Full Breakdown
Record-Breaking Dispersal Shows African Wild Dogs Still Linked Across Zambia
By Drooid · · How we work
The Epic Journey
Three male African wild dogs, the Mayukuyuku brothers, left their natal pack in Kafue National Park and travelled 4,126 km (?2,500 mi) over eight months, crossing the Copperbelt, major towns, the Great Rift Valley escarpment and into the Luangwa Valley. Researchers call it the longest single dispersal recorded for any African mammal. GPS collars tracked the brothers, whose route far exceeded the straight-line distance of 546 km between start and end points.
Background & Context
African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are Endangered, with about 6,600 adults in 39 populations across Africa. Because only the dominant pair breeds, sub-adults must disperse to find unrelated mates. Dispersals differ from seasonal migrations and are threatened by habitat fragmentation, declining prey, snares and human conflict. The Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife have fitted GPS collars on packs for nearly two decades.
Data & Statistics
- Total distance covered: 4,126 km.
- Straight-line distance: 546 km.
- Journey duration: eight months.
- Packs monitored: 19, including a sister group that lost two members to snares.
- Combined distance of four dispersing groups: 9,863 km.
- Survival: more than half of tracked dogs died, many from wire snares.
- Protected-area coverage in Zambia: ?40 %.
Official Statements & Responses
Matt Becker, CEO of ZCP, said the findings show that “connectivity still works” and called for stronger corridor protection. Dr Nyambe Nyambe, director of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Area secretariat, stressed the need to conserve and expand linked landscapes. Lead author Professor Scott Creel noted the study offers “cautious optimism” about natural connections across eastern and southern Africa.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I have studied wild dogs since 1991 and would not have imagined that in 2026 we would conclude that most of the critical wild dog populations in Eastern and Southern Africa probably remain connected,” — Scott Creel
- “The dogs are showing us that connectivity still works; now we need to do more to protect and strengthen it,” — Matt Becker
Why It Matters
The brothers’ trek demonstrates that functional corridors still enable wild dogs to move between major population strongholds, supporting genetic exchange and long-term viability. The study aligns with earlier genetic evidence of connectivity among populations in Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and neighboring countries, underscoring the importance of landscape-level conservation.
What's Next
Conservation partners—including the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, African Parks and the Frankfurt Zoological Society—plan to expand anti-snaring patrols, work with communities to reduce bushmeat hunting, and promote land-use strategies that maintain or restore corridors. Ongoing GPS monitoring will identify high-risk zones and guide future corridor design, aiming to preserve the “large, connected areas” wild dogs and other wide-ranging carnivores depend on.