African wild dog population genetics reveals the welfare implications of small, fragmented populations for individual dogs in terms of disease susceptibility and reproductive health.
African wild dog welfare is inextricably linked to pack integrity and disease management. Individual dogs in small, isolated packs have worse welfare outcomes than those in larger, well-connected populations — they experience higher disease exposure, reduced hunting success, and less effective pup protection. The welfare case for population connectivity through corridor creation is strong: larger effective population sizes reduce inbreeding depression and disease amplification. Vaccination programs targeting domestic dogs at wild dog boundaries represent one of the most cost-effective wildlife welfare interventions available.