There are <6000 African wild dogs left globally, with c.70 residing in SVC. The biggest threat to the species here is bushmeat poaching. Snare traps are indiscriminately cruel. Any animal passing through a trap can be caught and suffer from painful wounds, leading to mortality if not removed. The alpha pair often leads the pack in hunts leaving them most at risk. Losing breeding females disrupts the pack hierarchy leading to less puppies and fragmented pack structures, weakening the population.

We quickly respond to African wild dogs caught in snare traps and remove them, whenever possible. By saving wild dogs from premature mortality, packs are more likely to establish strong, long-term social hierarchies and their puppies survive into mature wild dog age, going on to breed. This approach gives African wild dogs in Savé Valley Conservancy the best chance of survival and longevity as a species. We also support the ATS anti-poaching K9 unit, who dismantle poaching networks around SVC.