HOEDSPRUIT – Two pupils of Penryn College recently had the privilege of spending some time at Blue Canyon Reserve where they tracked wild dogs.
Paul Diasferriera and Gabriella More ‘O Ferrall observed Grant Beverley of Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) tracking this endangered species.
The pair said they were taught how to track the dogs using a GPS. The main purpose of the EWT’s wild- dog project is to elevate the wild dogs’ status from “endangered” to “vulnerable”.
Also read: Entire pack of wild dogs lost to Canine Distemper
The majority of South African wild dogs exist in small reserves such as the one they visited. The two also learned that wild dogs are cooperative breeders, meaning only the alpha female produces puppies while the rest of the pack help to feed them.
The visit by the pair culminated from Grant’s visit to Penryn where he spoke about the project. The college raised money to support it and an amount of R4 000 was collected through the college’s civies day.
Also read: Rabies outbreak ravages a pack of wild dogs
More ‘O Ferrall said it was very fulfilling to learn about and interact with the species.
She added that wild dogs were an endangered species and unfortunately did not get the same amount of exposure as other endangered species.
“The highlight of the trip was definitely seeing the wild dogs emerge from the bush after having tracked them the entire morning,” she said.
Also read: The saving of a wild dog improves population
When asked about the importance of the project, she said it was important for the youth to get involved in similar activities as it gives them a good outlook on the future and allows them to explore the world they live in.
Also read: End of travels for roaming wild dogs
Diasferriera said he was deeply grateful to the environment officer at Penryn for organising the trip.
“I would also like to thank Grant for affording us his time to take us around and educate us on the wonderful species that is the wild dog,” he said.
He added that the visit meant a great deal to him and had opened his eyes to the beautiful creatures and just how much help was needed to save them.
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