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Hunting, Painted, Wild & Endangered
In Jan 2006 I had seen my first wild dog, followed three years later by another. Then in 2010 I was extremely lucky to encounter a large pack finishing off a fresh kill. Also in attendance on that kill, other than hyena, were members of the HIP wild dog monitoring team.
To learn more about the status of wild dogs in KwaZulu Natal, EKZN Wildlife arranged for me to meet two of their monitoring team. Coincidentally I had already met one of the team before. Zama Zwane was observing the kill I had come across in 2010.
It was an uncharacteristically chilly afternoon, at the Centenary Centre in Hluhluwe Imfolizi Park. Sitting with Dave Druce, regional ecologist and animal behaviourist, and Zama Zwane the talk was all of wild dogs.
Estimates indicate that in the whole of Africa there are less than 6000 wild dogs. They have become extinct in many countries and are now predominantly found in Southern Africa only. Therefore they are officially listed as an endangered species. The reading is bleak but what are the prospects?
Dave explained that the first dogs were reintroduced into HIP back in the early 1980’s. In 2001 a new pack was bought in to expand the blood lines. In the last 4 years the HIP population has grown from 83 to 110 dogs.
There are 10 packs within HIP and each pack varies in size. 9 of the packs are generally to be found in the southern section of the park as prey numbers here are higher. “Their preferred prey in the park is Nyala and Impala and they will eat on average one animal per day” Zama adds. Zama spends his days observing some of the packs. He is hands on and is responsible for tracking the dogs on a daily basis. He will observe and record their hunting, social habits and general behaviour. “I know them so well that in some cases I would be prepared to predict who will be next to disperse from their pack” Zama tells us.
Packs consist of an alpha male and female and there is a pecking order in place for the remaining members. Only the alpha dogs breed and therefore as animals develop they will eventually leave the group to form their own pack. Small dispersing groups from different areas will meet up to form new packs and in turn expand populations.
“Even in HIP dog populations are effected by problems as they are every where else in Africa” Dave explains. Only 50% of new born pups will make it to adult hood. Other predators such as lions and hyenas will kill pups, and adults, where the chance arises. Human intervention also plays a negative role in the dogs destiny. Animals are killed by vehicles on the corridor road, trapped in snares and hunted for traditional medicine.
Wild dogs tend to hunt during the early morning and late afternoon when conditions are cool. They can range up to 20kms per day, less during denning season, when they stay closer to the site of the den. This is normally between February and May.
Their method of hunting is to chase down their prey and wear it down. Once the prey animal stops the dogs move in. The kill is almost instant. This may be intimidating to people but the dogs pose no threat to humans.
Zama see’s each of the parks packs at least twice a month. He is mainly reliant on radio collars to find them. “They do tend to hunt either on roads or close to roads, which makes tracking a little easier” He adds. “Two animals, normally the alpha pair, are fitted with collars”. There is of course a cost to maintaining the monitoring programme. Radio collars come in at around R3000.00, approx £300.00. And the battery operated device within them will last a maximum of 3 years. A dedicated vehicle is also required to have any chance covering the parks 96,000 hectares. Occasionally there is also the need for air support to find collard dogs.
Beyond HIP wild dog packs have been introduced into other EKZN Wildlife parks including Mukhuze and Tembe. I ask Dave what is next as surly the dogs will run out of viable territories? “Core areas are being created where populations can increase”. “However the next step could be to create dog corridors to allow dispersing animals to roam freely between core areas”. Dave answers. “Local community cooperation is the key factor to make this work”
The work of Dave, Zama and their ‘support staff’ is playing a major role in the conservation of the wild dog. Not only in Zululand, but throughout Africa.
To see the Ume pack from HIP in action click on Watch KwaZulu-Natal where there is a link to ‘The Pack’ filmed in Imfolozi and shown on National Geographic.
For more information visit www.kznwildlife.com.
To read my encounter with the Sontuli Loop Wild Dogs, click the Safari Articles here.