Please note that external videos may contain ads. But their hunting behaviour is in fact much more varied than that. How do African wild dogs hunt? By Dr Daniella RabaiottiĪfrican wild dogs are usually thought of as cooperative pack hunters that chase large prey for long distances across the open plains, tiring out their quarry before going in for the kill. © Theo Allofs/Getty What do African wild dogs eat?Īs a carnivorous pack predator, African wild dogs hunt in packs and will eat most mammals, including small rodents and larger mammals such as Antelope. African wild dogs are generalist predators, specialising in a range of habitats including short-grass plains, semi-desert, bushy savannas and upland forest areas.Īfrican wild dog running in Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana. These ungulate species include medium-sized antelopes such as impala, greater kudu, Thomson’s gazelle, nyala and common wildebeest. What will happen if African wild dogs goes extinct?Īmong other large African carnivores such as lions, hyenas, cheetahs and leopards, the species plays a vital role in the ecosystem by controlling ungulate species from causing habitat destruction and overfeeding. Range Wide Conservation Program for Cheetah & African Wild Dogs.

© Vicki Jauron/Babylon and Beyond Photography/Getty What is being done to save African wild dogs?įortunately, there is much hope as there are a load of organisations comprising of many passionate individuals striving to give the species a promising future. A pair of African wild dogs in Mana Pools in Zimbabwe.

Big wild dogs