WILD DOG

OTHER NAMES

African Wild Dog, Cape Hunting Dog,

Painted Hunting Dog

DESCRIPTION

Shoulder Height

•

0.6 - 0.8 m

Weight

•

20 - 30kg with males very slightly

larger than females

WILD DOG

Lycaon pictus

Key identification features

The African Wild Dog is a lean, long-legged dog. The head

is large, with a heavy muzzle and powerful jaws. The coat is

blotched with black, white and tan, each individual with a

unique pattern. Ears are upright, large and rounded; the tail

is bushy with a white tip. It has four toes on each foot, with

no dew claws.

ECOLOGY

Diet

The African Wild Dog is

the most carnivorous of all

canids (members of the

canidae, the ‘dog’ family).

They feed on a wide range of

mammals ranging in size

from Steenbok to adult Blue

Wildebeest and zebra. They

hunt by cooperating closely

in a group, allowing them to

hunt prey much larger than

themselves.

Medium-sized ungulates (25-

90 kg) form the most important

prey for Wild Dogs. Rodents,

hares, small carnivores and

birds (including Ostrich) have

also been recorded in their diet.

This species is highly social, living in packs

that are very variable in size, but averaging 10

to 15 adults and sub adults. Usually only the

dominant female will successfully raise a litter

and births may take place throughout the year,

although they are most common between

March and June. Litter size is the largest of any

canid, averaging ten pups, which remain at the

den for around three months. Outside of the

breeding season, Wild Dogs cover vast home

ranges. They are primarily crepuscular, with

most hunting taking place during the cooler

morning and late afternoon hours.

Wild Dogs are very vocal and have a wide

range of calls, including the unmistakable

long-range “hoo” call which is used to unite

pack members after they are separated in the

hunt.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Wild Dogs were once distributed

throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with the

exception of forests and extreme deserts.

Today Wild Dogs have disappeared from

much of their former range; virtually

eradicated from West Africa, greatly

reduced in central Africa and north-east

Africa. The largest populations remain in

southern Africa and the southern part of

East Africa. Their current distribution is very

fragmented.

Population densities in well-studied

areas suggest that approximately 5,500

free-ranging Wild Dogs remain in Africa,

with numbers currently stable. Fewer

than 450 individuals survive in South

Africa with numbers increasing due to

conservation efforts to expand their range.

WHY ARE WILD DOGS THREATENED?

In South Africa, the Wild Dog is listed as

Endangered due to ongoing threats, conflict with

human activities and because the population

is estimated to number fewer than 250 mature

individuals. Wild Dogs need large home

ranges, therefore habitat fragmentation has led to

population declines. Also Wild Dogs have a

mistaken reputation for attacking livestock, and

therefore are often persecuted by humans.

Recently, road accidents and incidental

snaring have become major threats to this species.

They are also threatened by infectious diseases,

especially canine distemper and rabies.

WHAT IS THE EWT DOING TO CONSERVE THE

WILD DOG?

The African Wild Dog is the flagship species of the

EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Programme (EWT-

CCP). Conservation activities have included long-

term monitoring in the Kruger National Park, as

well as a proactive reintroduction programme to

establish a managed metapopulation in medium-

sized reserves throughout South Africa. The EWT

recently launched the ‘Kruger Rare Carnivore

Program’, which works to investigate threats to

Wild Dogs and factors affecting their numbers and

movement in the Greater Kruger ecosystem.

The KZN Wild Dog project, launched in 2006,

aims to expand the range of Wild Dogs through

northern KZN through identification of

appropriate land and linkages, incorporation of

these into Wild Dog spatial range, and the fostering

of supportive farming and rural communities. The

EWT is also developing a Biodiversity Management

Plan for Cheetahs and Wild Dogs, which will be

incorporated into legislation.

ENDANGERED CAT TIGER

The tiger is the largest member of the felid (cat) family. They sport long, thick reddish coats with white bellies and white and black tails. Their heads, bodies, tails and limbs have narrow black, brown or gray stripes. There were once nine subspecies of tigers: Bengal, Siberian, Indochinese, South Chinese, Sumatran, Malayan, Caspian, Javan and Bali. Of these, the last three are extinct, one is extinct in the wild, and the rest are endangered.

Diet

Tigers mainly eat ambar deer, wild pigs, water buffalo and antelope. Tigers are also known to hunt sloth bears, dogs, leopards, crocodiles and pythons as well as monkeys and hares. Old and injured tigers have been known to attack humans and domestic cattle.

