African wild dogs are among the most endangered carnivores in the world, living in highly cooperative packs whose welfare depends on intact social bonds, large territories, and human coexistence.
African wild dogs live in deeply bonded social units where pack integrity is essential for individual welfare and reproductive success. Persecution, snaring, and disease that kill pack members disrupt the entire social system, causing survival failures for dependent pups and survivors who lose cooperative hunting partners. Snared dogs often survive with debilitating injuries that impair hunting and reduce their contribution to the pack. Snare removal programs, disease vaccination, and community conservation education directly improve wild dog welfare at the individual and pack level.