The
African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) is one of the continent’s most threatened
large predators and Namibia’s free-ranging population is consistently estimated
at a critically low level of between approximately 200 and 600 animals in less than 50 breeding units
which mostly occur outside of formally protected areas (R. Lines, personal
communication; Stander 2003; Woodroffe et al 2004). The present surviving population of wild dogs
is severely fragmented and is highly unlikely to re-colonise areas that they
used to inhabit by natural migration.
With these alarming figures, the importance of the
captive population may become more paramount as a genetic reservoir, for
research, and for reintroductions of the species.
