“wild dogs”; what’s in a name?…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…

Posted on April 30, 2018 by wineandwilddogs

The debate: what to call African wild dogs, (if not just that….!)

We are honoured to have viable packs of Lycaon pictus, (African wild dogs, aka Painted Wolves, aka Painted Dogs), in Zimbabwe. Although generally endangered over Africa, they are at least holding their own in Mana Pools, Hwange, Gonarezhou National Park and the Save Valley Conservancy where I live. At Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge on the edge of Gonarezhou, we host tourists from all over the world to see these charismatic animals…and many weeks of my year are spent watching and sketching these fabulous predators and their pups…

We often host a yearly event called “Wine and Wild dogs Weekend ” at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge…embracing our love for these amazing animals, with presentations by the African Wildlife Conservation Fund who monitor and protect our lowveld wild dogs, and sharing delicious Painted Wolf Wines with our guests!

Dozy dog and pups in mopani, acrylic on canvas, 90 X 90 cm by Lin Barrie

Dozy dog and pups in mopani, acrylic on canvas, 90 X 90 cm lo res.jpg

“Tip” was a young dog I watched for a few years in the Save Valley Conservancy...

African wild dogs is the widely accepted English-use name for the unique species Lycaon pictus, literally meaning painted, wolf-like animal. But they are known variously as Painted Wolves, Painted dogs, Ornate wolves, Cape Hunting Dogs and of course the local names for these enigmatic and charismatic creatures varies from community to community over Africa..such as Iganyana (Ndebele), Mhumi, Bhumi or Bhumhi (Shona), wildehond  (South Africa), Mabeco (Mozambique), Mbwa mwitu (Swahili), Hlowa (Tsonga), Lekanyana (Tswana), Dalerwa (Venda), Ixhwili (Xhosa), Inkentshane (Zulu)

David Attenborough and the BBC have produced a series called “Dynasties” which follows, among other animals, the life of a particular Alpha female in a wild dog pack. Referred to by David Attenborough as ‘Painted Wolves”, this will hugely help to raise awareness and concern for these fragile and endangered canids.

What’s in a name? 

Thinking of all the wonderful names that can be attributed to Lycaon pictus, in collusion with Nick Dyer, here is my mixed media painting which appears in the gorgeous book, Painted Wolves, a Wild Dogs Life, by Nicholas Dyer and Peter Blinston

"What's in a Name" kickstarter scan 2 lo res.jpg
Note: Nick Dyer’s article on Lycaon pictus, in Africa Geographic, debating the use of Lycaon’s various names…good photos and well written…

I have worked into the original image used for the book publication and added metallic gold and silver to create a medieval manuscript look….. and of course the colours echo those of the glorious wild dog coats, everyone different. This is a stand-alone painting that i am proud of, with lots of food for thought in reading all those enticing names..

“What’s in a Name?”, mixed media, 84 x 118 cm by Lin Barrie

https://africageographic.com/blog/whats-name-dogs-wolves-painted-wild/?fbclid=IwAR34AoTFNfIbxSX8YAQAxEDJ4-OsLHB3lRDc-H7wl0jXNdsX5HUH1gpLk1o

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet….(Shakespeare said it…!)

Portrait, acrylic and oil bar on canvas, 76 x 51 cm

Just for fun, a great link to other “wild dog” species worldwide: taken from the Active Wild site..

This list contains all of the currently recognised dog species. In the case of the Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus), included are two well-known subspecies: the Dingo (Canis lupus dingo), and the Domestic Dog (Canis lupus familiaris). A list of dog species would be incomplete without them! However, these are the only subspecies*  included.

* Subspecies are very closely-related animals, and are able to interbreed. They’re different ‘types’ of the same species, and are often only separated geographically.

