01/06/2026
African wild dogs are a true symbol of a healthy ecosystem. Their large appetites, huge home ranges, and susceptibility to disease mean that they need extensive protected areas to survive. We are very fortunate to have such a strong presence of wild dogs in the Sabi Sand, and now with the pack denning again in the West, it's important to know that it wasn't always this way.
In the 90s, the African wild dog population in South Africa was estimated at around 120-150, with the majority living in the Kruger National Park. However, in 1997, a plan was put in place to help save them; this was no easy task, as the wild dog populations in South Africa were highly fragmented. The solution was to move wild dogs from established populations to areas where physical barriers prevented natural pack dispersion; this was a way to prevent inbreeding and strengthen genetic diversity.
Over almost 30 years of creating these metapopulations of wild dogs, the population in South Africa now exceeds 500, making it one of the most successful carnivore recovery programs on Earth, and it has helped establish populations in Malawi and Mozambique.
Without the hard work of conservation organisations like the and, of course, all of you that travel to these places to view wildlife, conservation projects would be near impossible.
So come join us and experience the excitement these epic animals bring to the bush, here at Inyati.
