Painted Hunting Dog

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park?

Possible. About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Hunting Dog sighting in Ruaha National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 16th most-seen of the 16 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park?

August. In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, May–June and September–October, the lowest months. That is one of Ruaha National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 180 mm in January.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Painted Hunting Dog?

Between 7 and 10 am. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Painted Hunting Dog sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Ruaha National Park the best place to see a Painted Hunting Dog?

9th of 15. Of the 15 parks where we can rate Painted Hunting Dog sightings, Ruaha National Park ranks 9th at about 30%. The best odds are in South Luangwa National Park (Zambia, about 50%), Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia, about 50%) and Moremi Game Reserve (Botswana, about 40%). All parks ranked.

Q: Which relatives of the Painted Hunting Dog live in Ruaha National Park?

Same order: Carnivora. The closest relatives of the Painted Hunting Dog that you can see in Ruaha National Park (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Lion (about 80%), Banded Mongoose (about 50%) and Leopard (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the Painted Hunting Dog sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Painted Hunting Dog is recorded against all the mammals logged in Ruaha National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Lycaon pictus

Silhouette: Holly English · PhyloPic

LCNTVUENEndangeredCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassMammalia (Mammals)
OrderCarnivora (Carnivorans)
FamilyCanidae (Canids)
GenusLycaon (African wild dogs)
SpeciesLycaon pictus (Painted Hunting Dog)

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

at Ruaha National Park

In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%

7 Verified sightings at Ruaha National Park From 2019 to 2026

911 In all 15 parks

August Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge Africa's Predators AfricaMedium

About the Painted Hunting Dog

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also called painted dog and Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialised for a hypercarnivorous diet and by a lack of dewclaws.

An estimated 6,600 adults (including 1,400 mature individuals) live in 39 subpopulations, all threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution, and outbreaks of disease. As the largest subpopulation probably consists of fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1990.

The African wild dog is a specialized hunter of terrestrial ungulates, mostly hunting at dawn and dusk, but it also displays diurnal activity. It captures its prey by using stamina and cooperative hunting to exhaust them. Its natural competitors are lions and spotted hyenas; the former kill the dogs where possible, whilst the latter are frequent kleptoparasites. Like other canids, the African wild dog regurgitates food for its young, but also extends this action to adults as a central part of the pack's social unit. The young have the privilege of feeding first on carcasses.

The African wild dog has been revered in several hunter-gatherer societies, particularly those of the San people and prehistoric Egypt. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Recording0:21

South Africa · 2024

Recording0:39

Botswana · 2026

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Known range (Mammal Diversity Database, Marsh et al. 2022)Our parks where it lives In captivity: 105 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~50%
2	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~50%
3	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~40%
4	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~40%
5	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~40%
6	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
7	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~30%
8	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~30%
9	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
10	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~30%
11	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
12	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
13	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~20%
14	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
15	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Disney's Animal Kingdom	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Busch Gardens Tampa	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Shedd Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Basel Zoo	🇨🇭 Switzerland	In captivity
5	ZooParc de Beauval	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
6	Denver Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
7	Tierpark Berlin	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
8	Dublin Zoo	🇮🇪 Ireland	In captivity
9	Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Le Pal	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
11	Tulsa Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
12	Réserve africaine de Sigean	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
13	The Wilds	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
14	Monarto Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
15	Taronga Western Plains Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
16	Zoo Miami	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
17	Werribee Open Range Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
18	Beijing Wildlife Park	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
19	Al Ain Zoo	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	In captivity
20	Safaripark Beekse Bergen	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
21	Binder Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
22	Living Desert Zoo and Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
23	Port Lympne Wild Animal Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
24	Bronx Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
25	Kansas City Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
26	杭州野生动物世界	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
27	Brookfield Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
28	Parc zoologique de Montpellier	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
29	Sedgwick County Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
30	Chester Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
31	Ree Park – Ebeltoft Safari	🇩🇰 Denmark	In captivity
32	Yorkshire Wildlife Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
33	Orana Wildlife Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	In captivity
34	Johannesburg Zoo	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
35	Dallas Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
36	National Zoological Garden of South Africa	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
37	Phoenix Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
38	Wildlife World Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
39	Audubon Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
40	Ukumarí Biopark	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
41	Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
42	Saint Louis Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
43	Colchester Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
44	Friguia Park	🇹🇳 Tunisia	In captivity
45	Calgary Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
46	San Francisco Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
47	Tanganyika Wildlife Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
48	Fort Worth Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
49	Gatorland	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
50	Oregon Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Show all 50 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Ruaha National Park

Panthera leo

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Mungos mungo

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Panthera pardus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Loxodonta africana

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Giraffa tippelskirchi

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Heterohyrax brucei

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Aepyceros melampus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Papio cynocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Hippopotamus amphibius

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Paraxerus ochraceus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Hunting Dog sighting in Ruaha National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 16th most-seen of the 16 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park?

August

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, May–June and September–October, the lowest months. That is one of Ruaha National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 180 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Painted Hunting Dog?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Painted Hunting Dog sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Ruaha National Park the best place to see a Painted Hunting Dog?

9th of 15

Of the 15 parks where we can rate Painted Hunting Dog sightings, Ruaha National Park ranks 9th at about 30%. The best odds are in South Luangwa National Park (Zambia, about 50%), Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia, about 50%) and Moremi Game Reserve (Botswana, about 40%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Painted Hunting Dog live in Ruaha National Park?

Same order: Carnivora

The closest relatives of the Painted Hunting Dog that you can see in Ruaha National Park (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Lion (about 80%), Banded Mongoose (about 50%) and Leopard (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Painted Hunting Dog sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Painted Hunting Dog is recorded against all the mammals logged in Ruaha National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Ruaha National Park

Painted Hunting Dog

About the Painted Hunting Dog

Sounds

Recent sightings of Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Ruaha National Park

Lion

Banded Mongoose

Leopard

African Bush Elephant

East African Giraffe

Greater Kudu

Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax

Impala

Yellow Baboon

Common Hippopotamus

Ochre Bush Squirrel

Waterbuck

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park?

When is the best time to see a Painted Hunting Dog in Ruaha National Park?

What time of day is best to see a Painted Hunting Dog?

Is Ruaha National Park the best place to see a Painted Hunting Dog?

Which relatives of the Painted Hunting Dog live in Ruaha National Park?

Where does the Painted Hunting Dog sighting chance come from?