Desert

5 of the Desert's Deadliest Animals

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• published: 26 Jul 2016
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From barren lands to the sub-Saharan African desert, here are the world's deadliest animals found in the desert. These dangerous creatures are extremely fatal. Find out why the hyena is one of the cruelest animals alive at http://theywillkillyou.com/hyena-cruelest-predators/ Subscribe for new videos: http://goo.gl/SaufF4 5: African Wild Dogs African wild dogs can be found in the vast space of the South Saharan desert. They can also be seen at the edge of the Sahara's woodlands as well. These wild dogs are also known as “painted dogs” due to their dapper coat's wide color patterns. Their furs are individually unique as the patches can range in mixtures of yellow, black, red, white, and brown. These canines live in packs dominated by a monogamous breeding pair. Its big, round ears are unlike any regular canine species, making them stand out from their species counterparts. Another difference is that African wild dogs only have four toes instead of five. Additionally, they hunt together in packs ranging from six to twenty canines. Some packs can even reach up to forty members large. African wild dogs are known to be excellent at communicating and socializing. This works to their advantage as it allows them to take down big prey such as wildebeests. But at the same time, these wild dogs don’t mind small- to mid-sized animals in their diets such as rodents, birds, gazelles, and antelopes. With incredible velocity, they can hit speeds of up to 44 miles per hour while weighing up to 70 pounds. The pack is known for sharing food with one another and taking care of their small pups. The highest ranking females can bear up to 20 pups per litter. Since more humans have settled in Tanzania and Northern Mozambique in the past few decades, the canines have learned to hunt for domesticated animals. Consequently, this has caused settlers to hunt down the wild dogs in order to save their own farm animals. The numbers of African wild dogs have dropped significantly over the last 20 years & thus, are now endangered, leaving their population at approximately 6,600 canines. 4: Lions There are a few species of lions found throughout the plains of Africa. The lions are the second largest species in the feline family tree, second only to tigers, which are the largest. Lions are capable of reaching up to 250 pounds and lionesses can reach up to 180 pounds. Lions are the only species in the feline genus to have a distinct sexual dimorphism. Of the two sexes, only the males are able to develop what is called “a mane.” The mane is what gives the male lions its unique characteristic, differing from the female lionesses or any other felines in its family tree. This “mane” encircles the male’s entire head, acting as protective cover for its skull while at the same time, giving the lion its intimidating look. In some species of male lions, the mane’s color may change to more black and less blonde as it ages. Additionally, the changing of the mane’s color is directly related with the lion's health at that present time. Lions may spend up to 20 hours a day resting and 3 to 4 hours walking and hunting. They're normally solitary predators, but only until they find a mate. Once the lions breed, a social hierarchy is created, which is called a pride. A pride of lions consists of one dominant male who is seen often leading his pride with many related females as well as their offspring. If the pride happens to have two or more dominant males, it is then known as a coalition. A coalition can be created with exclusively the decisions of the two males. One dominant male may at times let another single male join his pride without having a prior pride. In another scenario, two prides are combined, which increases the total amount of females and cubs. Once the lions find their pride, a social unit within the female is quickly formed with a hierarchy of rankings. Lionesses are the hunters in the pride since they're considered to be faster, more agile and smaller, making it difficult for their victims to react to their attacks. Related females work together in each hunt with a strategic plan of attack. Intelligently, lions want to save as much energy as possible; their first choice being a scavenge for dead carcasses killed by other predators that could not finish their meals. The lionesses usually hunt at dawn and will only hunt if it’s absolutely necessary. In the plains of West Africa, these beasts will eat a variety of animal diets such as zebras, wildebeests, warthogs, and buffalos. Within the last two decades, lion populations have dropped almost 50% in certain locations in Africa. This is mainly caused by conflicts with humans near new farms and villages. Lions are therefore hunted by these humans in order to save their own domesticated farm animals. Due to these factors, West African lions have been endangered for many years. Currently, wild lions are found in two places in the world: throughout parts of India and in the African