Protecting Painted Dogs

We are sorry to bring you sad news about the death of Socks. Socks was the alpha of the Nyamandlovu Painted Dog pack. One of six pups born in June 2010, her mother was Vusile, an orphaned dog that was homed for a short while at our Rehabilitation Facility. 

Socks was the most successful alpha female we have known, producing 33 puppies, of which more than half are still alive today. She rests now, where she died, in the centre of the territory she dominated for more than five years. 

When she was killed, her pups were only five weeks old and she was still suckling them. By the time we found her, it was also too late to save the pups. We are not sure how, why or what killed her. It was most likely lions, though there were hyena tracks all around her body. 

Socks was a symbol of success and hope for us - a pack thriving in the area where we do so much of our conservation education work. Fitted with a protective collar that saved her life just weeks ago, the collar bore the marks of a deadly, brutal snare. Our anti-poaching units were deployed time and time again into the forests where she roamed. We protected her with everything we have and all the knowledge we have gained so that she could thrive.

Alpha male Browney, and his phenomenal brother Ring, are left to provide for the nine pups born last year, until a new queen emerges to take Sock's place along-side them. 

Please help us to continue to give them all the support we can! Thank You! 

Links:

• Find out more about our work with Painted Dogs