Ambassador Wild Dog

Two Thanksgivings ago, Brookfield Zoo announced the birth of 10 African wild dog pups. The successful birth is not merely a triumph for Kim and Digger, the pups' parents, but also a small victory for the entire species, currently listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List.

Where once there were 500,000 wild dogs living in 39 countries across Africa, today there are fewer than 5,000, and in many countries, wild dog populations have been wiped out completely. Wild dogs face persecution by humans, disease, habitat loss, and a shrinking prey base that has intensified the competition for food with other predators like lions and hyenas.

From the Samburu Heartland in northern Kenya to the Kazungula Heartland in southern Africa, AWF has been studying the behavior and movements of wild dogs to better understand their needs, the threats they face, and how best to protect their populations The hard work is paying off: Wild dogs are beginning to return to many areas from which they had disappeared.