Often overshadowed by lions, leopards and hyenas, the African wild dog is one of the continent’s most extraordinary predators. With its striking patchwork coat, oversized ears and remarkable teamwork, this endangered hunter boasts one of the highest success rates of any large carnivore on Earth Are African wild dogs wolves or dogs? African wild dogs […]
Tag: Canids
It might be called a fox, look like a fox and act like a fox – but don’t be fooled, this is no fox
South America’s most abundant wild canid belongs to the genus Lycalopex, also known as ‘false foxes‘. Widespread and resourceful, it slips though the grasslands, scrub and farmland of the Southern Cone, feeding on whatever the season provides. Unfortunately, its appetite for livestock, including poultry and lambs, means its presence has not always been welcomed by its […]
“It has a reputation for cunning, opportunism and haunting twilight calls…” Does this wild dog really deserve its bad reputation?
Jackals are members of the canid family with a reputation for cunning, opportunism and haunting twilight calls. Found across parts of Africa, Europe and Asia, they can occupy a range of ecological niches, hunting, scavenging and foraging on whatever is available. Long overshadowed by their showier cousins, such as wolves and wild dogs, these highly adaptable […]
“Each family display loyalty, courage and generosity” – These wild dogs might be branded villains, but what I found in the savannah completely changed my mind
The gritty 1973 thriller about an assassin plotting to murder the French president has much to answer for. Almost 40 years on, The Day of the Jackal continues to cast a long shadow over the lives of the wonderful animals that gave the film’s villain his codename. The word ‘jackal’ still invokes images of scavengers […]