Why make it easy when you can make it absolutely wild?
Our team was set out on a joint mission to the community areas around Maputo National Park to capture a pack of 11 African wild dogs, 4 adults and 7 pups, that were at risk due to snares and human-wildlife conflict in nearby communities.
In cooperation with ANAC, Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), Peace Parks Foundation and Gorongosa National Park, the rescue operation was carefully planned and executed methodically. The 11 wild dogs were captured using a combination of capture techniques, including net capture, chopper darting, and physical restraint - each tailored to ensure the safety of the animals and the success of the operation.
Two of the wild dogs were caught in a net boma, two darted from a helicopter and the youngest members of the wild dog family were carefully removed from their den manually. These pups represent the future of their species, and their rescue was a heartwarming moment in the midst of a challenging operation.
The animals were tranquilized and moved to the large wilderness of Gorongosa National park using a small airplane provided by ANAC and Peace Park Foundation.
Initial monitoring indicated the pack is adapting to its new surroundings, an early indication of a brighter future for the highly endangered carnivores.
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