Too few people know about the plight of one of the world's most endangered canids, the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) or Africa's "painted wolf." This unique pack-living canid, with its large parabolic ears and mottled coat pattern of yellow, white, and black, once ranged widely throughout sub-Saharan Africa in 39 countries. Today wild dogs have all but disappeared in 15, with perhaps no more than 3,000–5,500 remaining. Their dramatic decline is largely due to human persecution and habitat fragmentation. The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Canid Specialist Group, and American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Canid and Hyaenid Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) regard African wild dogs as a high-priority species for wildlife conservation.

Among the top carnivores, wild dogs are a landscape species requiring large, ecologically diverse areas to survive. Species, like wild dogs, may have a significant impact on the structure and function of ecosystems. Because of habitat requirements and ranging behavior, they are threatened by human disturbance and use of natural landscapes.

One of Africa's most efficient predators, wild dogs may help regulate prey species that in turn play a role in shaping vegetation communities. Securing a future for wild dogs, therefore, is an essential part in stemming the loss of biodiversity and preserving a healthy ecosystem. By working with people living with wild dogs, we hope to help secure their long-term survival.

Having lived and worked in the African bush for many years, we believe that investing in people and taking an adaptive grassroots approach are necessary to make wild dog conservation efforts sustainable, and indeed truly important to enable those most directly affected. The African Wild Dog Conservancy's community conservation project is in the Biodiversity Hotspots of southeastern Kenya, a rich mosaic of protected areas and community lands under extreme threat. Our approach differs from a number of other projects, because we have taken the time to learn why many community-based conservation efforts have not succeeded:

• Our project was started with the support of local people with vision, who recognize that the well-being of wildlife, plants, and people is interconnected, and that healthy ecosystems improve livelihoods.

• Baseline information on attitudes and concerns is being collected to track project success, document and learn from mistakes, and to adapt as needed.

• Time is being taken to build good-working relationships with local people based on trust, recognizing that there will be bumps in the road, and that conservation and development are not always compatible. We are striving to interweave traditional skills and knowledge, and cultural and religious perspectives with conservation science, training, and education.

Learn the latest news about our community wild dog project in Kenya's Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa and Horn of Africa Biodiversity Hotspots, and find out how you can become involved in helping wild dogs.

About the African Wild Dog Conservancy The African Wild Dog Conservancy (AWD Conservancy), started in 2001, is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to working with local communities, and national and international stakeholders to conserve wild dogs through scientific research and education. Our objectives are the following: Establish and support long-term conservation programs involving local communities in research and education Develop and implement a collaborative multidisciplinary program integrating applied field and captive conservation research Facilitate development programs aimed at improving the lives of local people by building partnerships with community-based organizations and NGOs Dr. Robert Robbins and Dr. Kim McCreery are co-founders of the African Wild Dog Conservancy and in 2001 were invited to join the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. They are currently members of the Lycaon Working Group. Kim and Bob have been studying African wild dogs for over a decade and are among the world's leading experts on this endangered species. www.AWDConservancy.org

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