Artwork © Frontier Developments

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus · Africa

Requirements at a glance

Scientific name

Lycaon pictus

Status

Endangered

Biomes

Grassland

Temperature

14–36 °C

Land area

930 m²

Shelter

10 m²

Barrier

Grade 2 · 3 m

Group size

2–27 (27♂ / 27♀)

Temperament

Confident

Food / period

$391

Building the habitat

The land area is a hard floor: 930 m² for the enclosure itself, plus 10 m² of shelter on top. Barrier grade 2 at 3 m contains the animal without overspending on fencing you do not need.

Keep the habitat inside 14–36 °C. Temperature is one of the most common reasons a habitat quietly loses welfare, because it never triggers the alarm that hunger does.

Group limits matter more than most players expect: mixed groups run 2–27, capped at 27 male and 27 female. Exceeding the male cap is what causes fights — not total headcount.

Compatible species

None listed — keep this species on its own or in a single-species group.

Budgeting this habitat

Food runs about $391 per period. See how that compares across the roster in our food cost ranking, or start from the best starter animals if this is a first zoo.

Similar species

Habitat

Spotted Hyena

Least Concern

940 m² land

Habitat

Lion

Vulnerable

810 m² land

Habitat

Black Rhinoceros

Critically Endangered

770 m² land

Habitat

African Leopard

Vulnerable

705 m² land

Biome: Grassland

Figures from the official Planet Zoo 2 Zoopedia, checked 2026-10-21; patches can change them — trust your in-game build menu if they differ. Official entry. Artwork © Frontier Developments; used here for identification.