African wild dog Facts for Kids
Lycaon pictus · LY-kay-on PIK-tus
A long-legged, patchy-coated wild dog of the African savanna.
- 🏃 34 mph55 km/h1
- ⚖️ 40 to 79 lb18 to 36 kg1
- 📏 3.4 to 4.9 ft1.1 to 1.5 m1 long
- 🎂 10 to 11 years10 to 11 years1
- 🍽️ meat
- In danger (Endangered)
An African wild dog is a long-legged wild dog with a patchy coat. It lives on the savanna in southern Africa. It lives and travels with its family.
African wild dogs live in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. They eat mammals about twice their own weight, such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. They can run fast over a long chase.
The African wild dog is a wild dog with a patchy coat. It lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa, in places such as Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique. It eats mostly mammals, such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. It can reach a fast run when it chases food. In the wild, an African wild dog lives for about ten years.
How big is a African wild dog?
African wild dog in numbers
| Length | 3.4 to 4.9 ft1.1 to 1.5 m1body plus tail, added |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | no checked number yet |
| Weight | 40 to 79 lb18 to 36 kg1 |
| Top speed (running) | 34 mph55 km/h1up to; in a chase |
| How long it lives | 10 to 11 years10 to 11 years1average; in the wild |
| What it eats | mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra |
| Where it lives | grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa |
| What kind | Mammals |
| Is it in danger? | In danger (Endangered)2 |
A number we couldn’t find on a page we trust says so, instead of guessing.
Wow!
- An African wild dog can run fast in a chase.
- Its coat is a patchwork of colors.
- It lives on the savanna and in open woodland.
Compare the African wild dog
Friends and neighbours
Lion
Spotted hyena
Grévy's zebraThree questions
Books about the African wild dog, free at the library
Ask a grown-up to tap the button: it shows where to borrow a book about the African wild dog for free.
For teachers
Use this animal in class: its facts are on this page, and the cards print from it.
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Lycaon pictus (African wild dog), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, African wild dog (Q173651), checked 30 October 2026.