Adoption as a conservation tool for endangered African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)

McNutt, J. Weldon; Parker, Megan; Swarner, Matthew J.; Gusset, Markus

doi:10.3957/0379-4369-38.2.109

Cited by 27 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Given the importance of dispersal in wild dog conservation, dispersal can be enhanced in innovative ways, if necessary (e.g. Graf et al ., ; McNutt et al ., ). We also caution managers of small reserves that traditional ‘predator‐proof’ fencing may not be adequate to contain wild dogs, especially for those individuals attempting to disperse.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Long‐distance transboundary dispersal of African wild dogs among protected areas in southern Africa

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Long‐distance transboundary dispersal of African wild dogs among protected areas in southern Africa

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Intraspecific competition can result in high rates of mortality [ 7 , 8 ] thereby reducing a pack’s fitness through reduced numbers of cooperative pack members. Tolerance of conspecifics may therefore be positively related to the degree of kinship as in other species (e.g., the swift fox; [ 21 ]; though see [ 31 , 32 ]). Based on our results indicating a consistent positive relationship between relatedness and the degree of territorial overlap and associated likelihood of encountering neighbouring packs, we hypothesise that this is mediated by kin-related tolerance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of relatedness and pack size on territory overlap in African wild dogs

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundSpacing patterns mediate competitive interactions between conspecifics, ultimately increasing fitness. The degree of territorial overlap between neighbouring African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) packs varies greatly, yet the role of factors potentially affecting the degree of overlap, such as relatedness and pack size, remain unclear. We used movement data from 21 wild dog packs to calculate the extent of territory overlap (20 dyads).ResultsOn average, unrelated neighbouring packs had low levels of overlap restricted to the peripheral regions of their 95% utilisation kernels. Related neighbours had significantly greater levels of peripheral overlap. Only one unrelated dyad included overlap between 75%-75% kernels, but no 50%-50% kernels overlapped. However, eight of 12 related dyads overlapped between their respective 75% kernels and six between the frequented 50% kernels. Overlap between these more frequented kernels confers a heightened likelihood of encounter, as the mean utilisation intensity per unit area within the 50% kernels was 4.93 times greater than in the 95% kernels, and 2.34 times greater than in the 75% kernels. Related packs spent significantly more time in their 95% kernel overlap zones than did unrelated packs. Pack size appeared to have little effect on overlap between related dyads, yet among unrelated neighbours larger packs tended to overlap more onto smaller packs’ territories. However, the true effect is unclear given that the model’s confidence intervals overlapped zero.ConclusionsEvidence suggests that costly intraspecific aggression is greatly reduced between related packs. Consequently, the tendency for dispersing individuals to establish territories alongside relatives, where intensively utilised portions of ranges regularly overlap, may extend kin selection and inclusive fitness benefits from the intra-pack to inter-pack level. This natural spacing system can affect survival parameters and the carrying capacity of protected areas, having important management implications for intensively managed populations of this endangered species.

show abstract

“…The existing extensive demographic database on the KZN African wild dog population was used for model development, with input from the published literature [39] , [42] , as appropriate. To mimic a realistic population demographic structure and pedigree, a studbook file that included all individuals alive in the KZN population in December 2008 was used as input to the model.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inbreeding Avoidance Influences the Viability of Reintroduced Populations of African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus)

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The conservation of many fragmented and small populations of endangered African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) relies on understanding the natural processes affecting genetic diversity, demographics, and future viability. We used extensive behavioural, life-history, and genetic data from reintroduced African wild dogs in South Africa to (1) test for inbreeding avoidance via mate selection and (2) model the potential consequences of avoidance on population persistence. Results suggested that wild dogs avoided mating with kin. Inbreeding was rare in natal packs, after reproductive vacancies, and between sibling cohorts (observed on 0.8%, 12.5%, and 3.8% of occasions, respectively). Only one of the six (16.7%) breeding pairs confirmed as third-order (or closer) kin consisted of animals that were familiar with each other, while no other paired individuals had any prior association. Computer-simulated populations allowed to experience inbreeding had only a 1.6% probability of extinction within 100 years, whereas all populations avoiding incestuous matings became extinct due to the absence of unrelated mates. Populations that avoided mating with first-order relatives became extinct after 63 years compared with persistence of 37 and 19 years for those also prevented from second-order and third-order matings, respectively. Although stronger inbreeding avoidance maintains significantly more genetic variation, our results demonstrate the potentially severe demographic impacts of reduced numbers of suitable mates on the future viability of small, isolated wild dog populations. The rapid rate of population decline suggests that extinction may occur before inbreeding depression is observed.

show abstract

Adoption as a conservation tool for endangered African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)

Cited by 27 publications

References 11 publications

Long‐distance transboundary dispersal of African wild dogs among protected areas in southern Africa

Long‐distance transboundary dispersal of African wild dogs among protected areas in southern Africa

The effect of relatedness and pack size on territory overlap in African wild dogs

Inbreeding Avoidance Influences the Viability of Reintroduced Populations of African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About