Page 28 - Dog

African and Asian dogs

There are many wild candis, aside from jackals (pp. 24–25)
and wolves (pp. 22–23), living in Africa and Asia. In Africa there is
the hunting dog (pp. 6–7) and the bat-eared fox (pp. 14–17) –
which is not really a fox and has teeth that are different from those
of all other wild dogs. In India and Southeast Asia there is the
SOUTHERN SOLITAIRE
The Cape fox of South dhole, or red dog, as well as the raccoon dog, which comes from eastern Asia
Africa is the most
southern of the true and Japan. All these wild dogs are social hunters. The Tibetan fox, from the high
foxes. It is a small mountains of Tibet, and the Bengal fox are true foxes (pp. 28–29) and are
solitary hunter
(pp. 18–19) with a solitary hunters (pp. 18–19) of small animals. Each of the many species of wild
silvery coat. The Cape dog that lives in Asia and Africa is a carnivore with a specialized way of life that
fox lives in dry places
and hunts at dusk. has evolved, or changed over many years. Each fills an ecological niche, or
well-defined place, among the plants and other animals in its environment.
Each wild dog or fox hunts its prey but is also hunted by Large,
other predators in its surroundings. In this way the rounded
ears
population of any one group of animals does not grow too
large, and the balance of nature is maintained.
Short, broad face
and muzzle

Thin but well-
muscled legs
A MOST SOCIABLE DOG
The African hunting dog is one of the most social
of all members of the dog family. However, it is not
a true dog, or canid (because it did not descend
from the wolf); it belongs in a group of its own, Unique coat Having only
the genus Lycaon. These dogs live in large family pattern is tan four toes on the
packs on grasslands and have an elaborate system and gray with front foot makes
of communication by means of body movements large white the hunting dog
and sounds. Hunting by day, they range over a blotches unique among
huge area in search of prey. They are vulnerable to White tuft at the dog family
disease and parasites, to other hungry carnivores the end of the
(such as lions), and to human hunters. short bushy tail
acts as a flag
Bat- African hunting dog
eared Very large ears, up to
fox 5 in (12 cm) long

Dark gray to black
on face mask and
muzzle
ENOUGH TEETH TWO-HEADED
The bat-eared fox FETISH
(pp. 16–17) has 46 to 50 This Konde, or dog-
teeth – compared to 42 in shaped medicine figure,
other species of canid. It from Bakongo in Zaire, Africa, is used by
Very long tail – up to feeds mostly on insects driving nails into its wooden body to activate
13 in (34 cm) in length but will also eat fruits. the magical healing forces within.

2
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.