UWA Spots Presumed Extinct African Painted Dogs in Kidepo National Park

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has spotted African Painted Dogs (commonly known as Wild Dogs) which went extinct in Uganda in the 1980s.

According to UWA, the dogs were sighted on Monday morning around the Narus River in Kidepo Valley National Park.

“One of our resident rangers captured these images hastily before the pair skipped out of view,” UWA said in a statement.

Like their scientific name (Lycaon pictus), these animals have an irregular, mottled coat, which features patches of red, black, brown, white, and yellow fur.

Each animal has its own unique coat pattern, and all have big, rounded ears.

These long-legged canines have only four toes per foot, unlike other dogs, which have five toes on their forefeet.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reports that the population level of African wild dogs fluctuates but is in a likely irreversible decline, which is why it considers this to be an endangered species that must be protected.

“(Tuesday) our teams in the field will head out to track them, to collect some data vital for conservation. Hopefully, we can get you some better images too,” UWA added.

In June 2021, Thomas Price, the Managing Director for Conservation Through Commercialisation Centre (CTC) in Butambala, revealed that they had imported a pair of wild dogs from South Africa.

“I am happy to say we imported our first two African-painted dogs from South Africa. They are the only African painted dogs in Uganda having got extinct 10 years ago,” Price told the press.

Back then, Price had also hinted at the presence of the wild dogs in Kidepo but noted there was no evidence to prove these were African-painted dogs.