African wild dogs trek thousands of kilometres to find mates, study shows

African wild dogs can trek over 4,000 kilometers across Africa to find mates, according to new research published in the journal Ecology. The study tracked groups of wild dogs moving across thousands of kilometers of human-dominated landscapes in Zambia and into neighboring countries. Three brothers covered the longest recorded dispersal of any African mammal, traveling 4,126 kilometers over eight months.

Four separate dispersing groups traveled a combined 9,863 kilometers, more than twice the width of the United States. The journeys often came at a cost, with many dispersing wild dogs dying in wire snares set for bushmeat hunting. Despite the threats, the study suggests that wild dogs living in strict hierarchical packs remain more interconnected than previously thought, highlighting the importance of protecting migration corridors for their conservation.