From kaigner: "Zimbabwe: Highly endangered, and often misunderstood, lycaon pictus, or, the Painted Dog (African Wild Dog, Painted wolf, African Hunting dog etc etc) is one of the most enigmatic species I've had the honor to work with in the wild. These creatures are beautiful machines-built to survive. Their main priorities in life are their family: caring for it, feeding it, and raising it. Highly specialized cooperative hunters with Mickey Mouse ears and Picasso designed coats, they are also, similar to the coyote, seen as vermin. Their worst enemy besides lions? Man. Habitat fragmentation, snares, and road accidents keep the population of Painted Dogs at less than about 5500 individuals." #Africa #AfricanWildDogs #naturephotography