Wild Dogs Research Articles

When Is a Dingo Not a Dingo?

In 2019 the Western Australian government recategorised the dingo ( Canis dingo) as a wild dog ( Canis familiaris) whose status is legally declared to be a pest. Despite its iconic native status, Canis dingo has been rendered non-existent and liable to be disposed of by inhumane means. Dumped in a legal black hole via a signifying regime of signs, dingoes are confronted with the fact of their own non-existence. Regarding the dingo as a dingoing, a multiplicity and a process, rather than a characteristic, I read the reclassification event symptomatologically and interrogate the constellations of symptoms and regimes of signs which legitimate the event and its performativity. I examine order-words including ‘pest’ and ‘wild dog’ to shift the focus from the words’ meaning to what they do. I subsequently enquire whether ‘dingo’ might become a pass-word, a component of passage, such that dingoes might exist under reprieve in a post-signifying regime. I argue that post-signifying regimes are codified, however, as subjects are individuated along lines of subjectification. I conclude by contemplating whether it is possible to break with subjectification, liberating these demonic nonhuman animals from the signifiers which territorialise them and permitting dingoes to become-animal.

All in the Details: A First Assessment for the Viability of Metabarcoding in Diet Composition Analysis of African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus).

DNA metabarcoding is a contemporary technique in diet composition studies and stands to fill key knowledge gaps left by traditional diet analysis methods. For endangered species such as the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), the fulfilment of these knowledge gaps presents an opportunity for improved management practices and vulnerability assessments. There are an estimated ~600 African wild dogs remaining in South Africa. These dogs are generally understood to prey upon impala (Aepyceros melampus) and other medium-sized ungulates. Here, we present the first assessment of DNA metabarcoding as a valuable method for diet composition analysis of this highly social carnivore. DNA from faecal samples collected across seven landscape types in the Kruger National Park (KNP) was extracted and used to determine the presence of seven unique prey taxa, including novel species such as the Cape hare (Lepus capensis). Impala was identified as a prey item in all landscape types, complementing the diet preference prediction made with stable isotope analysis using the same samples and existing understanding of wild dog diet. Given recommended improvements, the application of DNA metabarcoding in wild dog diet analysis shows promising prospects for identifying novel prey species and validating previous records of this endangered canids diet.

First Isolation and Characterization of Feline Panleukopenia Virus From Wild Raccoon Dogs in the Residential Area of Shanghai, China.

Carnivore parvovirus is commonly detected in canines and felines and results in a range of symptoms, including diarrhoea, with a high lethality rate. In recent years, the gradual restoration of urban ecosystems coupled with a lack of natural predators means that wild raccoon dogs have gradually entered residential neighbourhoods in Shanghai, and the carnivore parvovirus carried by such canines may seriously affect their health and that of dogs and cats in these neighbourhoods. Therefore, it is essential to monitor wild raccoon dogs for carnivore parvovirus. The wild raccoon samples were collected from the residential area of Shanghai and screened for parvovirus, followed by virus isolation and sequence comparison analysis. In this study, three strains of parvovirus, YSH1-2022, YSH2-2022 and GSW1-2023, were isolated from anal and pharyngeal swab mixtures of 42 live raccoon dogs and two dead raccoon dogs in Shanghai, China. After alignment, it was found that the three strains of parvovirus were all located in the same branch as feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), and the three VP2 genes had 100% homology with FPV VP2 genes isolated from Shanghai and Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. The homology of the three NS1 genes with FPV NS1 isolated from Shanghai and other places was 99.9%-100%. This is the first report of FPV isolated from raccoon dogs. In this study, the host range and risk of infection of parvovirus were evaluated, providing data to support wildlife management and policy formulation in Shanghai.

Long-Distance, Transfrontier Carnivore Dispersals in Southern Africa.

Information on long-range dispersal in tropical carnivores is limited compared to their temperate counterparts. Here we present data on long-range, transboundary dispersals for three species of tropical carnivores: African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), African lion (Panthera leo), and spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). The dispersals we document in our savannah system are among the longest that have been recorded for African wild dog and African lion, while for spotted hyena one of our recorded dispersal events is of similar magnitude to the longest documented movements occurring among any carnivore species from around the world.

