African Wild Dogs Get a New Name and Hopefully a New Reputation

Could better marketing help save endangered species? That's the basic concept behind Painted Dog Conservation, a center established by Dr. Gregory Rasmussen to help save the canines formerly known as African wild dogs.

There are only a few thousand wild dogs left in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa, while at the turn of the century, half a million of the animals lived in 39 countries throughout Africa. The wild dogs -- aka painted dogs -- which tend to be hated by local populations that blame them for killing livestock, are about the size of a German shepherd.

Why "painted dogs?" "Wild dogs" has become a pejorative, and so Rasmussen and his organization have worked to "rebrand" these animals. He calls them painted dogs because their distinctive coats make them look like they've just run through an artist's studio.

The Zimbabwe-based Painted Dog Conservation offers the animals a refuge from poachers, and rehabilitates injured dogs. Rasmussen founded the organization, originally called Painted Dog Research, in 1992, in response to the snares, shootings, and road kills that accounted for 95 percent of all wild-dog deaths. He gleaned that the local populations' attitudes toward the dogs were characterized by prejudice, ignorance, and hostility. PDC's uniquely holistic approach is Rasmussen's effort to save these animals from extinction.

Unlike other conservation efforts that reach out to people living far from the ecosystems or animals in question, PDC makes a point of engaging with its neighbors. The PDC website explains, "Whereas before, locals have been expected to protect something that they had no direct experience with, no emotional attachment to and received no direct benefit from, it is education that will represent a new generation of villagers over time."

Education programs teach local kids that painted dogs don't actually attack humans or kill livestock. According to the organization's website, the "prey for the painted dog is mostly medium-sized antelope such as impala, bushbuck, duiker, kudu and reedbuck. They have been known to take wildebeest and also chase eland and buffalo, although they rarely kill these larger animals." Students also learn that healthy wildlife populations impact the economy, and are also encouraged to examine their emotional experience of the wild.

Significantly, the organization's economic programs strive to help locals gain incomes so that they won't feel the need to poach wildlife. Unemployment in Zimbabwe has increased in the last ten years. While a decade ago, Hwange National Park was a world-class safari destination and the tourist industry was the greatest employer of local people, now widespread unemployment and poverty tempt local people to abuse their natural resources. The PDC's economic programs strive to make conservation more than just a nice idea, but also a practical solution for people.

"What we're trying to achieve here is a model not just for painted dogs, but something that applies for any species," Rasmussen said. "Conservation has to be inclusive, and lots of people have to benefit.

Also, hello, painted dogs are as ridiculously cute as they are fast-moving and ferocious. Will you look at those ears? Here's hoping a name change and these creative education programs can help save these fascinating animals.

Tags: african wild dog, AfricanWildDog, endangered, endangered species, EndangeredSpecies, painted dogs, PaintedDogs, wild dogs, WildDogs