Wild Dogs at Dawn

Description

Wild Dogs at Dawn

By Marc Alexander from his ‘In The Balance‘ series. Wild Dogs at Dawn, oil and gold leaf on canvas, 80cm by 140cm, (2015).

Wild Dogs at Dawn

The endangered wild dogs has an estimated population of 3 000 to 5 000. The wild dog is one of the world’s most endangered mammals. The largest populations remain in southern Africa and the southern part of East Africa (especially Tanzania and northern Mozambique). Wild dogs are social and gather in packs of around ten individuals, but some packs number more than 40. They are predators that like to hunt in packs. In a sprint, African wild dogs can reach speeds of more than 70 km per hour. Major threats to the survival of wild dogs include killings by humans, viral diseases like rabies and distemper, habitat loss and competition with larger predators like lions.