An overview of the challenges and methods for defining the wildlife-disease interface in the context of disease spread modelling, including concepts of infectious diseases epidemiology

ABSTRACT The wildlife-domestic interface is a key concept helping us to understand how diseases affect both wild and domestic animal populations, yet how to define and measure it remains a challenge. One tool which can contribute to our understanding of the wildlife-domestic interface is disease spread modelling. This can provide insight into how diseases spread within and between populations, and guide decision-making for disease control, response and surveillance programs. Specifically, quantitative estimation of contact rates permits such disease spread models to be developed and used confidently. Here we present a case study of the potential spread of rabies (an exotic disease in Australia) within the wild dog-domestic dog (Canis familiaris) ecosystem of northern Australia to illustrate the concept of the wildlife-domestic interface and disease transmission. We summarise a decade of research conducted to understand one such interface, the wild-domestic dog interface at one site in northern Australia, for the purposes of exploring the impact of one specific disease, rabies. Over a period of 10 years, free-roaming domestic dogs and wild dogs in the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) of Cape York, Queensland were studied. Key findings included identification of a small but important group of domestic dogs which regularly roam in bushland areas; peri-urban wild dog activity, particularly in the dry season, likely driven by the availability of food sources; and the potential for interaction between hunting dogs and wild dogs in remote areas, particularly during the wet season. These observations can be used to inform disease spread models and identify strategies to mitigate the risks of disease transmission. However, the collection and incorporation of data into such models needs more consideration regarding what information is usable (such as contact rates) and the best ways to collect it. The scarcity of such models incorporating the wildlife-domestic interface suggests that integrated epidemiological-ecological studies are needed to fill this gap.

Droughts reshape apex predator space use and intraguild overlap.

Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity globally due to climate change, leading to changes in resource availability that may have cascading effects on animal ecology. Resource availability is a key driver of animal space use, which in turn influences interspecific interactions like intraguild competition. Understanding how climate-induced changes in resource availability influence animal space use, and how species-specific responses scale up to affect intraguild dynamics, is necessary for predicting broader community-level responses to climatic changes. Although several studies have demonstrated the ecological impacts of drought, the behavioural responses of individuals that scale up to these broader-scale effects are not well known, particularly among animals in top trophic levels like large carnivores. Furthermore, we currently lack understanding of how the impacts of climate variability on individual carnivore behaviour are linked to intraguild dynamics, in part because multi-species datasets collected at timescales relevant to climatic changes are rare. Using 11 years of GPS data from four sympatric large carnivore species in southern Africa-lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)-spanning 4 severe drought events, we test whether drought conditions impact (1) large carnivore space use, (2) broad-scale intraguild spatial overlap and (3) fine-scale intraguild interactions. Drought conditions expanded space use across species, with carnivores increasing their monthly home range sizes by 35% (wild dogs) to 66% (leopards). Drought conditions increased the amount of spatial overlap between lions and subordinate felids (cheetahs and leopards) by up to 119%, but only lion-cheetah encounter rates were affected by these changes, declining in response to drought. Our findings reveal that drought has a clear signature on the space use of multiple sympatric large carnivore species, which can alter spatiotemporal partitioning between competing species. Our study thereby illuminates the links between environmental change, animal behaviour and intraguild dynamics. While fine-scale avoidance strategies may facilitate intraguild coexistence during periodic droughts, large carnivore conservation may require considerable expansion of protected areas or revised human-carnivore coexistence strategies to accommodate the likely long-term increased space demands of large carnivores under projected increases in drought intensity.

Spatial Risk Effects From Lions Compound Impacts of Prey Depletion on African Wild Dogs.

Prey depletion threatens many carnivore species across the world and can especially threaten low-density subordinate competitors, particularly if subordinates are limited to low densities by their dominant competitors. Understanding the mechanisms that drive responses of carnivore density to prey depletion is not only crucial for conservation but also elucidates the balance between top-down and bottom-up limitations within the large carnivore guild. To avoid predation, competitively subordinate African wild dogs typically avoid their dominant competitors (lions) and the prey rich areas they are associated with, but no prior research has tested whether this pattern persists in ecosystems with anthropogenically-reduced prey density, and reduced lion density as a result. We used spatial data from wild dogs and lions in the prey-depleted Greater Kafue Ecosystem to test if wild dogs continue to avoid lions (despite their low density), and consequently avoid habitats with higher densities of their dominant prey species. We found that although lion density is 3X lower than comparable ecosystems, wild dogs continue to strongly avoid lions, and consequently avoid habitats associated with their two most important prey species. Although the density of lions in the GKE is low due to prey depletion, their competitive effects on wild dogs remain strong. These effects are likely compounded by prey-base homogenization, as lions in the GKE now rely heavily on the same prey preferred by wild dogs. These results suggest that a reduction in lion density does not necessarily reduce competition, and helps explain why wild dogs decline in parallel with their dominant competitors in ecosystems suffering from anthropogenic prey depletion. Protecting prey populations within the few remaining strongholds for wild dogs is vitally important to avoid substantial population declines. Globally, understanding the impacts of prey depletion on carnivore guild dynamics should be an increasingly important area of focus for conservation.

