Wild Dogs translocated to Botswana

SHARON HAMMOND | Wednesday November 14, 2007 00:00

The dogs were transferred from the Marakele National Park in Limpopo to the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in far eastern Botswana recently.

'It is intended that this reintroduction will facilitate the establishment of a  viable  population of wild dogs in the Limpopo Valley, specifically within the area earmarked for incorporation into the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area,' said Harriet Davies-Mostert, manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Carnivore Conservation Group.

The recently proclaimed Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area straddles the international borders of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The African Wild Dog is southern Africa's most endangered carnivore. There are fewer than 500 individual dogs occurring in South Africa, most of which occur in the Kruger National Park.

In 1997, it was recommended that the wild dogs' range be expanded by reintroducing packs into several protected areas across the country.

To date, nine wild dog sub-populations have been established in areas such as the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Madikwe Game Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park and the De Beers Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve.

Wild dogs were first reintroduced into Marakele National Park in May 2003 when a pack of 16 wild dogs were released into the park.

This population remained vulnerable, however, because it was difficult to maintain fences on inaccessible terrain, resulting in some dogs escaping.

It was therefore decided to relocate them to the Northern Tuli Game Reserve. They arrived safely just before sunset on Tuesday and will spend the next two to three months in a boma before being released into the 72 000-hectare reserve.

They will be fitted with tracking collars before being released.

It is hoped that the pack will link up with a neighbouring population of wild dogs, on the De Beers Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve a few kilometres south of the South African side of the border, to form new packs. (BuaNews)