The African wild dog, also called Cape hunting dog or painted dog,
typically roams the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan
Africa.
These long-legged canines have only four toes per foot,
unlike other dogs, which have five toes on their forefeet. The dog's
Latin name means "painted wolf," referring to the animal's irregular,
mottled coat, which features patches of red, black, brown, white, and
yellow fur. Each animal has its own unique coat pattern, and all have
big, rounded ears.
African wild dogs live in packs that are
usually dominated by a monogamous breeding pair. The female has a litter
of 2 to 20 pups, which are cared for by the entire pack. These dogs are
very social, and packs have been known to share food and to assist weak
or ill members. Social interactions are common, and the dogs
communicate by touch, actions, and vocalizations.
African wild
dogs hunt in formidable, cooperative packs of 6 to 20 (or more) animals.
Larger packs were more common before the dogs became endangered. Packs
hunt antelopes and will also tackle much larger prey, such as
wildebeests, particularly if their quarry is ill or injured. The dogs
supplement their diet with rodents and birds. As human settlements
expand, the dogs have sometimes developed a taste for livestock, though
significant damage is rare. Unfortunately, they are often hunted and
killed by farmers who fear for their domestic animals.
African
hunting dogs are endangered. They are faced with shrinking room to roam
in their African home. They are also quite susceptible to diseases
spread by domestic animals.
African wild dogs live in packs that are
usually dominated by a monogamous breeding pair. The female has a litter
of 2 to 20 pups, which are cared for by the entire pack. These dogs are
very social, and packs have been known to share food and to assist weak
or ill members. Social interactions are common, and the dogs
communicate by touch, actions, and vocalizations.
A member of the boa family, South America’s green anaconda is, pound for pound, the largest snake in the world. Its cousin, the reticulated python, can reach slightly greater lengths, but the enormous girth of the anaconda makes it almost twice as heavy.
Green anacondas can grow to more than 29 feet (8.8 meters), weigh more than 550 pounds (227 kilograms), and measure more than 12 inches (30 centimeters) in diameter. Females are significantly larger than males. Other anaconda species, all from South America and all smaller than the green anaconda, are the yellow, dark-spotted, and Bolivian varieties.
In
summer, food is far more plentiful in the northern regions of North
America, Europe, and Asia. When the ice melts, moose are often seen in
lakes, rivers, or wetlands, feeding on aquatic plants both at and below
the surface. Moose are at home in the water and, despite their
staggering bulk, are good swimmers. They have been seen paddling several
miles at a time, and will even submerge completely, staying under for
30 seconds or more.
Females
give birth to one or two calves in the spring—each weighing some 30
pounds (14 kilograms). These calves grow quickly and can outrun a person
by the time they are just five days old. Young moose stay with their
mothers until the following mating season.
