Wild dogs
African wild dogs, native to sub-Saharan Africa, are among the most endangered mammals in the world. Also known as painted or Cape hunting dogs, they are heavily threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, human targeting, and disease outbreaks.
The IUCN Red List has classified them as threatened since 1990.
An estimated 6,600 of these carnivorous canines live across 39 subpopulations.
Threats to wild dogs
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the major threats to wild dogs.
As human populations grow, the need for increased areas for agriculture, roads and housing grows. The natural habitat of wild dogs is lost to this urban growth, resulting in smaller and disconnected or fragmented patches of land for them to occupy.
This habitat loss increases human-wildlife conflict, competition for food and territory with other large predators such as lions, and the risk of disease outbreaks within small populations. Due to rising instances of human-wildlife conflict, wild dog populations have declined for over two decades. They are often shot or poisoned by farmers who blame them for livestock deaths.
Wild dogs have been given an unfair reputation as “ruthless killers” for their hunting methods. However, they are no different from other large predators and only hunt out of necessity for survival, which is hardly a controllable act.
Ways to help wild dogs
Protected areas are an effective solution for protecting wild dog populations. The installation of “wildlife corridors” also helps mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation and allows for the safe passage of wild dogs between urban areas. Ultimately, these solutions work to reduce human-wildlife conflict, thus reducing people’s impact on these endangered animals.
Quick facts about wild dogs
ASI works with partners specializing in the protection and rehabilitation of wild dogs. Read about our previous work with wild dogs and sign up to stay up to date on our latest work with the species.