Last week the iMfolozi conservation volunteers got to help with the relocation of two Wild Dogs from uMkhuze Game Reserve to the iMfolozi section of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa. The male has now been fitted with a VHF collar and the female fitted with a GSM satellite collar. The pair will be in the boma for a few weeks before being released. Thanks to Wildlife ACT's Antoine Marchal, Chris Kelly, Dr Simon Morgan, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and EWT’s Brendan Whittington-Jones for a successful Wild Dog relocation. Volunteers involved: Emma Ivinson, Linda Cockburn and Philippa StannersHISTORYThe male African Wild Dog was from iMfolozi originally but dispersed to Phinda Private Game Reserve. The female was from Mkhuze and then joined the male on Phinda. They were both darted by the Wildlife ACT Fund and taken to the boma (enclosure) in Mkhuze for a while. They were then moved them from Mkhuze to iMfolozi in May.SPONSOR A COLLARWith the monitoring of African Wild Dogs (also known as the African Painted Dog) forming the basis of Wildlife ACT’s wildlife monitoring work, we’re often asked by our conservation volunteers about the necessities and purposes of monitoring the most endangered large carnivore in southern Africa. You can help Wildlife ACT fund these initiatives by adopting a Wild Dog and sponsoring its collar.Read more >>>[caption id="attachment_3283" align="aligncenter" width="2158"]
Conservation volunteers Emma Ivinson, Linda Cockburn and Philippa Stanners stand outside the boma fence.[/caption][caption id="attachment_3284" align="aligncenter" width="3264"]
The vet administering a deworming tablet.[/caption][caption id="attachment_3285" align="aligncenter" width="3080"]
A large scale is used to weigh each Wild Dog.[/caption][caption id="attachment_3286" align="aligncenter" width="2053"]
Conservation volunteer, Emma Ivinson, helping the vet by holding the drip.[/caption][caption id="attachment_3287" align="aligncenter" width="3264"]
Wildlife ACT's Antoine Marchal taking measurement of the Wild Dog's paws.[/caption][caption id="attachment_3288" align="aligncenter" width="3264"]
The anti-snare collar can be seen clearly in the photo. Many Wild Dogs have been saved due to development of these collars.[/caption]UPDATEFriday 24th of May - 09h25: we’ve opened the gate of iMfolozi’s predator boma where the two African painted dogs nicknamed Zeus and Dela were kept for 10 days!The male, Zeus, originates from iMfolozi’s Shiyane Pack but has dispersed few months ago all the way up to Phinda Private Game Reserve where he met Dela, a female disperser from Mkhuze’s Pack. Unfortunately, the private game reserve didn’t want to keep them due to various management reasons and the two Wild Dogs were then caught and temporarily put in a boma in Mkhuze Game Reserve.Always a magic moment to release wild animals temporarily kept in captivity for conservation purposes…Volunteers present: Philippa Stanners, Emma Ivinson and Linda Cockburn.
