Introduction: The African Wild Dog or Painted Dog (Lycaon Pictus) is one of the most endangered carnivore in Africa. The dogs are considered a fierce predator as their highly effective team work results in an excellent hunting success rate (~90%), a function of intricate and collaborative social interactions. Despite these advantages, they are struggling to survive in Africa with a current population of ~4000 dogs in the wild. This critical review examines antagonistic human-animal interaction contributing to the endangered status of the species with the purpose to explore human-facilitated strategies for the survival of the species.
Methodology: This review includes relevant peer-reviewed articles published in scientific journals from 1967 to date. Key words used were African Wild Dog and Lycaon Pictus.
Findings: Loss of suitable habitats providing available prey but limited interspecific competition and antagonistic human-animal interaction (human persecution and disease from domestic animals) is a major threat for the African Wild Dog1. Furthermore, as a subordinate species, the African Wild Dog seems prone to competitive exclusion and segregation in avoidance of risk from dominant large carnivores2. However, its high adaptability to hunting in different habitats indicates they can overcome most non-human related challenges, given enough space3. Efforts to increase managed/protected habitats away from agricultural spaces and linking habitats (movement corridors) for the wide-ranging carnivore could alleviate the detrimental consequences of human-animal interaction. Keeping the dogs within large protected areas that support genetically viable populations is pivotal. An innovative intervention to reduce human-animal conflict involves identification of biological scent signals4. Using biological ‘signposts’ might prove to be a useful means to limit dogs trespassing into agricultural land and facilitate human-wildlife coexistence as human-livestock dominated areas continue to increase.
Principal Conclusions and Implications for the Field: A holistic and integrative approach that calls upon targeted and applied research, strategic policy development, educational awareness to farming and rural communities should provide the tools to diminish conflict and facilitate coexistence between dogs and humans. The ecological value from movement corridors (increasing room to roam) and biological ‘signposts’ would not only help save the Painted Dog but could avoid other carnivores from becoming endangered.