African wild dogs prey on a range of species, but mostly medium-sized antelope including impala, greater kudu and Thomson’s gazelle. As a highly social species, they work as a pack to bring down prey. This pack hunting strategy allows them to tackle giants such as giraffe on occasion, and troops of baboons, seen in the 2018 BBC Dynasties documentary. At full sprint, African wild dogs can reach speeds of 44 miles per hour, equivalent to racehorses.
There are approximately 6,600 painted wolves left in the wild. However, since only alphas in the pack reproduce, the breeding population may be as low at 1,400. Kate Bowern BSc MSc, Wildlife Conservation Writer
