African Wild Dog Conservation

WCS began its Wild Dog initiatives in 2000 to study the dramatic decline in wild dog populations in Africa. The IUCN has added African wild dogs to the Red List of endangered species, deeming them one of the continent’s most endangered carnivores. Over the past thirty years, an increase in human disturbance to the ecosystem has forced dogs from over 90 percent of their historically vast home ranges. Assessing the status of populations in protected and unprotected areas requires intense monitoring of wild dog behavioral characteristics. WCS provides technical and financial assistance to study innovative management strategies with promising results so that international wild dog conservation may be established throughout Africa.

The Human Aspect
The majority of Africa’s populations depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Many people participate in small-scale agriculture and raise livestock, which encroaches on wild dog habitat.  Community-based incentives will allow local people to explore the benefits of wildlife and land management for long-term successes. 

Threats
Wild dogs are particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Limiting the size of their home ranges often forces them to compete with top carnivores (such as lions, cheetahs, and spotted hyenas) for prey.  As a result, they may have to roam twice as far to find food.  In addition, wild dogs often roam for social reasons. These two factors drive them onto human-dominated land.  Farmers who encounter wild dogs on their property defend their livestock (often the sole source of income),  persecuting the species,  and giving them reputations as “killer carnivores”. More frequent contact with human settlements also increases the threat of disease passed on from domestic dogs. Finally, an increase in road-building near protected areas has led to more wild dog road casualties.

WCS Activities
Management strategies for land and wildlife, both locally and nationally, are crucial to the future of wild dogs. WCS provides financial assistance and uses biological and technological sciences to augment monitoring schemes and preserve the lands where dogs still remain. At current project sites in Kenya, Botswana and Tanzania, the goals are to maintain wild dog numbers and establishing conservation zones. 
Radio-Collaring and GPS:  These devices have allowed field scientists and land managers alike to track individual packs in all habitats, including more densely wooded areas. Tracking one animal also advantageously tracks a pack, because the dogs’ social system is composed of cooperative breeding and cooperative hunting techniques. Scientists also use GPS technology to determines the amount of land over which each group may roam.
Scent Marks as Means of Species Management:  Packs will often roam some 30-50 sq km in less than a 24-hour period.  When an individual parts from the rest of the pack, it uses scent marks from urine to reunite with the group. WCS is currently devising methods to use biological scent marks to keep wild dogs within protected areas so they avoid various encounters with humans or livestock.
Increased Land Management/Legal Protection: The zoning of lands for conservation purposes and cross border parks would essentially maintain the wild dog population’s need for large space to preserve genetic variation and avoid any inbreeding behavior. 
Integrated Carnivore Management Program: Ongoing monitoring will indicate the borders that dogs cross on several occasions. In addition, locating the areas of wild dog range where there are potentially high concentrations of roads is crucial to creating the best reserve design. This data is also essential when advocating for mitigating future road-building. Most importantly, strategies are needed to reduce conflict between people and wild dogs. This issue will be closely explored in consultations about husbandry practices, as well as calculations of estimates and compensation for livestock losses due to wild dog predation.
Wild Dogs for Ecotourism: Wild dogs are diurnal hunters, enabling human spectatorship of their activities. This could be of interest to the many admirers of Africa’s carnivores. Research into the potential for ecotourism without adverse effects is essential for sustainable wild dog populations.

Important Next Steps
Expand activity to other regions of wild dog habitat, e.g. South Africa and Zimbabwe
Conduct a range wide priority setting of African wild dogs
Encourage local people to vaccinate against canid diseases
Enablestakeholders to share in ecotourism that focusses on wild dogs