Estimating the impact of sarcoptic mange epidemic on the population size of wild raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) from wildlife rescue data

The impact of infectious diseases on host populations is often not quantified because it is difficult to observe the host population and infectious disease dynamics. To address this problem, we developed a state-space model to simultaneously estimate host population and disease dynamics using wildlife rescue data. Using this model, we aimed to quantify the impact of sarcoptic mange on a Japanese raccoon dog population by estimating the change in their relative population size. We classified the status of rescued raccoon dogs into four categories: i) rescued due to infection with mange, ii) rescued due to traffic accidents without mange, iii) rescued due to traffic accidents with mange, and iv) rescued due to causes other than traffic accidents or mange. We modelled the observation process for each category and fitted the model to the reported number of raccoon dogs rescued between 1990 and 2010 at three wildlife rescue facilities in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The mortality rate induced by mange was estimated to be 1.09 (95% credible interval (CI): 0.47–1.72) per year. The estimated prevalence of sarcoptic mange ranged between 4–80% in the study period. When a substantial prevalence of mange was observed (1995 to 2002), the host population size decreased by 91.2% (95% credible intervals: 86.3–94.7). We show that the impact of infectious disease outbreak on the wildlife population can be estimated from the time-series data of wildlife rescue events due to multiple causes. Our estimates suggest that sarcoptic mange triggered a substantial decrease in the Japanese wild raccoon dog populations.

Isolation and genetic characterization of canine adenovirus type 2 variant from raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procynoide koresis) in Republic of Korea

Canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) is a common causative agent of respiratory disease in canines. There have been no reports of CAV-2 variants isolated from raccoon dogs. This study aims to investigate the biological and genetic characteristics of a novel Korean CAV-2 variant. Madin-Darby canine kidney cells were used to isolate the CAV-2 variant from 45 fecal swab samples. Diagnostic tools such as the cytopathic effect (CPE) assay, electron microscopy, polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence and hemagglutination assays were used to confirm the presence of the CAV-2 isolate. A cross-virus neutralization assay was performed to verify the novelty of this CAV variant. Genetic analysis was performed using nucleotide sequences obtained through next-generation sequencing. The isolate was confirmed to be a CAV-2 variant based on the aforementioned methods and designated CAV2232. The number of bases in the fiber and E3 genes of CAV2232 were 1,626 and 414, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the fiber and E3 genes confirmed that CAV2232 was classified into a different clade from the known CAV-1 and CAV-2 strains. Mice inoculated with the CAV2232 vaccine developed high virus neutralization antibody titers of 1,024 (210) against CAV2232, while mice inoculated with CAV-1 and CAV-2 vaccines had low virus neutralization antibody titers of 12.9 (23.7) and 6.5 (22.7), respectively, against CAV2232. CAV2232 isolated from wild raccoon dog feces was classified as a novel CAV-2 variant. CAV2232 may therefore be used as an antigen for new vaccine development and serological investigations.

A recent date for the dog (Canis familiaris) from Mapala Rockshelter and implications for associated mammal community changes in subalpine Highland West New Guinea

The arrival of the dog (Canis familiaris) in Australasia is believed to have had major impacts on the region’s ecosystems as well as human society and organisation. Very little is known about the antiquity of the dog in New Guinea due to a paucity of fossil specimens of secure antiquity, particularly in the Highlands. Here, we report the direct dating of a partial dog cranium from Mapala Rockshelter, a subalpine site at ∼4000 m asl in the Sudirman Range. Recovered in 1972 from a bone-rich layer in the cave floor above a basal charcoal date of about 5500 BP, this individual has been considered a possible early example of dog in Australasia. An Accelerator Mass Spectrometry date from maxillary bone shows that the Mapala dog is far more recent (491 ± 19 BP, or 536–501 cal BP). Our finding is of relevance to understanding the antiquity of dog in the Highlands of New Guinea, and also for the wild dog populations which exist across this large area. The date is also the first for the site’s mammal-rich fossiliferous sedimentary unit, providing a chronological context for Late Holocene turnover in the composition of the local fauna. The most notable of these changes include the regional extinction of two Thylogale spp. and the invasion of Pseudochirops cupreus into subalpine western New Guinea environments.

