African Wild Dog

[Flutterby]

Amazing technology.

[Richprins]

Ja, feeding time, possibly Kapama, outside Kruger?


This one is very good, though very typical...



There is a much longer version, from odie's website, but I can't find it now!

[Flutterby]

MEDIA RELEASE, For immediate release

WILD DOG PACK SUCCUMB TO CANINE DISTEMPER

The Kruger National Park (KNP) lost a pack of African Wild dogs, known as the Lower Sabie pack from a disease called Canine Distemper, towards the weekend of 21-22 May 2016. The disease commonly affects domestic dogs and can also spill over to the wildlife such as the African wild dogs, hyenas, lions and jackals.

The virus often circulates in wildlife without clinical signs or mortalities, as has been the case in KNP for many years. The exact source of the particular virus which affected this pack of wild dogs is not certain, but could have been due to contact with a feral dog or one of the other wildlife species infected by the disease.

“The strain of the disease varies and this strain which cost our Wild dogs’ lives appears to be particularly extreme. African wild dog packs do not often make contact with each other; therefore chances of other packs of dogs in the southern KNP becoming infected by this pack are very small however we remain alert. Such cases have shown that 100% mortality can occur if it infects a particular pack of wild dogs – e.g. Tswalu Desert Reserve also recently lost an entire pack to Distemper disease.”, said the GM: Wildlife Veterinary, Dr Markus Hofmeyr.

A joint investigation by both SANParks and State Veterinarians on various options of managing the situation such as increased monitoring of all other packs in the area and the possibility of targeted vaccination of adult wild dogs is underway. The disease has to date only affected one pack in the park.

“The long-term solution to the problem is frequent vaccination of domestic dogs around conservation areas and we advise the public especially those in local communities bordering the Park to stick to routine vaccination of their domestic dogs as this assists us as well”, advised Hofmeyr.

Posters will be placed at strategic places inside the Park, with contact details to report any African wild dog sightings, so that guests can also assist management with the monitoring of the health status of wild dogs in the KNP.

Issued by
South African National Parks: Kruger National Park - Communications & Marketing Department
Media enquiries:
William Mabasa, SANParks Acting Head of Communications/GM: Communications & Marketing, Kruger National Park. Contact: Tel: 013 735 4363, cell: 082 807 3919 or email: william.mabasa@sanparks.org

[Alf]

Very sad news indeed

[Richprins]

[Lisbeth]

Canine distemper

“The long-term solution to the problem is frequent vaccination of domestic dogs around conservation areas and we advise the public especially those in local communities bordering the Park to stick to routine vaccination of their domestic dogs as this assists us as well”, advised Hofmeyr.

I wonder if this is going to happen.

[Mel]

Nooo

[Richprins]

No, that will never happen, sick feral dogs all over the place!

But this happens now and again...WDs are very susceptible to disease, one of their main drawbacks, methinks!

[nan]

How sad it is
is it one of the pack you have seen

my friends in Upington are occupied in vaccination and lot of other things about feral dogs/cats... everyone very sick like you said RP ^
and received bad treatments

[Lisbeth]

ShockWildlifeTruths: Famous Lower Sabie Wild Dog pack killed by canine distemper

As if their fight for survival isn't dire enough, a pack of endangered wild dogs in the Kruger National Park (KNP) has died due to natural causes.

The KNP made an announcement saying they had lost their Lower Sabie pack of African Wild Dogs from a disease called Canine Distemper. The wild dogs died around the weekend of 21 - 22 May this year, KNP says.

Canine distemper is a contagious and serious viral illness with no known cure. The disease commonly affects domestic dogs and can also spill over to the wildlife such as the African wild dogs, hyenas, lions and jackals.

The virus often circulates in wildlife without clinical signs or mortalities, as has been the case in KNP for many years.

The exact source of the particular virus which affected this pack of wild dogs is not certain, but could have been due to contact with a feral dog or one of the other wildlife species infected by the disease.

“The strain of the disease varies and this strain which cost our Wild Dogs’ lives appears to be particularly extreme, Dr Markus Hofmeyr for the park's Veterinary Wildlife Services says.

"African Wild Dog packs do not often make contact with each other, therefore chances of other packs of dogs in the southern KNP becoming infected by this pack are very small. We remain alert, however."

Hofmeyr says extreme cases like this claim a 100% mortality rate if it infects a particular pack of wild dogs. "Tswalu Desert Reserve also recently lost an entire pack to Distemper disease," he says.

A joint investigation by both SANParks and State Veterinarians on various options of managing the situation is underway. This includes increased monitoring of all other packs in the area and the possibility of targeted vaccination of adult wild dogs. The disease has to date only affected one pack in the park.

“The long-term solution to the problem is frequent vaccination of domestic dogs around conservation areas and we advise the public - especially those in local communities bordering the Park - to stick to routine vaccination of their domestic dogs as this assists us as well”, advised Hofmeyr.

Posters will be placed at strategic places inside the Park, with contact details to report any African Wild Dog sightings, so that guests can also assist management with the monitoring of the health status of wild dogs in the KNP.

Less than 450 African Wild Dogs in SA

The loss of the pack of wild dogs is a serious knock to an already endangered species. In South Africa, there are less than 450 wild dogs left, including the dogs in the Kruger National Park, Wild Dogs in fenced reserves and some dogs outside protected areas.

Human encroachment is the main parasite killing off these animals, reducing their range and their numbers. Because of land clearance, urbanization and the shrinkage of herds of prey, Africa's unique Wild Dogs are now restricted to scattered populations in parks and reserves.

Many African Wild Dogs are also being snared in traps, which are set to catch bush meat. You can see the rescue mission of a snared, pregnant wild dog here:

https://youtu.be/F4oKPnAa7Nc

Most shockingly, however, is that the endangered dogs are being killed purposefully too, by people who want to prevent the Wild Dogs from preying on livestock or game that have an economic value to landowners.

One of the ways you can help save the African Wild Dog:

If you see, or think you’re seeing a Wild Dog, try get a photo and report the sighting with date and location via EMAIL to Endangered Wildlife Trust.