Less than 500 wild dogs left in SA
SANDTON – A grim statistic was recently revealed that an estimated 450 wild dogs are left in the wild.
The University of the Third Age recently hosted a David Marnewick of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) at the Rosebank Union Church.
Marnewick shocked the audience when he revealed a grim statistic that there are only an estimated 450 wild dogs left in South Africa.
In the whole of Africa, there are only about 5 000 of these fascinating, family-oriented carnivores. More shocking is the knowledge that if it wasn’t for the intervention of the EWT and other concerned parties, the number in SA would only be at about 132!
“We are incredibly proud that over the past few years we have managed to increase our packs of wild dog,” said Marnewick.
“In 2009 we only had 132 left – a scientifically catastrophic number. Long-term studies on the demographics were begun to determine all potential threats to our wild dogs.”
“This is not only due to loss of habitat, (a single wild dog requires an area of 25 000 hectares), but also to snares, poisoning, traffic accidents, being shot and diseases such as canine distemper and TB.”
67 minutes for animals on Mandela Day at Sandton SPCA
Marnewick said that in 2016, three packs were wiped out after contracting canine distemper. “It is a loss of 55 wild dogs including a female bearing 18 unborn pups.”
The EWT whipped into action with a huge vaccination programme in which 30 to 40 per cent of the Kruger Park dogs in each pack were darted, blood samples taken, and inoculations done for rabies and distemper. The selected animals were fitted with collars so they could be tracked for follow up booster vaccines.
“It took a year of consistent effort,” said Marnewick.
“With 22 packs out of 45 in the whole country, the Kruger Park has the largest population of wild dog. We managed to vaccinate 65 dogs in 21 of those packs.”
Another problem is fences which prevent the wild dogs from roaming freely and mixing with other packs to keep the gene pool strong.
The EWT is involved in a programme where they physically swop animals from one area to another. “A clever way devised to introduce different members of a new pack is to rub them on each other after darting.
“When they come around, their combined smells help them to bond in the boma.”
A new pack of wild dogs is to be reintroduced into the northern area of the Kruger National Park after being absent for many years. “We don’t know what happened to them then, but we have to be proactive,” said Marnewick.
“Now we need to study their movements, try and understand the genetic flow and increase the number of packs.”
The R5-million-a-year project will involve the dogs being collared and having a full-time monitor.
