News Release

March 15, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact : Sondra Katzen
Public Relations
708.688.8351
sondra.katzen@czs.org

Note: Images of the African wild dog puppies on exhibit in their outdoor habitat at Brookfield Zoo may downloaded at www.CZS.org/pressroom.

African Wild Dog Puppies on Exhibit at Brookfield Zoo

      Brookfield, Ill.—With the weather warming up and being more constant, Brookfield Zoo’s 10 African wild dog puppies, who born on November 25, 2010, can now be seen regularly in their outdoor habitat along with their mother Kim, 6, father Digger, 4, and Digger’s brother Duke, 4.

Brookfield Zoo is one of 11 accredited North American zoos to have a breeding group and one of only three zoos to produce litters this past year. This litter of six males and four females is critically important to the managed population of African wild dogs in North America. The breeding of Kim and Digger was based on a recommendation by the coordinator of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Wild Dog Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP is a cooperative population management and conservation program for a species. African wild dogs, also known as painted dogs, have been part of Brookfield Zoo’s animal collection since 1985. In addition to the most recent litter of 10 pups, two other successful litters have been born at the zoo—one in 1998 that had five pups and another in 2000 that had four pups.

Once common in virtually every environment in southern Africa, excluding rain forests and the driest deserts, African wild dogs now inhabit only the savannahs and grasslands, making them one of the continent’s most endangered predators. A century ago, dog packs numbering 100 or more individuals could be seen roaming the Serengeti Plains. Today, pack sizes average about 10 animals and the total population on the Serengeti is probably less than 60 dogs. Research suggests there are between 3,000 to 5,000 free-ranging wild dogs found in isolated populations in central, northeast, and southern Africa, where the largest population is found. Major threats to the species are habitat fragmentation; contact with human activity resulting in road casualties, poisoning, or snaring; the spread of distemper from domestic dogs; and competition for prey by larger carnivores.

The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, inspires conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Open every day of the year, Brookfield Zoo is located off First Avenue between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service.

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