What are Painted Dogs? What are the conservation challenges? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• 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?

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

Distribution and density of the Painted Dog 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.

CONSERVATION CHALLENGES Wide Ranging species Habitat loss Intra and interspecific competition hyenas, lions Human-wildlife Conflict Disease • Snares • Road Kills Lack of genetic variety Low pack size and Reduced hunting efficiency • Reproductive failure • Rarely any recruitment • High pup mortality(pup feeding, and pup guarding)

Challenges Habitat loss

Challenges Interspecific competition 80% to 90% hunting success vs 30%

Challenges Interspecific competition 3 minutes 5 minutes

Challenges 8

Challenges 8

Challenges

Challenges Understanding dispersal mechanisms and constraints Snares Intervened Dispersal

Challenges Speed Kills!

Challenges Speed Kills!

Challenges Disease Epidemic

Challenges One for All, and All for Hunt

Challenges Lack of genetic diversity and possible inbreeding • Similarities in coat pattern signatures • Changing cranial morphometrics • Floppy ears? Eclipse Vundu adult 2008 Necklass Vundu 2010 pup Parallel Longpool 2012 pup

Transboundary Conservation 6

Transboundary Conservation 6

Painted Dog Research Trust Monitoring 174 dogs Community involvement

Census and Monitoring Methodology Name: Janet Sex: F D.O.B. 05/2008 1st Photo: 07/11/08 History: Born in Vundu and dispersed to form the Longpool pack Janet L Vundu 09/2009 Murray Janet L Longpool 08/2010 PDR Janet L Vundu 11/2008 Murray Janet L longpool 06/2011 PDR Janet L longpool 06/2012 Davies Janet L longpool 09/2013 Evlyn

Future Plans • 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

Data Sources

Probability of detection using tracking data and multiple environmental layers Courtesy Dr ShelleyAlexander University of Calgary

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)

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