Lycaon pictus - The African wild dog is a rare animal. It has disappeared from much of its original range. The wild dog has highly developed social bonds exceeding those of lions or hyenas. It is the female who leaves the group to join other packs while the males remain as the core group. Typical packs can number up to 30 individuals. Each pack has a hierarchal order for both males and females with males leading the overall pack. Mating is limited to the alpha male and female.
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France established a settlement on the northern bank of the Ubangi River in 1889. The small French village was named Bangui and served as the administrative and economic center for the local area. Plantations were built to grow tea, cotton, and coffee. It became the Oubangui-Chari colony in 1903 and was consolidated with Chad, the Middle Congo, and Gabon to form the Federation of French Equatorial Africa in 1910. In 1958, the Central African Republic became an independent country.
