By Francis Mureithi – mureithifrancis1964@gmail.com
Often when conservationists and researchers in wildlife talk about conservation, what comes to the minds of many Kenyans is Africa’s iconic wild species like buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, lions and cheetahs among others.
Rarely do you hear researchers talk about wild dogs and the threats they face in their interaction with human beings and livestock.
However, when George Mboya stood and walked to the podium during the inaugural Wildlife Scientific Conference to give details on his research findings, he received a resounding welcome from scientists, researchers and conservationists.
Many expected that he would follow suit like his predecessors who spoke at length and had detailed research findings on the big mammals that dominate the Kenyan wildlife ecosystem.
The study which Mboya co-authored with Parita Shah focused on African wild dogs, the threats to them and interaction with humans and livestock in the non-protected areas in Leshuta, Loodariak, Oltepesi and Ilimasin in Keeknyoike ward, Kajiado County.
The African wild dogs are among the continent’s most compelling animals. Much misunderstood, these rare, tie-dyed canids are amazingly efficient hunters with a fascinating social life.
Interestingly, Mboya’s background is not conservation research but survey and he got interested in the wild dogs while working in the field in Kajiado.
“What inspired me to do research on wild dogs despite my survey background is because of what I saw in Kajiado. In the evening after completing my survey work in the field, I encountered a number of wild dogs in unprotected areas,” he narrates.
“It shocked me that these wild dogs were not in protected areas like national parks and gazetted conservation areas and I decided to do a study about them,” said Mboya who is currently a Master’s student at the University of Nairobi.
“I embarked on the study to establish the population of this endangered species and the local population’s attitudes towards them,” he recalls.
The study he conducted revealed that there were significant numbers of wild dogs based on numerous sightings and pack sizes.
At the same time, the study revealed that not all the respondents were aware of the African wild dog whose population in Africa has dwindled from 500,000 to about 6,000.
The African wild dogs are also found in an estimated 750 packs. The populations in Laikipia and Samburu National Reserve are significant but isolated.
Other places you can see African wild dogs in Kenya include Tsavo West and East National Park and the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve.
The African wild dogs are clever, tireless hunters devoted to their familial packs. They had nearly disappeared from Laikipia County in the 1990s due to infectious diseases like rabies and conflict with pastoralists.
However, focused conservation efforts helped the canines grow to over 300-strong. This made them the largest population of wild dogs in Kenya.
But in 2017, severe droughts drove herders and their domestic dogs down from the north into Laikipia. The mixing of these domestic dogs with wild dogs led to an outbreak of the deadly canine distemper disease that spread rampantly through the population and the wild dogs of Laikipia were thought to be entirely wiped out.
Mboya’s study further revealed that 77 per cent of the local population was not in favour of conserving the endangered species due to constant predatory attacks on their livestock.
The African wild dogs hunt for a wide variety of prey including gazelles and other antelopes, warthogs, wildebeest calves, rats and birds.
Like most predators, they play an important role in eliminating sick and weak animals, thereby helping maintain the natural balance and improve prey species.
“Our study recommends awareness campaigns highlighting the role of species in maintaining ecosystem health, tourism and education and that conservation measures be undertaken by stakeholders like the Kenya Wildlife Serve (KWS) and other non-state actors to prevent further decline of wild dogs,” explains Mboya in the abstract of his paper.
He says researchers need to urgently focus on developing sustainable solutions for pastoral people to coexist with the wild dogs and to mitigate against the impacts of climate change and future resource needs for the species.
“The African wild dogs need to be included in the national and county rabies vaccination campaign with a goal of eradicating rabies throughout the counties where the wild dogs live for the health of wildlife, livestock and people,” says Mboya.
He says KWS needs to take a front role and create awareness among the residents on the need to reduce cases of human-wildlife conflicts as the natural habitat of the wild dogs has been invaded by human settlement.
Already, human settlement as a result of urbanization and infrastructural development has led to the blocking of migratory corridors in neighbouring parks like Tsavo West and East, Masai Mara and Nairobi national parks thus affecting wild dog population.
“Many wild dogs and other wildlife have been hit by speeding cars as they cross roads constructed in their habitat,” says Mboya.
“Most residents prefer poisoning the wild dogs which they consider a nuisance but forget the role they play in the ecosystem in eliminating sick and weak animals, thereby helping maintain the natural balance and improve prey species which also attack their livestock.”
He adds: “They are an integral part of the carnivore species in the landscape as they maintain herbivore levels to stay on transit and not to overgraze a particular area. If there is no movement of herbivores it will result in ecosystem degradation. Wild dogs have a huge impact on the ecosystem, hence the need to protect them.”