  1. African Golden Wolf (Canis anthus)
  2. African Wild Dog (African Hunting Dog / African Painted Dog) (Lycaon pictus)
  3. Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus)
  4. Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis)
  5. Bengal Fox (Vulpes bengalensis)
  6. Black-Backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas)
  7. Blanford’s Fox (Vulpes cana)
  8. Bush Dog (Speothos venaticus)
  9. Cape Fox (Vulpes chama)
  10. Corsac Fox (Vulpes corsac)
  11. Coyote / Prairie Wolf (Canis latrans)
  12. Cozumel Fox (Undescribed Species)
  13. Crab-Eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous)
  14. Culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus)
  15. Darwin’s Fox (Lycalopex fulvipes)
  16. Dhole / Asian Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus / Canis alpinus)
  17. Ethiopian Wolf / Abyssinian Wolf / Simien Fox / Simien Jackal (Canis simensis)
  18. Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda)
  19. Golden Jackal (Canis aureus)
  20. Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
  21. Grey Wolf Subspecies: Dingo (Canis lupus dingo)
  22. Grey Wolf Subspecies: Domestic Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
  23. Grey Wolf (Gray Wolf / Timber Wolf) (Canis lupus)
  24. Hoary Fox (Lycalopex vetulus)
  25. Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis)
  26. Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis)
  27. Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
  28. Pale Fox (Vulpes pallida)
  29. Pampas Fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus)
  30. Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)
  31. Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
  32. Red Wolf (Canis rufus)
  33. Rüppell’s Fox (Vulpes rueppelli)
  34. Sechura Fox (Lycalopex sechurae)
  35. Short-Eared Dog (Atelocynus microtis)
  36. Side-Striped Jackal (Canis adustus)
  37. South American Gray Fox / Patagonian Fox / Chilla (Lycalopex griseus)
  38. Swift Fox (Vulpes velox)
  39. Tibetan Sand Fox (Vulpes ferrilata)

plus, for ten “biggest” wild dogs, view:

Top Ten BIGGEST Wild Dogs

About wineandwilddogs

Lin Barrie The Save Valley Conservancy stretches along the upper reaches of the great Save River in the south east of Zimbabwe. The Gonarezhou National Park laps against the southern banks of the Save River and between these two nestles the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve. These three celebrated wildlife areas form part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, (GLTFCA)- a unique wilderness jewel which is home to the “Big Five” (endangered Black and White rhinos, elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard) and the ”Little Six” (Klipspringer, Suni, Duiker, Steenbok, Sharpe's Grysbok and Oribi). Endangered African wild dogs, Cheetah, Brown hyena, Bat-eared foxes and a host of special birds and plants contribute to the immense variety of this ecosystem. Communities around the GLTFCA contribute to innovative partnerships with National Parks and the private sector, forming a sound base on which to manage social, economic and environmental issues. This is home to artist and writer Lin Barrie and her life partner, conservationist Clive Stockil. Expressing her hopes, fears and love for this special ecosystem with oil paints on canvas, Lin Barrie believes that the essence of a landscape, person or animal, can only truly be captured by direct observation. Lin Barrie states: “Through my art, and my writing, I feel an intimate connection with the natural world, and from my extensive field sketches of wild animals, people and landscapes, I create larger works on canvas. Lin's work is in various public and private collections in South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Australia, England, Canada, Sweden and the United States of America. She is represented by galleries in South Africa, Zimbabwe, England, Kenya and Florida, USA.
This entry was posted in abstract art, adventure travel, Africa, African Safari, African wild dogs, african wildlife, african wildlife conservation fund, animal rights, anti poaching, art, art collaboration, BBC, beauty, bio diversity, botswana, bush camps, Chilo Gorge, Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge, citizen science, coats of many colours, community conservation, conservation, conservation education, conservation news, conservation publication, cooking, David Attenborough, dogs, eco-tourism, education, endangered species, film, food, food culture, Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, gonarezhou national park, landscape, Lin Barrie Art, Nicholas Dyer Photography, oral history, painted dog conservation, Painted Dogs, painted Dogs, Painted Wolf Foundation, Painted Wolf Wines, painted wolves, photography, Poaching, predators, safari, Save Valley Conservancy, Senuko, serenity, Shakespeare, sharing, travel, wild dogs, wilderness, wine, wine tasting, wines, wolves, zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Parks and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to “wild dogs”; what’s in a name?…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…

  1. Pingback: Madikwe and Porcupines: African Wild Dogs and Lin Barrie Art | wineandwilddogs

  2. Pingback: Painted Wolf Wines; Wild Dogs and Wine Tastings Triumph at Chilo! | wineandwilddogs

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    October 25, 2019 at 3:01 am

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  4. Pingback: “wild dogs”; what’s in a name?…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet… |

  5. Pingback: Underdogs: Pinotage and Painted Wolves | wine and wild dogs

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