The African wild dog can be found in the Sahara Desert right down to South Africa. They roam in the desert, grasslands and even snow covered areas.
The African wild dog is about 75 cm high at the shoulders. It is about 75-100 cm long and its tail, 30-40 cm has a white tip. It has a short, black-brown coat covered in white and yellow blotches. The dog’s muzzle is short and its ears are large.
These dogs do not have very keen eye. They see things mainly in shades of black, white and grey and can often miss an animal if it remains still.
Their sense of smell is truly amazing. They have far more sensory cells in the nose than a human.
The African wild dog has very good hearing. The large ears have 17 muscles which allow the ear to swirl and the rare pinpoints the slightest noise. Our ears can pick up sound at 20,000 vibrations a second. These dogs can pick up sounds at 35,000 vibrations a second.
Senadhi Anujana Agalawatta,
Grade 9,
St. Michael’s College,
Homagama.