How efficient are African wild dogs at hunting?

Extremely efficient for a large predator: often more than 60%, and sometimes up to 90%, of their chases end in a successful kill.

Why are African wild dogs endangered?

Habitat fragmentation, conflict with humans, and disease outbreaks have driven their decline. Only about 6,600 adults remain across 39 subpopulations.

How fast can an African wild dog run?

They can chase prey at speeds of up to 66 km/h (about 41 mph) over long distances.

African Wild Dogリカオン

Lycaon pictusEN— Endangered

The African wild dog is a highly social pack hunter of the African savanna, known for its mottled coat and large, round ears. Packs cooperatively chase down medium-sized antelope at speeds up to 66 km/h, achieving kill rates that outperform most other large predators. Habitat fragmentation, human persecution, and disease outbreaks have reduced the population to roughly 6,600 adults, and the species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

African Wild Dog (reference photo) — Photo: Michael Gäbler / CC BY 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Carnivora / Canidae Source
Size: Head-body length 76–112 cm, shoulder height 60–78 cm
Weight: About 17–36 kg
Lifespan: Wild: about 10–12 years
Diet: Carnivore Carnivorous, preying mainly on medium ungulates weighing about 15–150 kg, with a preference for Thomson's gazelle, impala, and kudu
Activity: Mainly crepuscular; hunts by chasing prey over long distances at 45–66 km/h
Distribution: African wild dogs are found mainly in Southern, Eastern, and Central Africa, including Angola, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. They are largely extirpated from North and West Africa. Source
Sources: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

Cooperative pack hunting makes the African wild dog remarkably efficient, with often more than 60%—sometimes up to 90%—of chases ending in a kill. Source
African wild dogs appear to use a 'sneeze voting' system to decide when to set off on a hunt, with sneezes from dominant individuals more likely to trigger a quick departure. Source
Pups get first access to a kill, a feeding priority that helps reinforce cohesion within the pack. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 3

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Endangered (EN)

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

How efficient are African wild dogs at hunting?: Extremely efficient for a large predator: often more than 60%, and sometimes up to 90%, of their chases end in a successful kill. Source
Why are African wild dogs endangered?: Habitat fragmentation, conflict with humans, and disease outbreaks have driven their decline. Only about 6,600 adults remain across 39 subpopulations. Source
How fast can an African wild dog run?: They can chase prey at speeds of up to 66 km/h (about 41 mph) over long distances. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?: Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 3 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org