2005 - The African Wild Dog - The Painted Dog, Hunters of Africa, sterling silver proof coins

In 2000, Africa's “Big 5” were chosen as the first theme to feature on this newly introduced silver coin series. Over the last five years these four legal tender coins have become increasingly popular amongst collectors. In 2005 a new theme, “Hunters of Africa”, was introduced, featuring the African Wild Dog. The dappled appearance of the African wild dog explains their scientific name, Lycaon pictus, which means “painted wolf-like animal”.

The African wild dog has radically declined over the last century. Once distributed through much of sub-Saharan Africa, they are now confined to a few areas where human population density remains low. The ultimate cause of the wild dogs' decline has been a combination of persecution and habitat loss. Like other large predators, wild dogs do kill livestock under some circumstances, and have therefore been shot, snared and poisoned in most livestock areas. Wild dogs have enormous home ranges and are rare even where they live in large well-protected habitats with abundant prey. This makes them unusually susceptible to the fragmentation of their habitat which occurs as large tracts of land are taken over for livestock grazing and cultivation.

Today a concerted effort is being made to prevent the extinction of this unique hunter. The African Wild Dog is commemorated on this year's coins with various aspects of these predators being featured on the reverse side of each coin. The unifying design is based on a reflection in a camera lens, indicating a positive relationship between man and wild dogs where wild dogs are perceived as extraordinary and valuable. On the common obverse, the South African coat of arms, the words “South Africa” and the year “2005”, are featured.

ARTIST
Lilian Guerra, resident artist at the South African Mint designed the four wildlife coins.

ENGRAVERS
The obverse design for the coins was engraved by the South African Mint’s chief die-engraver, Arthur Sutherland. South African Mint resident die-engravers, Cecil Moses, Marthinus Scheepers, Aldrid Minnie and Lillian Guerra engraved the reverse designs.