Lycaon pictus

African wild dogs are critically endangered. These nomadic hunters are  facing extinction in the wild, having been heavily persecuted by humans and are now confined to a few national parks in central and southern Africa. Their scientific name means 'painted wolf' in homage to their unusual coat colouration.

They are the only Dogs to have only 4 toes on the front foot. Also unique is their pack structure - mostly related males and a female from a different lineage.  A female can have up to as many as 16 pups in a litter. Wild dogs are the only predators that allow their young to feed on a kill before the adults. Adults will also return to regurgitate meat for members of the pack who remain behind caring for pups.