The
African wild dog,
African hunting dog, or
African painted dog (
Lycaon pictus) is a
canid native to
Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest of its family in Africa, and the only member of the
genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from
Canis by its fewer toes and dentition, which is highly specialised for a
hypercarnivorous diet. It is classed as
endangered by the
IUCN, as it has disappeared from much of its original range. The current population has been estimated at roughly 39 subpopulations containing 6,600 adults, only 1,400 of which are fully grown. The decline of these populations is ongoing, due to habitat fragmentation, human persecution, and disease outbreaks.