Zambian Wild Dogs Set Record for Longest African Mammal Movement
Three male African wild dogs from Zambia's Kafue National Park have completed the longest recorded mammal movement on the African continent, travelling 4,126 kilometres over nine months in search of new territory and mates. The litter mates, known as the Mayukuyuku males, departed their birth pack in mid-2025, moving east and north through urban areas near Kitwe and Ndola before heading toward the Luangwa River Valley, ultimately settling in a game management area between South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi national parks by April 2026. The findings, which also represent the longest recorded wild dog dispersal globally, were published by researchers from the Zambian Carnivore Programme.
The study tracked 19 wild dog groups across seven national parks in Zambia using GPS collars, with four groups independently reaching within kilometres of the borders of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The research highlights both the connectivity of wild dog populations across Southern and Eastern Africa and the threats they face, with one tracked female killed in a snare in southern Zambia after travelling more than 2,300 kilometres. Study co-author and Zambian Carnivore Programme chief executive Matt Becker has called for conservation models that integrate economic benefits - including nature-based tourism and sustainable game ranching - to better protect the vast, connected landscapes on which species such as African wild dogs depend.
Source: News Mongabay
