These colorful canines go by many names including painted dogs, painted wolves, African wild dogs, cape hunting dogs, and more. They are actually neither a dog nor wolf, but a unique member of the canine family in their own genus, Lycaon.

Painted dogs are endangered and their population is decreasing due mostly to habitat loss and fragmentation. There are only around 1400 painted dogs remaining in the wild. We are so honored to be able to provide a safe home for our pack of 4 painted dogs here at Reid Park Zoo.

We frequently hear guests tell us that they have never heard of or seen this species before visiting our Zoo. We are so grateful to be able to connect Tucson with this endangered animal to foster an appreciation for painted dogs and raise awareness about the challenges they face.

You can help protect painted dogs by learning more about them and sharing what you learn. You also support painted dog conservation every time you visit your Zoo! Reid Park Zoo is a partner of the Tanzania Conservation Research Program that protects critical habitat space in Tanzania for many African species, including painted dogs.