Wildlife Research Projects - African Wild Dog Conservation Studies

Thematic Areas

My research integrates wildlife ecology, disease dynamics, and climate science to develop evidence-based conservation strategies for East African ecosystems, with particular focus on carnivore conservation and human-wildlife coexistence.

Investigating how climate change affects the ecology, behavior, and disease patterns in African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) in the Samburu-Laikipia ecosystem of Kenya.

My Role

Principal Investigator since 2022, previously Project Manager (2016-2022)

Collaborating Institutions

Zoological Society of London
University of Wyoming
Kenya Wildlife Service

Key Projects

Long-term monitoring of wild dog packs using GPS and VHF collars
Assessment of climate change impacts on wild dog habitat use and movement patterns
Disease surveillance and management across wild dog populations

Research Methods

GPS and VHF collar tracking
Visual observations and behavioral sampling
Necropsy and disease screening
Community engagement and participatory monitoring

Key Findings & Contributions

Identified critical habitat corridors for wild dog movement in changing landscapes
Documented shifts in denning timing and location correlated with climate variables
Established links between climate-driven prey distribution changes and wild dog hunting success
Discovered correlation between coat coloration patterns and local climate conditions

Selected Publications

Rising temperatures increase risk of pathogen exposure for African wild dogs (Ngatia et al., 2025)
Coat colour is associated with climate and habitat in African wild dogs (Daniels et al., 2024)
African wild dogs are hot and hungry: Response to Creel et al. (Woodroffe et al., 2023)
Dispersal behaviour of African wild dogs in Kenya (Woodroffe et al., 2020)

Research Impact

My research has directly informed conservation management strategies in East Africa, particularly for endangered carnivore species. Findings from the Samburu-Laikipia Wild Dog Project have been incorporated into Kenya's national conservation planning for the species. Disease ecology research has led to improved vaccination protocols that benefit both wildlife and domestic animals in rural communities.

Publications

My research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Nature Communications, Biological Conservation, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Conservation Biology. Publications cover diverse topics from wildlife ecology and conservation to disease management and climate change impacts.