Like\u00a0wolves and dogs, African wild dogs do belong to the Canidae family. However, grey wolves, coyotes, dogs and jackals are all in the\u00a0Canis<\/em>\u00a0genus, whereas African wild dogs are the only extant (living) species in the\u00a0Lycaeon<\/em>\u00a0genus.<\/p>\n Previous studies have grouped wild dogs with dholes and bush dogs. However, research has shown that morphological similarities among these species are no longer considered to show common ancestry between the species.<\/p>\n African wild dogs are now considered close to the base of the wolf-like canids.<\/p>\n African wild dogs are known by a number of common English names including African hunting dogs, Cape hunting dogs, painted dogs, and painted wolfs.<\/p>\n Though African wild dog is the most widely used name, the\u00a0BBC’s\u00a0Dynasties<\/em>\u00a0series referred to them as painted wolves and after its release, some organisations have changed how they refer to species.<\/p>\n The average size of an African wild dog is roughly between 75cm \u2013 110cm. When compared to members of the\u00a0Canis\u00a0<\/em>genus, the African wild dog is comparatively lean and tall, with outsized ears and lacking dewclaws. Unlike other dogs, wild dogs have four toes instead of five.<\/p>\n On average, African wild dogs live for 7 years. In captivity, they can live up to 13 years.<\/p>\n African wild dogs are found in a number of sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.<\/p>\nWhy are African hunting dogs known by so many different names?<\/h2>\n
How big are African wild dogs?<\/h2>\n
How long do African wild dogs live for?<\/h2>\n
Where do African wild dogs live?<\/h2>\n