Unique African wild dog pups (Lycaon pictus) :-
Lycaon pictus
is a canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded
areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape
hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or
ornate wolf.The scientific
name "Lycaon pictus" is derived from the Greek for "wolf"
and the Latin for "painted". It is the only canid species to lack
dewclaws on the forelimbs.
This is the
largest African canid and, behind only the gray wolf, is the world's second largest
extant wild canid. Adults typically weigh 18–36 kilograms (40–79 lb).[2][3] A
tall, lean animal, it stands about 75 cm (30 in) at the shoulder, with a head
and body length of 75–141 cm (30–56 in) plus a tail of 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18
in). Animals in southern Africa are generally larger than those in eastern or
western Africa.
There is
little sexual dimorphism, though judging by skeletal dimensions, males are
usually 3–7% larger. It has a dental formula of 3.1.4.23.1.4.3 for a total of
42 teeth. The premolars are relatively large compared with those of other
canids, allowing it to consume a large quantity of bone, much like the hyena.
The heel of the lower carnassial M1 is crested with a single cusp, which
enhances the shearing capacity of teeth and thus the speed at which prey can be
consumed. This feature is called trenchant heel and is shared with two other
canids: the Asian dhole and the South American bush dog.
The African
wild dog may reproduce at any time of year, although mating peaks between March
and June during the second half of the rainy season. The copulatory tie
characteristic of mating in most canids has been reported to be absent or very
brief (less than one minute) in the African wild dog, possibly an adaptation to
the prevalence of larger predators in its environment. Litters can contain 2–19
pups, though ~10 is the most common. The time between births is usually 12–14
months, though it can also be as short as 6 months if all of the previous young
die. The typical gestation period is approximately 70 days. Pups are usually
born in dens dug and abandoned by other animals, such as the Aardvark. Weaning
takes place at about 10 weeks. After 3 months, the pups leave the den and begin
to run with the pack. At the age of 8–11 months they can kill small prey, but
depend on the pack kills for most of their food. They do not become proficient
hunters until the age of 12–14 months. Wild dogs reach sexual maturity at the
age of 12–18 months.
Females will
disperse from their birth pack at 14–30 months of age and join other packs that
lack sexually mature females. Males typically do not leave the pack in which
they were born. This is unusual among social mammals, among which the core pack
tends to consist of related females. Among African wild dogs, females compete
for access to males that will help rear their offspring. In a typical pack,
males outnumber females by a factor of two to one, and only the dominant female
can usually rear pups. This atypical situation may have evolved to ensure that
packs do not over-extend themselves by attempting to rear too many litters at
the same time. The species is also unusual in that some members of the pack,
including males, may be left to guard the pups while the others, including the
mothers, join the hunting group. The practice of leaving adults behind to guard
the pups may decrease hunting efficiency in smaller packs.
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