African Wild Dog

Discussions and information on all Southern African Mammals
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67235
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Lisbeth »

Were the wild dogs already threatened 43 years ago or were they just relocated for the reason written in the article?


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75833
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Richprins »

As the article says, Lis! They did not have quite as much knowledge of the dogs back then, and the Olifants area needed some predators? \O


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67235
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Lisbeth »

:yes: I thought so \O


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75833
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Richprins »

Mega-packs in Kruger: Custos 1978

DSCF0126.JPG


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Peter Betts
Posts: 3084
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:28 am
Country: RSA
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Peter Betts »

40 years ago when I flew over Southern Kruger with Dr Gus Mills ..there were 5 large resident packs in the South Bulge ..The Aerial mounted under the plane wing picked up the signal on each Packs Alpha female who had a collar on ..There were no translocated packs there as they always occured there


Klipspringer
Global Moderator
Posts: 5862
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:34 pm
Country: Germany
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Klipspringer »

The text books say that a larger pack is usually more successful to raise offspring.

There is a pack of a male and female only in MalaMala and they have nine doggies to look after.



User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67235
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Lisbeth »

Obviously the general opinion is that hunting in two is not as rewarding as hunting in 8 and somebody must look after the "kids" too ;-)


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Klipspringer
Global Moderator
Posts: 5862
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:34 pm
Country: Germany
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Klipspringer »

Exactly. I think this couple has super powers :yes:


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67235
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Lisbeth »

:yes:


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Klipspringer
Global Moderator
Posts: 5862
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:34 pm
Country: Germany
Contact:

Re: African Wild Dog

Post by Klipspringer »

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ke ... Africa.pdf

A 20-year review of the status and distribution of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in South Africa

South Africa is one of only seven countries with a viable population of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus). The national population in 2017 was 372 adults and yearlings and comprised three subpopulations: 1) Kruger National Park (Kruger), 2) an intensively managed metapopulation established through reintroductions into isolated, fenced reserves, and 3) a free-roaming population that occurs naturally outside protected areas. We assessed the long-term (four wild dog generations, ~20 years) trends in population size and growth rate within each of these three subpopulations. We found that Kruger supports a substantial population,which has declined over time. The metapopulation is the only subpopulation that has increased significantly over time (both in population size and number of packs), likely due to intensive conservation efforts and the reintroduction of wild dogs into 15 additional reserves since 1998. The free-roaming subpopulation has remained small but stable, even though the number of packs has declined due to anthropogenic threats. The overall national population has remained stable even though the number of packs has increased. Kruger has consistently supported the highest proportion of the national population over the last two decades. However, the contribution of the metapopulation has increased significantly over time. It is clear that despite differences in survey effort among the three subpopulations,
South Africa has a small (~500) but stable population of wild dogs, with the metapopulation contribution becoming increasingly important. The circumstances in the country necessitate, and demonstrate the benefit of, intensive, adaptive management for the national population of wild dogs. While this assessment provides baseline information for the three subpopulations, wild dog conservation in South Africa would benefit greatly from equal survey effort and standardized methods to accurately assess long-term population trends.
f1.jpg
f1.jpg (62.26 KiB) Viewed 184 times
RESULTS
Kruger subpopulation
The mean annual population size in Kruger was 163 ± 34 adults and yearlings (range: 115–262; Fig. 1), and the population size has declined over time (F(1,18) = 4.99, P = 0.04, R2 = 0.21; Fig. 1).
Although the population growth rate decreased by a mean of 3% per annum, (±0.21%, range: 0.36–0.56), this was not a significant interannual decrease (F(1,17) = 0.52, P = 0.48, R2 = 0.03) and as such the subpopulation has remained relatively stable over time.

Metapopulation
The mean annual metapopulation size was 108 ± 41.08 adults and yearlings (range: 37–160; Fig. 1), and the population has increased over time
(F(1,18) = 22.42, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.56). The mean annual number of packs in the metapopulation was 12 ± 6 (range: 1–20) and this increased over
time (F(1,18) = 202.8, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.92). The mean annual growth rate of the metapopulation was 6% (±0.24%, range: –0.46–0.47) but this
remained stable over time as we found no significant interannual increase (F(1,17) = 0.17, P = 0.69, R2 = 0.01).
The mean annual number of reserves comprising the metapopulation was 7 ± 3.13 (range: 2–14), and this increased over time (F(1,18) = 82.69,
P < 0.001, R2 = 0.82; Table 2). Consequently, the mean area encompassed by metapopulation reserves increased over time (from 1516 to 5385 km2; x = 3753 ± 1200 km2 (F(1,18) = 47.56, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.73; Table 2).
National population
The mean annual national population size of wild dogs was 350 ± 40.52 (range: 285–427; Fig. 1) with the highest count recorded in January 2016
with an estimated 427 adults and yearlings (Fig. 1).
The mean annual population size was stable over the study period (F(1,18) = 1.74, P = 0.20, R2 = 0.04) even though the number of packs increased over time (F(1,18) = 37.99, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.68)
DISCUSSION
Wild dog numbers in South Africa fluctuated between 1998 and 2017 but overall the national population was stable.South Africa’s population of wild dogs remains modest, with fewer than 500 adults and yearlings. The 2016 population size of 427 adults and yearlings was the highest count recorded in the past two decades and this was driven primarily by the expanding metapopulation.
The mean annual national population size of wild dogs (adults and yearlings) was 350 which was stable over time. Each subpopulation makes a critical contribution to the national total, particularly the metapopulation and Kruger. It is evident that without the development and expansion of metapopulation, and all the intensive and costly management that this involves (Lindsey et al., 2005b), the South African national population would be significantly smaller and more vulnerable. For example, Kruger experienced a significant decrease from 450 individuals in 1995 to 132 in 2009, but because the metapopulation provided a demographic buffer for the national population, this decline was not as severe at a national scale.


Post Reply

Return to “Mammals”