40 Wild Dogs burned near the Serengeti
Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 4:54 pm
By Catherine Sempill on November 15, 2012
Local villagers have burned 40 African wild dogs alive in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area, on the Eastern border of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
The mass murder is said to be a reaction by villagers to the theft of livestock. Apparently villagers in Kertalo and Orkiu have lost 157 goats and 4 cattle to the dogs. In retaliation, they blocked the caves in which the wild dogs live with stones and set them alight while the dogs were inside.
This incident serves to highlight the battle this species faces. Classified as endangered on the IUCN red list, population estimates suggest that there are only between 3 000 and 5 500 wild dogs left in the wild, with less than 2 500 being classified as mature. Tanzania is said to be home to 20% of the world’s wild dog population. And human-wildlife conflict is its greatest threat.
Story sourced from Save The Serengeti
Local villagers have burned 40 African wild dogs alive in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area, on the Eastern border of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
The mass murder is said to be a reaction by villagers to the theft of livestock. Apparently villagers in Kertalo and Orkiu have lost 157 goats and 4 cattle to the dogs. In retaliation, they blocked the caves in which the wild dogs live with stones and set them alight while the dogs were inside.
This incident serves to highlight the battle this species faces. Classified as endangered on the IUCN red list, population estimates suggest that there are only between 3 000 and 5 500 wild dogs left in the wild, with less than 2 500 being classified as mature. Tanzania is said to be home to 20% of the world’s wild dog population. And human-wildlife conflict is its greatest threat.
Story sourced from Save The Serengeti
