The characteristics and consequences of African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) den site selection

AbstractThe civil unrest that ravaged Angola for nearly 30 years took a heavy toll on the country's wildlife, and led to a lengthy absence of reliable information for many threatened species, including the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus and African wild dog Lycaon pictus. Using camera trapping we assessed the status of these two species in two areas of southern Angola, and complemented our findings by reviewing recent survey reports and observations to provide an update on the species' status. We found unequivocal evidence that African wild dogs are resident and reproducing in Bicuar National Park, where cheetahs appear to be absent. Conversely, cheetahs may be resident in western Cuando Cubango province, where African wild dogs may only be transient. Based on these and other recent records in Angola, we recommend a revision of these species' distribution ranges and note the need for monitoring of these remnant populations and for appropriate attention to any threats.

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Anti-predator behaviour of kudu and impala in response to mimicked African wild dog presence: do age and sex matter?

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-00003275 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 152 (9) ◽

pp. 1209-1228 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Esther van der Meer ◽

Hervé Fritz ◽

Olivier Pays

Keyword(s):

Predation Risk ◽

Lycaon Pictus ◽

High Quality ◽

Vigilance Behaviour ◽

African Wild Dog ◽

African Wild Dogs ◽

Tragelaphus Strepsiceros ◽

Wild Dog ◽

Wild Dogs ◽

Aepyceros Melampus

Predators not only prey upon certain prey species, but also on certain age–sex classes within species. Predation risk and an individual’s response to this risk might therefore vary with an individual’s characteristics. We examined the proportion of time different age–sex classes of kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and impala (Aepyceros melampus) spent high quality vigilant (costly vigilance that detracts from all other activities) in response to mimicked predation risk by African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus). For both species predation risk was the main factor determining the investment in high quality vigilance behaviour. Age–sex class-specific responses were not related to age–sex class specific lethality risk presented by African wild dogs. For impala, regardless of predation risk, age seemed to have some effect on the investment in high quality vigilance with sub-adult impala spending more time high quality vigilant than adult impala, which is possibly why African wild dogs predominantly preyed upon adult impala.

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The wild dog—Africa's vanishing carnivore

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605300034165 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 137-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

John H. Fanshawe ◽

Lory H. Frame ◽

Joshua R. Ginsberg

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Current Status ◽

Lycaon Pictus ◽

Term Survival ◽

African Wild Dog ◽

The Status ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Wild Dog

This paper presents a synopsis of the current status and distribution of the African wild dog Lycaon pictus, outlines reasons for its decline and discusses recommendations to halt or reverse this decline. A recent review of the status of the species provides evidence that it has disappeared or is in decline throughout its range (sub-Saharan Africa). Relict populations with little or no chance of long-term survival are found in several countries including Algeria and Senegal. Countries believed to contain potentially viable populations are, from north to south, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa (only the Kruger National Park).

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