SKUKUZA – The timeous actions taken by game experts in the Kruger National Park (KNP), especially those with knowledge of the endangered wild dogs, might have saved the life of a pregnant alfa-female wild dog.
A ranger involved in a research project on the wild dogs in KNP, Mr Jamie Sangster, saw the dog laying down in a pool of mud with a snare around her neck.
He reported this incident to the wild dog project manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), Grant Beverley, who requested the help of the veterinarians of KNP.
The dog wore an electronic collar which made it easier to find her.
The specific group of wild dogs was located earlier in the week close to the Nyamundwa-dam, on the S-1 route.
That is the route between Phabeni Gate and the Jakkalsbessie intersection with the Paul Kruger Gate/Skukuza road, but according to Beverly they roamed a much wider area.
From aerial footage, this pack of dogs was seen a week ago with the snare already around the alfa-female’s neck. The head of veterinarian and wildlife services, Dr Markus Hofmyer, and his team were called out.
The animal was sedated and the snare successfully removed.
“Luckily the dog’s neck was not injured during her capture in the snare. It looks as if the collar actually saved her life because the snare got stuck in it and not in her skin,” Beverly remarked.
The vets also checked the fetuses and found them to be healthy. The alfa-female will give birth in about three week’s time and the vets said that they could feel at least five fetuses moving around. Beverly added that the same female had a litter of 10 pups a year ago.
After the snare was removed, they left the wild dog in the bush where she stayed until she woke up.
The rest of her group was waiting about 40 meters away in the main road to be united with the alfa-female.
When the pack were united again, there was a lot of exciting squealing to welcome her back into the pack.