Population

In the early 1900s, there were around 100,000 tigers throughout their range. Today, an estimated total of around 3,000-4,500 exist in the wild. Below is a breakdown of tiger numbers by subspecies.
Bengal tiger: Less than 2,000
Indochinese tiger: 750-1,300
Siberian tiger: Around 450
Sumatran tiger: 400-500
Malayan tiger: 600-800
South Chinese tiger: Extinct in the wild
Caspian tiger: Extinct
Javan tiger: Extinct
Bali tiger: Extinct

Range

Historic tiger range ran from Turkey through South and Southeast Asia to the far eastern shores of the continent. Today, they are only found in South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian Far East.

Behavior

Tigers occupy a variety of habitats from tropical forests, evergreen forests, woodlands and mangrove swamps to grasslands, savannah and rocky country. They are mostly nocturnal (more active at night) and are ambush predators that rely on the camouflage their stripes provide. Tigers use their body weight to knock prey to the ground and kills with a bite to the neck. They are also very good swimmers and have been known to kill prey while swimming.
Tigers essentially live solitary lives, except during mating season and when females bear young. They are usually fiercely territorial and have and mark their large home ranges.

Reproduction

Mating Season: In tropical climates, mostly from around November to April; during the winter months in temperate regions.
Gestation: 103 days.
Litter size: 3-4 cubs.
Cubs follow their mother out of the den at around 8 weeks and become independent at around 18 months of age. They leave their mothers at about 2 ½ years. Mothers guard their young from wandering males that may kill the cubs to make the female receptive to mating.

SCORPIONS DEADLIEST INSECT

Scorpions

Scorpions are arachnids, close relatives of

ticks, mites and spiders. They are easily rec

-

ognized by their characteristic shape. Scor

-

pions prefer dry habitats but occur throughout Texas.

They can be a nuisance when they interact with

humans because they will sting when disturbed.

Description

A scorpion’s body becomes more slender toward

the end and has a five-segmented tail that can be

arched over the back. On the end of the tail is a bulb-

like poison gland or stinger. Scorpions have four

pairs of legs and two large, pincer-bearing arms

(pedipalps) in front. Scorpions are well-equipped to

defend themselves or attack prey with their pincers

and stinger. Between the last pairs of legs are comb-

like structures called the pectines, which are sensory

organs used to sense surface textures and detect prey.

Scorpions have two eyes on the top of the head

and usually two to five pairs of eyes along the front

corners of the head. They do not see well, however,

and must rely on the sense of touch, using their pec

-

tines and other organs for navigation and detecting

prey. They have a well-developed sense of hearing.

Worldwide, scorpions range in size from ½ inch to

7 ¼ inches long (including the tail), depending on

the species.

The most common species in Texas is the

striped bark scorpion,

Centruroides vittatus

(Fig.

1). Adults are about 2 ½ inches long. Striped bark

scorpions are yellowish tan with two broad, dark

stripes running the length of the back and a dark

triangular mark on the front of the head above

the eyes. Populations in the Big Bend area may be

only faintly marked or completely pale. Immature

striped bark scorpions may be lighter in color. In

young scorpions, the base of the pedipalps and the

last segment behind the abdomen are dark brown

or black. This species can be identified easily by its

slender pedipalps (pincer-bearing arms) and long,

slender tail. The tail is longer on males than females.

Figure 1. Striped bark scorpion.

2

Biology

Scorpions are nocturnal, hiding during the

day and becoming active at night. This behavior

helps them manage temperature and water bal

-

ance, which are important functions for survival

in dry habitats. Many species dig burrows in the

soil. Their bodies are flat, which allows them to

hide in small cracks and under stones, bark, wood,

or other objects on the ground. From these hiding

places they wait or search for prey. Chief foods are

small insects, spiders, centipedes, earthworms,

and other scorpions. Once they capture their prey,

they use their large pincers to crush and draw it

toward the mouth so the prey’s body juices can be

ingested.

Some scorpion species may live for 20 to 25

years, but the typical life span is 3 to 8 years.

Adult scorpions may have several broods of

young. Following an elaborate mating process that

lasts 24 to 36 hours, the female undergoes a gesta

-

tion period ranging from 5 months to more than

1 year. The young are born alive in semitranspar

-

ent sacs. As soon as the young scorpions free them

-

selves from these thin wrappers, they climb onto

their mother’s back (Fig. 2).

The striped bark scorpion mates in the fall,

spring or early summer and the gestation period

lasts about 8 months. Females usually give birth to

13 to 47 young, with an average of 31. The imma

-

ture scorpions molt 3 to 7 days after birth and

remain on the mother for another 3 to 7 days.

There are five or six molts to maturity. A striped

bark scorpion lives for approximately 4 years.

