Please visit www.awdczambia.org for more information.

African Wild Dog Conservation is now initiating an exciting second stage wild dog project in Zambia, working with project partners that include World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Zambia Wildlife Authority, the University of Sydney, and several local Zambian education and conservation organisations.

The overall objective of this project is to establish a viable population of endangered African wild dogs in eastern Zambia, by initiating the establishment of a wildlife corridor between the Lower Zambezi National Park and the South Luangwa National Park, through adjoining Game Management Areas.

The project aims to facilitate successful dispersal between populations to increase overall species viability, and to increase wild dog population numbers in areas which have suffered recent declines, including the Lower Zambezi National Park. Project activities will include continued monitoring and threat assessment of all study populations, active conservation and anti-snaring work, more ecological research in the new study areas, and augmentation of depleted populations through reintroduction of wild dogs.

This project utilises the endangered African wild dog as a flagship species to generate conservation action within a WWF listed biologically significant eco-region. An International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) African wild dog Conservation Action Plan identified Zambia, and specifically the Luangwa Valley complex (the new project area) as potentially important sites for wild dog conservation. To ensure long-term success the project aims to build capacity within the local community and the Zambia Wildlife Authority to support continued wild dog conservation.

The new project is due to start later in 2005, and this website will have regular updates on progress. The second stage project fulfils many important local and international conservation objectives, including conserving a high priority IUCN Red Listed endangered species and its habitat, and fulfilling all IUCN conservation priorities for the African wild dog.

If you would like to make a donation to support this new project please contact AWDC - all support is greatly appreciated and will make a difference to the long term future of wild dogs in Zambia.

For more information on WWF please visit www.panda.org