Canine Distemper Outbreaks Additional Threat to African Wild Dogs

Feb 7, 2011
Dawn M. Smith

African Wild Dogs Threatened by Canine Distemper - Philip Gabrielsen

Disease exposure increases as habitat fragmentation puts endangered African wild dogs in contact with domestic dogs. Pet vaccination may reduce this risk.

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also called Cape hunting or painted dog, has been extirpated from large parts of its former range. In recent years exposure to diseases from domestic dogs, largely due to human encroachment in the areas close to the parks, has added to the threats this endangered species faces.

Lions, jackals and foxes have also been lost to canine distemper, adding to concerns that this domestic dog disease be controlled. Pet vaccination programs, especially in areas close to African national parks have the potential to reduce the risk of further canine distemper outbreaks.

Other Threats to Endangered African Wild Dogs

The total population of African wild dogs is estimated to be somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 animals. They exist in small packs over ranges that can be as large as 1,500 square miles. Even the largest African national parks struggle to provide that much land. Thus the wild dogs often move outside park boundaries, where they come into contact with human settlements. Poisoning is not uncommon in these areas.

In addition to requiring large territories, most African wild dog packs consist of no more than 50 – 100 animals, making them vulnerable to catastrophic events, both natural and man–made. Habitat fragmentation makes it much less likely that any area affected by such an event will be naturally repopulated. Reintroduction programs have been initiated in South Africa and Kenya, which may help reduce the impact of any catastrophic event, but these programs are very labor intensive and there have been some difficulties in acclimating captive bred animals into the natural environment.

Distemper Outbreaks Threaten Other African Wildlife

The African wild dog is not the only species affected by the presence of canine distemper virus. In 1978, black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) in the Serengeti and Masai Mara National Parks suffered from an outbreak of this dog disease. In 1994, a distemper outbreak in the same area affected lions (Panthera leo) in the same African national park systems.

In both outbreaks a link was made to domestic dogs kept as pets as the likely source of the disease. A distemper epidemic in Namibia’s black-backed jackals between 2001 and 2003 was also linked to exposure to domestic dogs.

Companion Animal Vaccination Programs Needed to Protect African Wild Dogs

As human populations in African wild dog habitat grow, those wild dogs will have increased risk of exposure to domestic dog diseases. Finding, capturing and safely vaccinating African wild dogs can be difficult. Vaccinating pets in the area is a simpler, more cost effective way to reduce risk to all African predatory species that are susceptible to dog diseases.

Companion animal vaccination programs have the added benefit of protecting local human population from exposure to dog diseases, including rabies. Vaccination programs can also be a catalyst for educating people about the value of African wild dogs and other susceptible wild animals found locally, potentially reducing human–animal conflict with native species.