 24-30in

Weight:

20-25kg / 45-55lbs

Social structure:

Live in very social packs with an alpha male and female


More wild dog facts:

Habitat:

Wild dogs depend mainly on sight when they hunt and they therefore tend to avoid very dense areas or areas with very long grass, where visibility is poor. They prefer more open areas and also tend to avoid areas with a high lion density. In Kruger, however, I have often found them in the vicinity of Skukuza (where it is relatively dense and where there are many lions), most likely due to the high impala density here...

Active:

Wild dogs run down their prey and don't need the cover of darkness to hunt. They are active during the day, in the early morning and late afternoon. They sometimes hunt on moonlit nights.

Food:

Wild dogs hunt in packs and generally take small to medium-sized antelopes. They hunt impalas, kudus and wildebeests, among other species.

Gestation:

69-73 days

Pups:

2-10 pups

Weaned:

As early as 5 weeks

Packs:

Wild dogs live in very social packs that may number 40 or more individuals. The largest pack I have seen in Kruger numbered 42! Smaller packs, however, are more common (5-15 individuals). Each pack has an alpha male and female. In good times the packs grow in size, only to decrease when times are tough.

In Kruger:

To learn more about how to find wild dogs in Kruger, check out the right-hand sidebar.



Back to main mammals page

How to find wild dogs in the Kruger National Park:

leopard

Stay at these camps:
Skukuza
Berg-en-Dal
Crocodile Bridge
Pretoriuskop

Drive these roads:
H11 tar road
S114 gravel road
S1 Doispane road
H4-2 tar road
H1-1 tar road

Top tips:
Search the roads in the immediate vicinity of Skukuza, especially the H11.

Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to find wild dogs.

Check out our predators gallery:predators gallery



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