Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has sighted African painted dogs commonly known as wild dogs around the Narus River in Kidepo Valley National Park.
A pair of African painted dogs was seen on Monday by one of UWA’s resident rangers before it skipped out of view.
UWA explained that the species, characterised by irregular mottled coat which features patches of red, black, brown, white and yellow fur, had gone extinct from Uganda since the 1980s.
“Each animal has its own unique coat pattern, and all have big rounded ears. These long- legged canines have only four toes per foot unlike other dogs which have five toes on their forefeet,” UWA said in a tweet on Monday, adding that they would track them to collect some vital data for conservation.
Due to fluctuation on the African wild dogs, UWA adds that the species is in a likely irreversible decline, reason it must be protected according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Scientific reports by nature.com say that African painted dogs have undergone severe population reductions and are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
According to Oregon Zoo, a hub for science, conservation, education and animal wellbeing, African painted dogs are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their numbers continue to decline because of viral diseases like rabies and distemper, along with competition with large predators like lions, conflicts with humans, and habitat fragmentation.
“African painted dogs do not stick to one territory, instead, they range between 80 and 800 square miles, hunting mostly at dawn and dusk to avoid lions and other predators,” the Oregoon Zoo states.
In the middle of the 20th century 500,000 African wild dogs were spread across sub-Saharan Africa. Today between 3,000 and 6,000 animals remain.
African painted dogs are said to have a lifespan of about 10 years.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
