African wild dogs have complex cooperative social structures that are disrupted by habitat fragmentation, snaring, and disease, creating serious welfare and conservation challenges.
African wild dogs are intensely social animals for whom pack disruption causes profound welfare harm. When alpha breeders are killed by snares or disease, entire packs can collapse, leaving pups to starve. Snare injuries cause amputations and festering wounds that are painful and debilitating. Conflict with livestock farmers results in retaliatory killings. The species requires landscape-scale protection and community engagement to prevent ongoing suffering at both individual and population level.