Wild dogs, misunderstood and endangered, brought into sharp focus

21 August 2020 - 10:25
By penguin random house sa AND Penguin Random House SA
Lycaon pictus are non-confrontational, smart and sociable canines.
Image: Jocelin Kagan Lycaon pictus are non-confrontational, smart and sociable canines.

Africa’s Wild Dogs — A Survival Story is a large format photographic celebration of one of the continent’s most charismatic and endangered predators. With only about 6,600 wild dogs left in Africa today, wildlife photographer Jocelin Kagan has made it her mission to bring the extraordinary lives of these often misunderstood and maligned animals into the spotlight.

Her remarkable images of rarely seen interactions between the animals and her personal observations are supported by the insights of an array of scientific experts. Their contributions discuss the fascinating behaviour and pack dynamics of these efficient hunters.

'Africa's Wild Dogs' is a photographic celebration of one of the continent's most endangered predators.
Image: Supplied 'Africa's Wild Dogs' is a photographic celebration of one of the continent's most endangered predators.

Nomadic predators whose territories range over  thousands of kilometres, wild dogs hunt cooperatively, preying on small herbivores. They are non-confrontational, smart and sociable, and form complex and close family bonds, as this fascinating book reveals.

Now restricted to small populations and threatened by human persecution, diseases, habitat fragmentation, climate change and natural predation, the conservation of these dogs will be supported by the royalties earned from the sale of this book.

Kagan holds a Henley Management College MBA, is an educator and public speaker, and the author of four books. She is a passionate advocate for wild dogs and has been tracking and photographing them since 2010. She has also been involved in international campaigns to raise funds for their conservation.

All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the African Wild Dog Survival Fund.