Relative abundance of a mesocarnivore in a human-dominated, semi-arid rangeland in Namibia

Mesocarnivores fill important roles in ecological communities globally, but their distribution and abundance are often understudied. Many species have historically been regarded as vermin and subject to lethal control due to their role in livestock predation. Identifying the factors influencing mesocarnivore populations can help disentangle their relationship within ecological communities and inform conflict mitigation and conservation priorities. To help identify these factors, we used camera traps to study the community of medium and large mammals in four communal conservancies of northeastern Namibia covering the wet and dry seasons using 99 and 97 camera trap stations, respectively. We modelled black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) abundance using the robust Royle-Nichols model. Black-backed jackal were widespread, with a mean per site abundance of 2.01 (SD=0.66) in the wet season and 2.41 (SD=0.49) in the dry season. Black-backed jackal showed seasonally contrasting covariate associations, with lower abundance in areas with medium and large-sized wild prey during the wet season, and higher abundance in areas with more villages and close to African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) dens in the dry season. We identified localized hotspots of black-backed jackal abundance during the dry season, which may indicate that when resources are scarce, black-backed jackals rely on anthropogenic food sources despite an elevated risk for conflict, and on carcass remains from African wild dog kills. These findings highlight potential drivers of mesocarnivore abundance that would be obscured in a conventional occurrence modelling framework, and illustrate how local abundance may be influenced by seasonal variability, wild and anthropogenic food sources, and a likely facilitative relationship with a large carnivore. Further investigations in areas with more complex carnivore guilds and higher density of dominant predators are needed to understand black-backed jackal-African wild dog interactions and impacts on population dynamics.

Phenotypic diversity in early Australian dingoes revealed by traditional and 3D geometric morphometric analysis

The dingo is a wild dog endemic to Australia with enigmatic origins. Dingoes are one of two remaining unadmixed populations of an early East Asian dog lineage, the other being wild dogs from the New Guinea highlands, but morphological connections between these canid groups have long proved elusive. Here, we investigate this issue through a morphometric study of ancient dingo remains found at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay, in western New South Wales. Direct accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates from an ancient Lake Mungo dingo demonstrate that dingoes with a considerably smaller build than the predominant modern morphotype were present in semi-arid southeastern Australia c.3000–3300 calBP. 3D geometric morphometric analysis of a near-complete Mungo cranium finds closest links to East Asian and New Guinean dogs, providing the first morphological evidence of links between early dingoes and their northern relatives. This ancient type is no longer extant within the range of modern dingo variability, but populations from nearby southeastern Australia show a closer resemblance than those to the north and west. Our results reaffirm prior characterisations of regional variability in dingo phenotype as not exclusively derived from recent domestic dog hybridisation but as having an earlier precedent, and suggest further that the dingo’s phenotype has changed over time.

Individual immune response to rabies vaccination in an African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) in Dubai Safari Park

Individual immune response to rabies vaccination in an African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) in Dubai Safari Park

Development of a lateral-flow assay for rapid detection of parasitic nematodes

ObjectivesWild animals kept in enclosures are exposed to an increased risk of infection with Soil-transmitted Helminth (STH) due to high animal densities and the resulting heavy contamination of the enclosures. As regular fecal examinations are necessary to monitor and maintain health, a rapid test was developed to detect STH in wildlife. MethodThe rapid test consists of two polyclonal antibodies directed against the nematode SUMO-Protein (C- & N-term). For this study, 102 fecal samples from wild boar, fallow deer, red deer and dogs were examined. The fecal samples were defined by using the sedimentation technique and then used to evaluate the developed rapid test. ResultsThe sensitivity of the rapid test was 95.38 % with a specificity of 81.08 % and a accuracy of 90.2 %. ConclusionsAt this time, there is no commercial rapid test for the detection of STH. This rapid test can enable fast disease monitoring to make a decision in the field to save animals health. In addition, this rapid tests for the detection of parasites in wildlife can be crucial in the context of One Health to prevent the spread of disease within a system through monitoring, to preserve biodiversity and to improve global health security.

