Remembering African Wild Dogs

[WRITER: Sarah Kingdom ] [ PHOTO: Lance van de Veyver, Greg Robinson, Torrie Hilley, Art Wolfe ]

Currently listed as endangered by the IUCN, with only 6,600 individuals (and about 700 breeding pairs) remaining in the wild, African wild dogs are one of the continent’s most captivating carnivores and one of its most endangered species. Once found all over Africa, their numbers have drastically declined over the last 100 years. Seen as pests by farmers and blamed for livestock deaths (more often than not the work of lions or hyenas) they are often poisoned, or can catch distemper and rabies from domestic dogs. African wild dogs require huge ranges and habitat fragmentation has caused their decline. Nowadays populations are limited to pockets of wildlife sanctuaries and reserves. Thankfully the African wild dog has undergone a very good PR makeover in the last few years, and is now one of the most sought after safari sightings.

Easily recognisable with their tan, black and white coats, each as unique as a fingerprint, wild dogs are highly social animals, living in packs led by an alpha male and female. These are highly successful hunters, with a success rate of around 80% (remarkable considering lions average 30%). Hunting in packs, that number anywhere from five to forty, adult wild dogs unite to become an awesome killing machine, communicating constantly with birdlike chirrups and hoots. These are prodigious athletes, able to outrun almost any creature over long distances. Using stamina to overcome their prey, they can maintain an impressive 50km/hr for extended periods of time, occasionally reaching top speeds of 70km/hr… basically running their prey to exhaustion. enables them to take down animals over ten times their size, and literally tear them limb from limb at an astonishing rate; eating pretty much the entire carcass… right down to the eye balls! After a hunt, the pack will usually return to the den, where they regurgitate some of their kill for pups, as well as old or injured pack members. Unlike other social carnivores, wild dogs have an extraordinary social dynamic and the whole pack works together to raise a litter of pups, even if that means letting them feed first on a kill.

“Zambia is one of only six remaining countries considered as strongholds for wild dogs on the entire continent,” says Dr Chuma Simukonda, Director of the Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DPNW). Kafue National Park, the largest protected area in Zambia and the second largest national park in Africa, contains significant numbers of wild dogs, believed to be the largest number in any national park in Africa. The Luangwa Valley (comprised of North and South Luangwa National Parks and Luambe National Park) is estimated to be home to approximately 350 adult wild dogs, the largest population of wild dogs in Zambia. Also in Zambia, DPNW, in partnership with African Parks recently translocated three wild dogs (sourced from Kafue National Park) to Liuwa Plains National Park, this initial group of females will be supplemented with additional male wild dogs in the coming weeks.

Wild dogs are amongst my favourite animals to see on safari. One of my most memorable encounters was in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, when late one afternoon we sat, silently watching a pack of sixteen wild dogs who lay napping in a shady depression, camouflaged by their mottled coats. Aside from the occasional flick of a tail, the pack lay inert. As the sun sank lower in the sky, the dogs woke, one by one, yawning and stretching. Getting to their feet, the pack members exchanged elaborate greetings… whimpering as they sniffed, smelt and licked one another. Gradually they became livelier; prancing and playing. There was a light hearted atmosphere amongst the pack as they gambolled together, waiting for the last few deep sleepers to stir.

Play time over, it was time to get to work, and the pack readied themselves for the night’s hunt, before disappearing off into the setting sun.

Whilst a wild dog sighting like this may be memorable, it is not common. Nowadays wild dog populations are limited to pockets of wildlife sanctuaries and reserves, and they remain under threat with population numbers continuing to decline. Fortunately there are people and projects committed to saving this special species. One such person is Margot Raggett, and one such project is the stunning Remembering Wildlife series of photography books.

Margot gave up a career as CEO of a London PR company and came to Africa to follow her love of wildlife photography. Her plans changed, when in Kenya in 2014, she came across the carcass of a poached elephant. Deeply affected by this, Margot was determined to do something about it. She spent months persuading some of the world’s best wildlife photographers to donate photographs she could include in what she planned would be “the most beautiful book on a species ever seen”, the sale of which would raise funds for elephant conservation. The book, Remembering Elephants, was launched in 2016. After the success of Remembering Elephants, Margot was inspired to push on, and next came Remembering Rhinos, then Remembering Great Apes, followed by Remembering Lions and Remembering Cheetahs. Five years of ‘camera-derie’, 200 donated images, and five books later, the Remembering Wildlife fundraising photography book series, has raised over $1.1 million for conservation, and has just released the sixth and latest book in the series, Remembering African Wild Dogs. Altogether more than 32,000 books from the Remembering Wildlife series have been sold, and the series has distributed over a million dollars to conservation projects across Africa and Asia. Profits from the books have gone to 55 conservation projects in 24 countries, including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Uganda, with all profits being given directly to projects focussing on the species that each book is focused on.

Following on from the incredible success of the series, the sixth and latest book, Remembering African Wild Dogs, was recently launched. The book is beautiful. Full of stunning photos, donated by more than 80 of the world’s top wildlife photographers. Remembering African Wild Dogs aims to demystify the species, raise awareness of their plight and raise funds to protect them.

Donations have already been made from the profits of Remembering African Wild Dogs, the first was $25,000 given to the Endangered Wildlife Trust to support the successful reintroduction of African wild dogs into Malawi, in association with African Parks, after decades of absence. An additional $25,000 has just been given to the project to be put towards their emergency response fund (including snare removal, veterinary care and human-wild dog conflict mitigation), vaccinations, follow ups to the Malawi translocation and work to ensure genetic diversity in populations.

A $25,000 donation has also been made to the Zambian Carnivore Programme for the purchase of eight satellite collars, along with field equipment for monitoring wild dogs, to aid anti-snaring and co-existence activity. AFRICAN WILD DOGS | ZAMBIA These donations take the amount distributed by the Remembering Wildlife programme as a whole to USD$1.159 million with further donations to additional wild dog projects scheduled in the coming months.

How Does It All Work?

Unlike many fundraising organisations Remembering Wildlife runs as a business and not as a charity. Unlike most charities, they don’t ask for donations, instead they sell you something beautiful, a book or a print, and promise that 100% of the profits will go to conservation projects.

In addition, Remembering Wildlife, marked its fifth anniversary with the launch of an online print shop, where a selection of images from the whole collection are available for purchase. These are images by some of the best wildlife photographers on the planet. Profits from the sale of prints are to be shared between Remembering Wildlife and the photographers themselves, not only as a thank you for their support but also in acknowledgement of the difficulties wildlife photographers have faced during the pandemic. To purchase copies of these beautiful books just go online to buyrememberingwildlife.com, to purchase prints online go to rememberingwildlife.photoshelter.com/index.