Q. What's the gestation period for a painted dog?

A. Painted dogs breed at the coldest time of the year which is typically May/June in Zimbabwe. After 69 to 72 days of gestation, the female pack leader, also known as the alpha female, gives birth to her pups.

How big are their litters?

Normally, only the leading female of the pack, also known as the alpha female, has pups — she can give birth to one litter of 2 to 18 pups.

How long do pups stay with their parents?

The alpha female gives birth in a den — a hole — to provide the pups with shelter and safety. The pups suckle for three to five weeks but after three weeks they start to eat solid food as well which the pack members regurgitate on demand. When the pups are about 12 weeks old, they will leave the den and follow the pack. At the age of two to three years the pups will leave the pack to form their own pack with other dogs from another pack and have pups themselves.



Q. Are they a kind of hyena? They look very similar.

A. No, although the two are often confused. The social structure, behaviour, and taxonomy of the two are very different. In fact, hyenas are more closely related to cats and mongooses than dogs. However, the two do come into contact; hyenas (and lions) try to steal food from the painted dogs, which then go hungry. Lions do not only try to steal food, they also kill adult dogs and their pups. Painted dogs eat very quickly so that other animals can’t steal their food — they can finish an impala in less than 10 minutes! The dogs share a kill without fighting, and pups always feed first.

Q. Do the dogs steal livestock from farmers?

A. No — the dogs prefer their natural food like impala, kudu, and duiker over cattle and goats. However, farmers do still shoot the dogs. We're working hard to change this cultural perception and help farmers and wild dogs live together harmoniously.



Q. How fast can the dogs run?

A. When they go hunting they can reach speeds of up to 65 kilometres (40 miles) per hour when chasing their prey!

Q. Are they diurnal or nocturnal?

A. Painted dogs are mainly active during the daytime. They usually hunt early in the morning or late in the afternoon. During the heat of the day they will rest in a cool and shady place.

Q. Where do painted dogs live?

A. Painted dogs used to be widely distributed; today they are only found in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa. Fewer than 700 dogs are left in Zimbabwe. Most of the Zimbabwean painted dogs live around Hwange National Park, the Zambezi Valley, and Gonarezhou. The dogs are not seen repeatedly in one place because they are nomadic; they have a home range as large as 750 square kilometres (466 square miles), and can cover 30 kilometres (about 19 miles) in a single day. The dogs live in groups called packs. Though packs can have as many as 49 members, because of poaching, only much smaller packs are seen.



FAQs about Painted Dog Conservation (PDC)

Q. How long has PDC been helping painted dogs?

A. Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) was founded in 1992. The aim of this project is to protect the painted dogs, also known as African wild dog, through action and education — this is even more crucial now, as the painted dog is facing extinction.

Q. How do you identify specific dogs in the field?

A. No two dogs have the same coat pattern, which makes it easy to identify them. What they do all have is tan markings with a black stripe on their head and a white patch at the end of their tail.

Q. I cannot help in person and am unable to make a donation, Is there any way in which I can help?

A. PDC tries to inform as many people as possible about the dogs. You can help simply by telling other people that painted dogs are endangered and facing extinction, and helping us spread the message. Follow us on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms and/or subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news and share.

Q. How effective are the collars you use, and how much do they cost?

A. The Painted Dog Conservation project monitors the movement and number of packs. To follow the dogs, we fit them with protective retro-reflective collars. These VHF collars help us to efficiently and effectively monitor the dogs and locate them when responding to emergencies. A single collar costs about $800.

Q. How are poachers punished?

A. When our anti-poaching units catch poachers either in the field or by means of a tip-off, they effect a citizen arrest and hand the individual/s over to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). The police then proceed to make the formal charge that leads to prosecution and conviction.



Q. Can I see the dogs at your Rehabilitation Centre?

A. Yes, if there are any at the given moment.