Wikia

Cape Dogs are creatures that were set to appear in The Lion King films and franchise.

Appearance Edit

Cape dogs are considerably small and long-bodied. Males can grow to be up to 75 centimeters high and 100 centimeters long, with their tails adding an extra 30-45 centimeters. Cape dogs averagely weigh 18-34 kilograms.^[1] Males are normally larger than females. Their fur is short-cropped and splashed with different shades of brown and tan.

Information Edit

In the Real World Edit

Cape dogs have acquired many different names since their discovery, such as "African Wild Dogs," "Spotted Dogs," and "Painted Wolves." Cape dogs are very social animals and tend to live together in packs. Most pack members are related by blood, so it's not uncommon for a family of cape dogs to live together and function as a group. Like in a wolf pack, cape dogs have an alpha male and an alpha female.

Most often, the father or eldest brother seizes control of the pack, while it is always the eldest female who is alpha. Cape dog hierarchy is based on submission rather than dominance, so a transition of power is usually done without bloodshed.^[2]

Cape dogs hunt in packs. In much the same manner as wolves, cape dogs will chase their prey in order to tire it out and make an easier kill. While hunting, pack members will vocalize in order to coordinate with each other. Prey that is most appealing to a pack include impala, gazelles, springbok, and wildebeest. Occasionally, a pack will feed on ostriches.^[3] Cape dogs have large appetites and are known for being good at hunting large prey. After a successful hunt, they will regurgitate a share of the remains to those who stayed behind, such as the alpha female, pups, etc.

In The Lion King Edit

In an early draft of The Lion King, cape dogs appeared alongside Scar as his helpers and minions. Their role was almost identical to that of the hyenas, who replaced them in the final film. In an early version of the script, they aided Scar in his scheme to kill Mheetu and Simba in a wildebeest stampede. They were eventually replaced by Banzai, Ed, and Shenzi.^[4]