IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Tawiri, | |
| Tanzania Carnivore Conservation Action Plan | |
| 2009 Full Book | |
This report covers the proceedings of the First Tanzanian Wild Dog Workshop held in February 2005. The workshop brought together a group of key stakeholders to assess existing information and establish a consensus on priorities for research and conservation for African wild dogs _Lycaon pictus_ in Tanzania. Tanzania holds an estimated one third of the world's remaining wild dogs, more wild dogs than any other country. In addition, the biggest surviving single population survives in Tanzania's Selous Game Reserve. All participants to the workshop were deeply proud of Tanzania's international status for wild dog conservation, however they agreed that there is an urgent need to obtain better information on the distribution of wild dogs across the country, as well as more detailed data within specific regions. Wild dogs were known to occur to the east and south of the Serengeti, west Kilimanjaro and Longido, Manyara ranch, Tarangire and much of the Maasai steppe, Ugalla, Katavi, the Ruaha/Rugwa ecosystem, Rukwa/Lukwati, south east of Sumbawanga, Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi. However there was currently not a single region in the country with a good up to date estimate of wild dog population size and trends, and hence establishing minimal information for different regions was a key priority. Data needed could be broken down into distribution, population trends, density, demographic parameters such as survival and reproduction and ranging patterns. Different areas were thought to require data of different quality depending on what data already exists and likely threats. The group went through all methods currently available and summarized the type of data each method could generate, whilst also noting that not all methods would work in all areas. Only radio collaring generated data for all possible data needs. However other potentially worthwhile techniques included photo surveys using photographs from tourists, which can generate good information but is unlikely to be applicable in most areas because of a lack of visitors, and the use of working dogs, to locate wild dog scat, which shows much potential but is currently untested in Africa. The group also discussed potential threats and agreed that persecution, habitat loss/change and disease were the three most important factors affecting wild dog conservation in Tanzania.However, there was a paucity of information on the impacts of any of these threats. The techniques suitable for gathering information on wild dog distribution and status discussed earlier were found to be also useful for collecting information about threats. For example a questionnaire survey could potentially provide information on persecution and land use change, and even on some easily recognizable diseases such as rabies, whilst spoor surveys, working dogs and camera traps can provide information on the other predators (and prey) in the ecosystem. Radio collaring, because it involves handling, has the potential to provide good information on many diseases if a blood sample is collected, and because it is easier to monitor individuals if they are collared, information on deaths due to disease, persecution, snaring, road kills and even interspecific competition. Managers need information on the status and threats to wild dogs in their areas to plan management activities and to enable wild dog conservation, as well as assessing the impact of these activities on wild dog conservation. All participants wished to improve the standards of information on wild dogs across the country and their hard work in this workshop and report reflects this wish, and will hopefully provide wild dog research and conservation with a new impetus to address the identified priorities hand in hand with training and capacity building. |
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