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The painted dog population in Zimbabwe is under threat. Largely perceived as a pest by the local communities in the area, the dog is trapped and hunted to the extent that it is now Africa's most endangered carnivore. The Foundation aims to change the dog's status as "pest" to "much loved animal".
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Beneficiaries
Situation
There are fewer than 5000 painted dogs left in Africa and only four countries where there is a viable population. The dogs are perceived as pests by the local communities who set traps and snares in order to protect their livestock. Unconcerned by the impact of hunting on the survival of the species, trappers had reduced dog numbers to as few as 400 in Zimbabwe. Thanks to a sustained conservation effort, numbers have recovered to 750 and the Foundation wishes to see this upward trend continue.
Solution
The Foundation will work with the Painted Dog Conservation project to continue the monitoring and anti-poaching work that has proved to be so successful over the last few years. The anti-snare operation has now become one of the largest employers in the Hwange area. These conservation measures will work in tandem with an education project which aims to encourage tolerance for the dogs in the local communities