Os mabecos (Lycaon pictus) também são conhecidos como cães-selvagens-africanos ou cães-caçadores-africanos. Eles habitam toda a África Subsaariana: o continente conta com diversas populações diferentes, num total de cinco subespécies. Os mabecos são mais altos e esguios que outros canídeos, com enormes orelhas arredondadas e uma coloração característica. Geralmente, têm a pelagem mesclada em amarelo e preto com manchas brancas nas patas, no peito e na cauda, o que pode variar entre as subespécies – algumas podem apresentar partes do corpo mosqueadas.
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Lycaon pictus
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Animal Facts
African wild dogs hunt their prey for long distances and over extended periods of time until the prey collapses from exhaustion.
African wild dogs have a hunting success rate of between 60 and 90%; far more successful than other group predators like lions and hyenas, who often steal the dogs' kills.
African wild dogs in captivity can be trained like domestic dogs.
When African wild dog pups are born, they take priority in the pack, even over the alphas. They eat before all other dogs.
African wild dogs are observed to 'vote' by sneezing; the more dogs in a pack that sneeze concurrently, the more likely they are to go hunting. Dominant dogs are more likely to start a successful hunt vote.