Story by Mhlomuli Ncube
INTENSIVE conservation efforts by Zimbabwean wildlife authorities and partners have made a significant global win against extinction, successfully multiplying an endangered painted dog pack that had strayed from the protected area.
The conservation breakthrough was achieved after a critical pack, known as the Mkhonto Pack, risked being wiped out when it dispersed from Hwange National Park in 2022.
Painted Dog Conservation Executive, Mr David Kuvaoga, confirmed this week that through rigorous anti-poaching, community outreach, and dedicated tracking, the six dogs that left the park have since thrived, swelling their numbers to an impressive 22 by 2024.
“In 2022, a pack of six dogs emerged from Hwange National Park into the buffer zone, together we put a lot of work into our anti-poaching unit community outreach tracking and monitoring to protect this pack and the numbers rose to 22 by 2024,” Kuvaoga said.
Between the 7th and the 11th of June this year, new members were welcomed into the family, creating huge excitement and optimism that indeed one day the fight to reclaim the lost numbers will be achieved.
The newly born now take the family to 30 and besides exciting those in conservation and tourists who visit, the pack has also placed Zimbabwe at an enviable position globally in terms of resilience and ability to protect and preserve its flora and fauna.
While the pack continues on its various trails within the national park, it is tracked and monitored by dedicated personnel and equipment on a day to day basis.