Trichinella findings in Germany from 2013 to 2023 indicate an increased prevalence in wild boar (Sus scrofa) population

In Germany, Trichinella spp. are mainly detected in the sylvatic cycle. Here, the affected animal species are wild boar, fox, badger, raccoon dog, wolf, raccoon and golden jackal. The predominantly detected species are T. spiralis, followed by T. pseudospiralis and T. britovi. Due to legal requirements in Germany, all hunted wild boars and other susceptible animals must be examined for Trichinella spp. if their meat is intended for human consumption. In recent years, an increase in the number of Trichinella-positive wild boar shot in Germany has been registered and the prevalence of positive wild boar scaled up from 0.002% to 0.005% between 2013 and 2023. Regarding regional distribution, most Trichinella findings in wild boar have been registered in the North-Eastern part of Germany. Here, the federal states Western-Pomerania, Brandenburg and Saxony that are bordering to Poland are particularly affected. The increase in positive wild boar may be associated with the spread of raccoon dogs and wolves in these regions. Thus, measures are required to prevent the spread of Trichinella among wild animals and to follow the systematic meat inspection in susceptible wild animals intended for food especially wild boar.

Intranasal Linguatula serrata (tongue worm) in canids and vulpids can be detected using computed tomography.

Linguatula serrata ("tongue worm") is a zoonotic intranasal parasite found globally in wild dogs, free-ranging dogs, some domestic dogs, and vulpids. Since there are no sensitive tests currently available, infections are underdiagnosed. This is a pilot observational prospective study aimed at determining whether nasal linguatulosis can be diagnosed using CT. The secondary aims were to evaluate radiography, rhinoscopy, and nasal egg swabs as methods in the diagnosis of tongue worms. Fifty-four wild canids and three vulpids euthanased by gunshot were sourced from pest-control officers. Cadaver heads were subjected to helical CT examination, nasal-swabbed for tongue worm eggs, and necropsied. Radiographs and rhinoscopy were performed on cadavers suspected to be infected based on preliminary CT examination. Tongue worms were retrieved at necropsy in 25 dogs and one fox. CT findings in animals with no nasal cavity ballistic damage were reviewed in six infected dogs and one infected fox. Adult female tongue worms were identified in 4 of 6 dogs and 1 of 1 fox as long, tubular, slightly heterogeneously attenuating structures in the mid to caudal nasal cavities. They were not clearly visible in CT scans when surrounded by nasal fluid, and small parasites (male and immature females) were not discernible. Radiographic findings were mild and nonspecific. One tongue worm was detected in 1 of 12 dogs examined rhinoscopically. Tongue worm eggs were found in swabs from 7 of 25 dogs. While small tongue worms could not be detected with CT, CT proved to be a useful diagnostic method for visualizing adult female tongue worms.

Os cães ferais e seus impactos no meio ambiente

A feral dog is an animal that was domestic and began to live in a wild environment, either due to abandonment or escape. They have no food, water or veterinary care providers. In this way, they recover their wild instincts, depending on their own hunting and survival, which causes an impact on the environment, thus affecting animal and human health. The objective of this study was to review the impacts of wild dogs on environmental health and humans. The present work refers to a bibliographical review survey and analysis of works researched electronically through online databases. Veterinary medicine literature works in English and Portuguese, published between 1975 to 2023, were selected. Because they are large predators in nature, feral dogs have an impact on wildlife. They cause physical and temporal displacement, disturbance and response to stress in the fauna, harming the lives of the animals that live there, reducing the amount of functionally available environment that offers them food, reproduction and rest, in addition to water contamination and mortality of other species, whether direct (predation) or indirect (transmission of pathogens). These dogs compete for the same environment as those that live there, so animal activity decreases to avoid contact with dogs. They can participate in the transmission of various pathogens to humans and wild animals, such as giardiasis, distemper, parvovirus, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, scabies, and they are a reservoir for rabies. They can cause accidents due to bites and risk hybridization with other species. The impacts of feral dogs should be better discussed and studied, and management strategies must be created, including programs to prevent the species from breeding in an unregulated manner. Preventive measures must be taken to avoid a greater impact in the future.

