Crossword Genius

Degraded state of America, seen by one hunter from Africa (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

basenji

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'africa' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't understand how they can define each other.

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for basenji that I've seen before include "Small hunting dog" , "Barkless dog" , "Breed of African hunting dog that rarely barks" , "Dog unable to bark" , "Smallish hunting dog" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.