File:African wild dog standing erect in grass - DPLA - c15495b01199b9d622b0e7dc22bd1e2a.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora; Family: Canidae; Genus: Lycaon; Genus species: Lycaon pictus. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 76-112 cm; Height: 75 cm; Weight: 18-36 kg; Identification: The African wild dog's coat has blotches of black, white, tan and brown. Its muzzle is black, and its ears are rounded. The wild dog has a tufted tail with a white tip; Habitat: Woodlands, savannas, grasslands, steppes; Diet: Carnivore: mid-sized mammals including wildebeest, impala, and gazelle; Reproduction: African wild dogs breed in the late rainy season. As many as 16 puppies are born after a gestation period of 69-72 days and emerge from the burrow one month later. Weaning is done at 14-15 weeks of age; Social Structure: A breeding pair is the center of pack behavior. Non-breeding adults help raise the puppies; Behavior: Prey is killed by running it until it tires and then snapping and tearing at its sides. Wild dogs usually hunt at dawn or dusk; Status: Endangered: loss of habitat, persecution from humans, diseases of domestic dog; Interesting Facts: Wild dogs have been spotted in the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro at over 18,000 feet.