When people ask us which is the most exciting animal to see on safari, there is no doubt in our mind: the African Wild Dog! Their communication, squeals, calls and sounds, playfulness, agility and pack mentality leave us in awe every time we spend time with them in the wild.
Sadly, Africa’s Wild Dog population is under severe strain. A mere 6,600 adults (in 650 packs) remain, living in 39 subpopulations that are all threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution, and outbreaks of disease. Shrinking natural habitats are clashing with Wild Dogs’ large space requirements, meaning they often have to cross fences and human settlements in search of new hunting grounds. Collisions with cars, conflicts with farmers or getting trapped in wire snares are the main threats to this endangered species.
We successfully raised the funds needed to re-collar a pack of Wild Dogs in Gonarezhou National Park on the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The pack lost their alpha female in September 2023, having been killed by a poacher’s snare. Our partner organisation in the region has sent out guardians to mitigate any further human-wildlife conflict, as the pack has now left its den with their puppies in tow after the death of their alpha female. As the pack moved into thick & rocky terrain and temperatures have skyrocketed since October, the ground team has decided to postpone collaring the new alpha until temperatures become safe again for darting. The tracking team has been able to monitor the pack in the meantime, and there has been no further conflict.
Having GPS tracking collars on packs who live in close proximity with human communities is one of the main tools used by conservation organisations to monitor the dogs' movement patterns and prevent potentially deadly conflict situations.
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