Painted Dog Conservation

October 10, 2020

1 pm PDT

Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) looks after one of the few remaining pockets of painted dogs in Zimbabwe. There were once 500,000 dogs roaming across Africa, but years of poaching and habitat loss have reduced their numbers to 7,000. PDC protects Zimbabwe’s painted dog population of 700 individuals by monitoring pack health and going to great lengths to dismantle poaching snares, removing thousands every year. They also hold children’s bush camps to teach them about painted dogs and work with local communities to adopt livelihoods that do not put painted dogs or their habitat in danger. Relocating packs to safe territory is also a part of their work.

SPEAKERS

Peter Blinston

Executive Director

Peter fell in love with painted dogs over 40 years ago after seeing a documentary about them. He moved to Zimbabwe 22 years ago to establish Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) and uses his passion for painted dogs to drive initiatives that protect them. As the Executive Director of PDC, Peter guides the development and execution of programs that address the threats directly impacting painted dog populations and their habitats; their anti-poaching units are especially active in this endeavor. He and his capable team of local staff also play a critical role in changing local attitudes towards painted dog conservation.

David Kuvowoga

Operations Manager

David Kuvawoga grew up in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, where he was constantly surrounded by wildlife and often heard the sounds of lions roaring from his home. This fueled his passion for conservation, leading him to earn a degree in Nature Conservation from the Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa. Today, David is the Operations Manager at Painted Dog Conservation, where he runs the daily operations of the entire team in Zimbabwe to ensure the success of PDC’s efforts to protect and increase painted dog populations while supporting local communities.

Photography credit: (c) Suzi Eszerthas