• What are Painted Dogs?• What are the conservation challenges?• Painted Dog Research Trust.• What can we do to help the dogs?

What are Painted Dogs?

Lycaon pictus is the only species in this genus.

An outlier among canids, a species that split off from wolves, jackals and other members of the dog clan about three million years ago.

Complex close knit family groups- Hoo call

Feeding heirachy

No two dogs are identical

What are Painted Dogs?

100 Years Ago There Were Probably 500 000 Dogs. Today 5000 May Remain.

Known Viable Populations In Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa account For 2500.

Distribution and density of the Painted Dog

CONSERVATION CHALLENGESWide Ranging speciesHabitat lossIntra and interspecific competition hyenas, lionsHuman-wildlife ConflictDisease• Snares• Road KillsLack of genetic varietyLow pack size and Reduced hunting efficiency• Reproductive failure • Rarely any recruitment• High pup mortality(pup feeding, and pup guarding)

Habitat lossChallenges

Interspecific competition

80% to 90% hunting success vs 30%

Challenges

3 minutes

5 minutes

Interspecific competitionChallenges

8

Challenges

8

Challenges

Challenges

Intervened Dispersal

Understanding dispersal mechanisms and constraintsSnares

Challenges

Speed Kills!Challenges

Speed Kills!Challenges

Disease EpidemicChallenges

One for All, and All for HuntChallenges

Challenges

• Similarities in coat pattern signatures • Changing cranial morphometrics• Floppy ears?

Eclipse Vundu adult 2008 Necklass Vundu 2010 pup Parallel Longpool 2012 pup

Lack of genetic diversity and possible inbreeding

Transboundary Conservation

6

Transboundary Conservation

6

Community involvement

Painted Dog Research Trust

Monitoring 174 dogs

Janet L Vundu 11/2008 Murray Janet L Vundu 09/2009 Murray Janet L Longpool 08/2010 PDR

Janet L longpool 06/2011 PDR Janet L longpool 06/2012 Davies Janet L longpool 09/2013 Evlyn

Census and Monitoring MethodologyName: Janet Sex: F D.O.B. 05/2008 1st Photo: 07/11/08 History: Born in Vundu and dispersed to form the Longpool pack

• Using satellite imagery analysis for corridor identification and management• Metapopulation management through GPS collaring and tracking• Intervened dispersal-Protective collaring• Develop cross pollination with Ministries and strategize for corridors and “Land

Use Planning”• Create centralized spatial data hub, access through membership, public access

and develop regional Conservation GIS capacity• Building research collaborations and building better databases • Cohesive Regional networking • Standardizing data collection methods

Future Plans

Data Sources

Courtesy Dr ShelleyAlexander University of Calgary

Probability of detection using tracking data and multiple environmental layers

Finer scale identification of corridors/ linkage zones

Finer scale identification of corridors/ linkage zones

Data Requirements• Elevation• Terrain Ruggedness• Distance to Farm Edge• Distance to Settlement• Distance to river/ water source• Distance to road

Ruggedness is modeled on the relationship between slope and changing aspect (Riley 2006)

Thank You For Listening