Longest African mammal movement recorded by Zambian wild dogs

Three male African wild dogs in Zambia embarked on a remarkable 4,000-kilometer journey in search of new territory and mates, as documented in a recent study. This extraordinary nine-month expedition, roughly equivalent to the distance between Cairo and Cape Town, highlights the ability of these endangered animals to connect distant populations and ecosystems across Southern Africa.

"It's the longest African mammal movement on record, and the longest wild dog dispersal," stated Matt Becker, CEO of the Zambian Carnivore Programme, when discussing the study. The trio of genetically related males, known as the Mayukuyuku males, departed from their birth pack in Kafue National Park in mid-2025. Their path took them eastward out of the park, then north towards the industrial cities of Kitwe and Ndola before turning back and heading eastward towards the Luangwa River Valley, home to around 400 wild dogs.

By April 2026, the pack had navigated a staggering 4,126 kilometers to reach a game management area situated between the national parks of South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi. Becker believes that the males may have established a territorial range, although it remains uncertain who they are sharing the space with and how many wild dogs reside there.

The study tracked 19 wild dog groups using GPS collars fitted to individual animals. However, not all journeys concluded successfully; a female wild dog named EWD-1355, along with her two sisters, had traveled more than 2,200 kilometers from a pack in South Luangwa in 2021, only to face an untimely end.