African Painted Dogs and Spotted Hyena

The National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra, Australia, has six African Painted Dogs (Lycaon pictus) native to Sub-Saharan Africa. They are all brothers, and their names are Chobe, Swazi, Togo, Mali, Maputo, and Malawi.

No two dogs have the same patterned coat, which is designed to confuse their predators.

The African Painted Dogs are an endangered species of canids. They are usually found in social packs of up to 27 dogs. Only the dominant male and female in the pack breed, having on average 10 pups per litter, which the entire pack looks after. The rest of the pack will regurgitate their food to feed the young pups.

The Zoo also has two male hyenas called Pinduli and Zuberi. The Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) usually lives in large groups, up to 90, where the females are the dominant members. They are carnivorous (meat eaters) and can scavenge for their food – stealing meat from other animals that have recently killed an animal. However they kill about 95% of the animals they eat, so they don’t scavenge for all their food – only some.

Pinduli and Zuberi in the photographs were viewed from the Jamala Wildlife Lodge, which is a luxurious hotel in the grounds of the National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra.

MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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