African Wild Dogs, the continent’s second most endangered carnivore, have sadly vanished from 25 of the 39 countries they once freely roamed. With an estimated mere 1,400 breeding pairs remaining, every effort towards their preservation counts significantly (source: Endangered Wildlife Trust).
At Selati Game Reserve, we are delighted to play a role in reversing this worrying trend. In April 2022, we initiated an exciting project – the introduction of a pack of African Wild Dogs in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) Wild Dog Range Expansion Project, contributing to 27 000ha of Wild Dog Safe Space for an endangered species which has disappeared from most of its historical geographical range.
Both the alpha and beta females of the pack soon gave birth to pups. The pups’ survival rate grew from 38% in 2022, where the pack grew by five, to 92% in 2023. This significant growth in survival rate of the pups can be attributed to the pack denning at the adjacent Gravelotte Emerald Mine, where they faced minimal predation risks from other large predators, such as lions. Such a high rate of pup survival is rarely seen in wild dog ecology.
As the pack grew, their prey base had to expand to larger animals. Unfortunately, with so many mouths to feed, the dogs acquired the learned behaviour of getting through the reserve perimeter fences and killing livestock on a neighbouring property, necessitating a difficult decision. Rather than choosing euthanasia, a decision was made in consultation with EWT to relocate the majority of the pack to a holding facility on the Balule Nature Reserve, with plans to release them into the Kruger National Park – an open system providing ample space and prey.
Additionally, five wild dogs from the 2022 litter were sent to an EWT holding facility in January 2024 where they were bonded with another pack to bolster genetic diversity. This strategic relocation of the Selati pack was to ensure that they will continue to thrive and crucially, help secure the future genetic viability of this endangered species. Although there have been notable challenges, our wild dog introduction programme has been successful.
The removal of the wild dog pack from Selati prompted our Research Team to reflect on the sustainability requirements and challenges of maintaining a stable pack on the Reserve. Closer collaboration with EWT and improved management of the breeding cycle could have limited the pack to a more manageable number, thus reducing their wide-ranging movements across the reserve boundaries. These studies and management strategies are ongoing to ensure that the Selati Game Reserve remains a viable site for wild dog introductions in the future.