INVENTARISASI VEGETASI KUNCI YANG MENDUKUNG KEBERADAAN SATWA DI BLOK PEMANFAATAN TAMAN BURU MASIGIT KAREUMBI

Taman Buru Masigit Kareumbi is a conservation forest area serving as a habitat for various wildlife species in West Java. This area is dedicated to regulated hunting to manage the populations of Timor deer, muntjac, wild dogs, leopards, jungle cats, wild chickens, slow lorises, binturongs, monkeys, langurs, and hornbills. The presence of these species indicates the need for conservation efforts in TB Masigit Kareumbi to maintain the biodiversity of its flora and fauna and preserve the ecological functions of the forest. Research methods included a vegetation survey conducted from May to August 2023 across seven trails within the Utilization Block of TB Masigit Kareumbi. The study identified various vegetation types along these seven different trails, which play a crucial role as habitat and food sources for other game species. These include: rasamala trees, saint trees, puspa trees, are trees, kendang trees, and grassland vegetation such as alang-alang. The potential game species supported by these types of vegetation are: primates and birds that inhabit and forage on rasamala, puspa, and saninten trees; civets that feed on aren trees; porcupines that forage on kondang trees; and alang-alang grass which provides food for deer and habitat for reptiles. This study demonstrates that the Utilization Block of TB Masigit Kareumbi is a forest area with a plant species composition that continues supporting wildlife's survival and presence. Thus, the updated information from this research will assist the managers of TB Masigit Kareumbi in maintaining the balance and preservation of the existing vegetation species.

A survey of nocturnality and risk for savanna chimpanzees at Assirik, Senegal.

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in Senegal may use nocturnality to mitigate hyperthermia risk in semi-arid environments but the degree of nocturnality for such chimpanzees also in sympatry with large carnivores remains uncertain. We compared diel activity among chimpanzees and their potential predators at Assirik in Niokolo-Koba National Park and contextualized these findings relative to other unit-groups in savanna landscapes. From 2015-2018, we generated a predator inventory using multi-modal methods and monitored the diel activity of chimpanzees and predators with camera traps [ N = 2092 camera trap (CT) days]. From 2015-2023, we also surveyed for evidence of predation during recce walks. Six potential nonhuman predators occur at Assirik, including lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus), and rock pythons (Python sebae). We documented one suspected case of a predator killing a chimpanzee. Nocturnality comprised 12.7% of CT events for chimpanzees and these events were more concentrated at twilight. Chimpanzees were more active during the day, predators were more active at night, and there was substantial temporal overlap among chimpanzees and potential predators during twilight intervals. Our findings support the hypothesis that savanna chimpanzees in Senegal are active at night in response to the extremely hot environment. We hypothesize that Assirik chimpanzees experience a tension between decreasing hyperthermia and increasing predation risk during nocturnality.

African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) masticatory apparatus and oral cavity morphology.

African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are unique among canids in their specialized hunting strategies and social organization. Unlike other, more omnivorous canids, L. pictus is a hypercarnivore that consumes almost exclusively meat, particularly prey larger than its body size, which it hunts through cooperative, exhaustive predation tactics. Its bite force is also among the highest reported for carnivorans. Here, we dissected an adult male L. pictus specimen and conducted diffusion iodine contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT) scans to evaluate and describe its masticatory and oral cavity musculature. Muscles of mastication in L. pictus are separated by deep layers of thick intermuscular fascia and deep insertions. The superficial surface of m. masseter is entirely covered by an extremely thick masseteric fascia. Deep to m. masseter pars reflexa and superficialis are additional bellies, m. masseter pars profunda and zygomaticomandibularis. Musculus temporalis in L. pictus, divides into suprazygomatic, superficial, and deep bellies separated by a deep layer of thick intermuscular fascia, and it inserts along the entire rostral margin of the mandibular ramus. Musculus digastricus appears to comprise a single, large fusiform belly which appears to receive its innervation exclusively from CN V3 (nervus mandibularis, division of nervus trigeminus). Musculus pterygoideus medialis and lateralis are each composed of a single, deep belly. However, despite its great bite force, the jaw adductor muscle mass in L. pictus is not increased for its body size over other canid taxa. This finding suggests there are other architectural adaptations to hypercarnivory beyond increased muscle volume (e.g., pennation angle, greater strength, optimization of lever arms for mechanical advantage).