Painted Dog Conservation


Type	Non-profit Organization
Focus	Conservation of painted dogs
Location	Zimbabwe Hwange National Park
Key people	Gregory Rasmussen (director of research) Peter Blinston (managing director)
Slogan	"Create a Conservation Model that will make a lasting contribution to the future of Painted Dogs and the lives of the local people"
Website	painteddog.org - painteddog.co.uk/

Painted Dog Conservation was founded in 1992 by Dr Greg Rasmussen,^[1] for the protection of the painted dogs (Lycaon pictus) and their habitat. Painted Dog Conservation works to engage and incorporate local communities in protecting painted dogs in Zimbabwe. The painted dog, or African wild dog, was once common in Africa with estimates of over half a million spread among 39 countries. Current estimates put their numbers at about 3,000^[2] only found in Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.^[3] Since PDC's creation, Zimbabwe's wild dog population has increased from 400 to 700 individuals.^[4] Painted Dog Conservation is partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Network.^[5]

Programs

Collars and road signs

Painted Dog Conservation uses catch-and-release techniques and places colored collars on the dogs to demonstrate to local ranchers that the dogs are few in numbers and have convinced many of them to not shoot at the dogs. The reflective collars combined with signs at key crossing areas have reduced road collisions by 50%.^[6]

Anti-poaching units

Painted Dog Conservation has created anti-poaching units staffed by locals to provide protection, gather data and collect poaching snares.^[7]

Snare wire art

The snares collected by the anti-poaching units are given to local community artists who turn them into animal sculptures. Through sales of these snare and other crafts they spread the conservation message of the painted dogs both to their own community and internationally.^[8]

Monitoring

Painted Dog Conservation uses radio collars to collect information about pack movements. This information contributes to their relocation to predator-friendly areas and to expand their range when needed.^[9]

Rehabilitation

A PDC rehabilitation facility is available for injured painted dogs until they can be re-release into the wild.^[10]

Bush camp

Painted Dog Conservation holds a free environmental bush camp for local 6th-grade school children by local guides in hopes of inspiring them in conservation.^[11]

Visitors center

Painted Dog Conservation's visitor center was completed in 2007. The center offers an education facility including a painted dog viewing platform.^[12] and an interpretive hall.^[13]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lycaon pictus.

Wikispecies has information related to: Lycaon pictus

Conservation of species

Conservation biology	Conservation behavior Conservation dependent species Conservation ethic Conservation genetics Conservation status Ex-situ conservation Extinction threshold In-situ conservation Latent extinction risk Marine conservation Species translocation Threatened species

Conservation areas	Conservation designation Conservation development Conservation district Conservation easement Ecoregion conservation status Environmental protection Gap analysis Habitat conservation High conservation value area Landscape-scale conservation Marine protected area National conservation area Open space reserve Riparian buffer Roadless area conservation Roadside conservation Site-based conservation Special Area of Conservation

Restoration	Assisted natural regeneration Ecosystem restoration Island restoration Reforestation afforestation Rewilding

By taxa	Amphibians and reptiles Birds burrowing owls raptors Insects bumblebees butterflies Land mammals bats bats 2 bears cheetahs cheetahs 2 gorillas painted dogs slow lorises small cats tigers tigers 2 wolves Marine Antarctic seals cetaceans cetaceans 2 manatees migratory sharks salmon sea otters sea turtles sturgeons Plants forests fungi medicinal plants orchids

By country	Australia Belize Brazil Hong Kong Iceland India Bhopal Ireland Italy New Zealand Papua New Guinea Uganda United Kingdom United States

Other	Biodiversity Conservation agriculture Conservation finance Conservation grazing Conservation management system Conservation movement Conservation officer Conservation organisations Conservation photography Conservation psychology Conservation refugee Conspicuous conservation De-extinction Myth of superabundance NatureServe conservation status Planetary boundaries

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