The African Wild Dog also called as the hunting dog, is a vanishing species in the East Africa. They belong to the Lycaon pictus species found in savannas and lightly wooded areas. Field studies have shown that the wild dog is a highly intelligent and social animal. Like most predators, they play an important role in eliminating sick and weak animals, thereby helping maintain the natural balance and ultimately improving prey species. They commonly known as a cruel butcher replaced little by little with a less harsh image.
These breeds have similar size and shape of a medium-large domestic dogs, however only distantly related to other canis. They have a mottled coloring and large round ears that make them unmistakable. Their muzzle is black and the forehead has a black line in the middle. Their large head resembles that of a hyena. They have a long and slender legs with a tail that has a white plume at the tip, and their feet have only four toes and no dewclaws.
The African Wild Dog is listed by the IUCN as threatened by extinction. They are nearly as endangered as the black rhino and they are still persecuted by farmers and hunters. Fewer than 5,000 dogs remain and because they need vast home ranges, it makes conservation difficult.
