Last year, a pack of 14 African wild canines was set free in Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Releasing the pack of dogs was done as part of a wildlife restoration project. With the hope that the dogs will thrive and naturally multiply, they were left to explore the wild on their own.
The African wild dogs are called Lycaon Pictus. Biera, the alpha female, was pregnant when the dogs were released. Naturally, the rest of the pack would look for a place for Biera to stay in until she gives birth. The other dogs dug a hole on the ground, and Biera stayed in there most of the time.
The first place where the dogs stayed wasn’t safe, especially for the smaller puppies. A giant African Rock Python was lurking around. Biera and her pack left and found a safer place. Biera gave birth in April. She had 11 puppies. Usually, a pack of L. Pictus allows only the alpha female to breed. This pack is different, though. Apart from Biera, Nhamagaia was also pregnant. She gave birth to eight puppies.
Because the puppies are young and small, many feared that the puppies might become easy prey for the bigger carnivores in the pack. But these puppies are healthy, and they definitely know how to protect themselves.
There was another pack of wild dogs. Aside from Biera’s group, there was another group of four full-grown adult dogs – one female and three male dogs. It looks like that other group is also expecting to give birth to eight more new puppies.
From almost zero, researchers released fourteen. And now the population is almost at 50 wild dogs. Gorongosa National Park is the perfect place to release the wild dogs. The park allows them to be in their natural habitat. It enables them to learn how to live in the wild. They’ll learn how to hunt for food and how to avoid getting eaten by other bigger animals.
Credits to The Endangered Wildlife Trust via YouTube.