Taxonomic Status

About 90 species of scorpions have been iden

-

tified in the United States. Texas has 18 species,

but only one, the striped bark scorpion, occurs

throughout the state. It is the only species of scor

-

pion found in the eastern part of Texas, whereas

two species have been recorded near Austin, four

near Amarillo, three near Abilene, five near Fort

Stockton, eight in the Fort Davis region, eight near

Langtry, and 14 in Big Bend National Park.

Habitat

Scorpions are found in many types of habi

-

tats, including desert flats, sand dunes, desert and

mesic mountains, grasslands, pine forests, decidu

-

ous forests, and chaparral. Species are most diverse

in desert areas.

The striped bark scorpion can be found indoors

or outdoors in a wide variety of habitats. It is often

found under rocks or boards and in debris. Striped

bark scorpions are active foragers that do not burrow

and are distinctly associated with dead vegetation,

fallen logs, and human dwellings. It is common for

this scorpion to climb trees and walls, and they often

are found in the attics of homes. During periods of

hot weather, scorpions may move into living areas to

escape the high temperatures in attics.

Scorpion Stings

The sting of a scorpion may be painful or even

deadly, depending on the species. Of the 1,500 spe

-

cies of scorpions worldwide, only about 20 to 25

are regarded as dangerous. A scorpion’s venom is a

mixture of compounds, including neurotoxins that

affect the victim’s nervous system. Stings from dan

-

gerous species may cause paralysis, severe convul

-

sions, cardiac irregularities, breathing difficulties,

and even death. Antivenins are available in areas

where dangerous scorpions live.

Figure 2. Female scorpion carrying babies on her back.

Already capable of stinging, the young scorpi

-

ons leave the mother after about 2 weeks and begin

to fend for themselves. Scorpions reach maturity in

a year or so, depending on the availability of food.

3

The stings from Texas scorpions produce only

moderate reactions in most people because the

poison has little effect on the nervous system. Sever

-

ity of the sting is dependent upon the individual

scorpion and the person’s reaction to the venom. A

person who is stung by a scorpion should be watched

closely for adverse reactions. As with any arthropod

venom, allergic reactions are possible. An ice pack

applied to the affected area will relieve some pain. If

swelling and/or pain persists or if breathing difficul

-

ties occur, immediate medical attention is necessary.

Scorpions as Pets

Scorpions have been kept as pets, but this prac

-

tice is generally discouraged. Scorpions should

never be kept indoors or around small children.

Scorpions with even relatively low poison levels can

produce fatal reactions in young children and also

in adults allergic to the toxin.

Management

Scorpions are difficult to control with insecti

-

cides alone. Therefore, the first control strategy is

to modify the area surrounding a structure.

•

Remove all trash, logs, boards, stones, bricks

and other objects from around the structure.

•

Keep grass closely mowed near the structure.

Prune bushes and overhanging tree branches

away from the structure. Tree branches can

give scorpions a path to the roof.

•

Store garbage containers in a frame that

keeps them above ground level.

•

Never bring firewood inside the structure

unless it is placed directly on the fire.

•

Install weather-stripping around loose-fit

-

ting doors and windows.

•

Plug weep holes in stone or brick veneer

structures with steel wool, copper mesh,

pieces of nylon scouring pad, or small

squares of screen wire. (Steel wool will rust

when wet, so it should be used only on dark-

colored facades.)

•

Use sealant around roof eaves, pipes, and

any other cracks into the structure.

•

Keep window screens in good repair. Make

sure they fit tightly in the window frame.

Naturally derived pesticides for managing scor

-

pions include active ingredients such as rosemary oil,

cinnamon oil, clove oil, thyme oil, peppermint oil,

and pyrethrum. Naturally derived products gener

-

ally degrade more quickly than synthetic pesticides

so they may not provide a long residual control.

Synthetic pesticides for scorpion control may

contain active ingredients such as permethrin, cyflu

-

thrin, cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, delta

-

methrin, propoxur, carbaryl or bifenthrin. Look for

products containing these active ingredients or con

-

sult a pest control operator.

Apply pesticides around the foundation of the

house and up to 1 foot above ground level on the

exterior walls. Also apply pesticides around doors,

window eaves, and other potential points of entry.

Indoor treatments should be directed at potential

points of entry, corners, cracks, and crevices where

scorpions hide. Follow directions on the package

for dosage, mixing, and application methods.

Tips for Professionals

•

Wettable powder formulations of perimeter

sprays provide better residual control for

crawling pests because they leave an even

film of powder along the foundation after the

concrete has absorbed the water.

•

When using pyrethroids or other insecti

-

cides labeled for scorpion control, be sure to

use the highest permissible label rate.