The African wild dog is known by many names, including Cape hunting dog or painted dog. Its scientific name, Lycaon pictus, means “painted wolf,” referring to the animal's irregular, mottled coat, which features patches of red, black, brown, white, and yellow fur. Each animal has its own unique coat pattern, and all have big, rounded ears.

These long-legged canines have only four toes per foot, unlike other dogs, which have five toes on their forefeet.

Though they were once found throughout the continent—from desert to mountain habitats—African wild dogs have disappeared from most of their geographic range. These days, African wild dogs typically roam the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Their largest populations can be