Tails of Hope and Resilience for the Holidays: The Baobab Pack
Pups from the new Baobab Pack nuzzle their mother. One of the largest packs currently in the Luangwa, the pups’ father and pack’s alpha male was dying from a snare in 2014 but rescued through our collaborative anti-snaring work. Photo: Edward Selfe/Edward Selfe Photo Safaris
Dear ZCP Friend and Supporter,
As we close another year, we wanted to share with you one of many inspiring stories from our collaborative conservation work in 2019. Work like this is made possible by your support. We thank each and every one of you for your generosity and commitment this year to conservation here in Zambia, and we look forward to a great year ahead.
“Snared and dying as a pup in 2014, this rescued dog had returned in 2019, now as the alpha male of a new 16-strong pack.”
The pup’s future was looking bleak: with a snare cutting deep through the back of his mouth that prohibited him from eating, it was only a matter of time before he would die. Fortunately for Wild Dog 635, several of his aunts and uncles wore radio-collars, enabling our teams to locate the pack, detect his injury, and rescue him. Together with the DNPW and Conservation South Luangwa, we darted the dog and treated his wounds, and while he was forever left with a deep ‘Joker Smile’ scar, he made a full and fast recovery.
Wild Dog 635 grew into a yearling and in 2015, together with one of his brothers (which we also de-snared in a separate incident), he dispersed from their natal pack. For several years 635 had to roam the vast expanse of the Luangwa Valley to form his own pack with the perfect female.
The Baobab Pack's Alpha Male as a pup in 2014 getting rescued from a deadly snare lodged through his mouth. Photo: Elizabeth Ellis
This August we were treated to a great surprise when the rescued pup 635 reappeared as the alpha male of a 16-dog pack in South Luangwa National Park’s Baobab Forest! This new pack ranged widely before denning late and raising four new pups, becoming mobile with them just as the rains arrived.
Like many wild dogs in the Luangwa, the Baobab Pack would not have existed without over a decade of intensive anti-snaring work on wild dogs by ZCP, DNPW, and CSL. Today, the Luangwa holds the country’s largest dog population and is one of Africa’s premiere places to view this endangered species.
We hope Wild Dog 635 follows in the footsteps of his father, an alpha male who lived to a record 12+ years and sired over a dozen packs and 160 pups, grandpups and great-grandpups, and was also rescued from a lethal snare. With our conservation work ongoing, the Baobab Pack and its new pups are in the running for the Luangwa’s next wild dog dynasty.
On behalf of everyone on the team at ZCP, we wish you a happy holiday season and hope you’ll consider supporting us in the coming year.
Sincerely,
CEO/Programme Manager
Zambian Carnivore Programme