Conservation of African Wild Dogs in Zambia
During the last century, wild dogs have suffered a precipitous decline as a result of habitat fragmentation and deliberate extermination.
Kafue National Park (KNP), Zambia, contains one of the few viable populations of African wild dogs. In 2004, the African Wild Dog Research Team, made up of CRES researchers, extended and intensified their survey and research efforts by incorporating a second field team to help monitor the vast park and to conduct a dissertation project on vocal communication in wild dogs.
The field season began by relocating the base camp to Treetops Educational Camp, which is not only closer to several wild dog packs but also allowed the teams to augment the outreach and education component of the project. Through the combined efforts of both teams, more accurate records about the distribution and density of African wild dogs in KNP were compiled. The park has at least 120 African wild dogs living in a minimum of 9 to 10 packs in the northern sector and a minimum of 6 packs in the southern sector. Continued census work on lions and spotted hyenas revealed 92 adult lions in 13 prides in the northern sector and between 200 and 500 spotted hyenas in the same region.
A brief aerial survey, designed in conjunction with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), was undertaken to obtain a better idea about the degree of habitat encroachment, as well as to assess some basic distribution trends of selected species within KNP. ZAWA has increased the number of antipoaching patrols throughout the park, which might be one factor contributing to an apparent increase in ungulate numbers in the central part of the northern sector. On the other hand, some evidence indicates population declines are occurring at the northern border of the park, where the patrols are much less frequent.
As part of the worldwide effort to conserve African wild dogs, the team attended a workshop at the end of the field season in Kruger National Park that brought together field scientists from multiple countries. The goal was to create a foundation for sharing ideas and data that would be useful for designing conservation management plans for African wild dogs. Because African wild dogs occupy such large areas, conservation of wild dogs also promotes conservation of vast tracks of ecosystems.
More
African Wild Dog Conservation Project, Kafue National Park, Zambia, 2004 Annual Report (pdf)
Conservation Education for Schoolchildren and Adults in Zambia
