African wild dog (Lycaon pictus).
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2025 global assessment of Lycaon pictus says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The African wild dog, or painted wolf, is a highly social, pack-hunting canid of sub-Saharan Africa. It is assessed as Endangered.
Packs cooperate closely to hunt and to raise pups, and they range over very large territories.
Range & habitat
Fragmented populations across sub-Saharan Africa, with strongholds in southern and eastern Africa.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- Conflict with livestock farmers
- Infectious disease and road deaths
Why it matters
As wide-ranging social predators, African wild dogs need large, connected landscapes, so their presence reflects room for wildlife to move.
Gallery
An African wild dog — Endangered across much of its range.
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for African Wild Dog
- IUCN Red List — look up African Wild Dog (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web