Wildlife ACT has successfully fitted tracking collars on African wild dogs in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal, as part of ongoing efforts to monitor and conserve one of Africas most endangered carnivores.
In early June, the team fitted a GPS collar on a member of the Mfukuzweni Pack. A second collar was placed on a member of the Msasaneni Pack by the end of June and a third collar was added to another Msasaneni Pack individual in early July.
The collaring operations were conducted by Wildlife ACTs priority species monitors and senior field technicians in collaboration with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Ezemvelo Game Capture Vet Rowan Leeming and African Wildlife Vets Jennifer Lawrence .
There are fewer than 700 African wild dogs in South Africa. In Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, three known packs are currently being monitored. GPS and VHF tracking collars are used to collect real-time data on movement patterns, pack dynamics, territory use and threats such as snares or disease.
Wildlife ACT said daily monitoring enables informed and timely management decisions that are crucial to the survival and genetic diversity of the species.