Wild Dogs in Botswana. If you’re lucky enough to glimpse a blur of lean muscle and multicoloured patches racing through the savanna, you’ve seen one of the most elusive predators in Africa: the African wild dog. Also known as painted wolves or by their scientific name Lycaon pictus, these carnivores are among the continent’s most endangered species, with only an estimated 750 individuals remaining in the wild across 47 known packs.
Botswana, however, offers a rare haven for these charismatic canines. On our recent journey, we were astonished to see three different packs, comprising approximately 30 wild dogs, in three separate areas. It’s a privilege few safari-goers ever experience, and it prompted a deeper dive into why Botswana is one of the best places in Africa to see wild dogs—and what’s being done to protect them.
Wild Dogs: Rare, Complex, and Always on the Move
African Wild Dogs in Botswana are unlike any other carnivore you’ll encounter. Built for endurance and speed, they are social, cooperative, and constantly on the hunt. Rather than stalking prey like lions or ambushing it like leopards, wild dogs chase their prey over long distances, sometimes running antelope to exhaustion. They are strategic and relentless, working as a team to flank and corner their quarry.
But their need to roam is also their greatest vulnerability. Packs can have home ranges of up to 1,500 square kilometres, and they cover vast distances every day in search of food. This makes them highly susceptible to habitat fragmentation, fences, roadkill, snares and human conflict.
Botswana: A Stronghold for Wild Dogs
Thanks to vast protected areas and a low human population density, Botswana has become one of the last remaining strongholds for African wild dogs. The country is estimated to host over 30% of the continent’s remaining wild dog population, spread across regions like the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Savuti, Khwai, and parts of the Central Kalahari.
What makes Botswana stand out?
- Expansive Wilderness: The vastness of parks and private concessions gives dogs the space they need.
- Conservation-Oriented Tourism: Eco-conscious operators respect dog ranges and avoid disturbing dens.
- Low Fencing Policy: Botswana’s policy of keeping its national parks unfenced (in most places) supports natural movement of wildlife.
During our visit, we encountered wild dogs in Moremi, Savuti, and Khwai—three regions within days of each other. Each pack was active, alert, and unmistakably wild, with some members wearing radio collars used by researchers to track movements and behaviour.
Who’s Tracking Them—and Why?
Tracking Wild Dogs in Botswana is essential for understanding their movements, identifying threats, and protecting denning sites. Several organisations and academic institutions are involved in long-term wild dog research in Botswana. Notable among these are:
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust (BPCT): One of the most respected predator-focused research organisations in Africa, based in Maun.
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU): Based at the University of Oxford, they partner with local researchers to study predator ecology.
- Elephants Without Borders and Panthera: While primarily focused on other species, these NGOs often collaborate on predator surveys and corridor assessments.
Radio collars, usually fitted on one or two members of a pack, are a key part of this work. The data they provide informs anti-poaching patrols, relocation planning, and community education. In some areas, GPS tracking also helps avoid human-wildlife conflict by allowing farmers or rangers to anticipate the dogs’ movements
Funding for this research often comes from a mix of sources:
- International grants (e.g. from National Geographic, WWF, or EU biodiversity programmes)
- Tourism operators, who see the presence of wild dogs as a key attraction
- Academic partnerships, involving global universities
- Private donors interested in carnivore conservation
Why Are Wild Dogs in Botswana So Rare?
There are several reasons why African wild dogs are critically endangered:
- Habitat loss from agriculture and development
- Snaring and bycatch, especially in areas where poaching of other animals occurs
- Conflict with livestock farmers, who see wild dogs as a threat to goats and calves
- Road accidents, as dogs travel across landscapes that now include roads and settlements
- Disease, particularly canine distemper and rabies, often contracted from domestic dogs near human settlements
Their social structure also makes them uniquely vulnerable. If the alpha pair dies, the entire pack may disintegrate. Pups require intense cooperation to raise, and pack cohesion is key to survival. Fragmentation of families can quickly lead to local extinctions.
What’s It Like to See Them?
When you come across wild dogs on safari, there’s an unmistakable shift in atmosphere. The guides whisper with excitement. The trackers lean forward. Unlike lions, who lounge in the sun, or leopards who sulk in trees, wild dogs are almost always alert, moving and planning their next hunt.
At one of our sightings in Savuti, we watched a pack of adults and juveniles waking up from their mid-morning rest. After a series of high-pitched chirps and playful chasing, they set off across the grasslands, forming a long line. Moments later, impala alarm calls echoed from a nearby thicket.
In Khwai, we witnessed something few ever see: a night hunt involving five adults and eight pups taking down a warthog. The efficiency and speed were breathtaking—no noise, no mess, just precise teamwork.
Even without a kill, watching wild dogs is an emotional experience. There’s something vulnerable and intensely bonded about their social behaviour: the way they greet each other, care for pups, and share food. They are, in many ways, Africa’s most misunderstood and unfairly maligned predator.
What Can Travellers Do to Help?
If you’re lucky enough to see wild dogs in Botswana, you’ve joined a small and fortunate club. But you can do more than watch—you can help protect them by:
- Choosing operators who support research or conservation projects
- Avoiding off-road driving near dens or sensitive areas
- Reporting sightings with location data to researchers (your guide will often do this for you)
- Donating to organisations like BPCT or Wild Entrust Africa, who work directly with wild dogs
- Supporting local communities—when people benefit from conservation, they’re more likely to protect it
Final Thoughts: Hope in the Delta
Seeing wild dogs three times in one trip is an extraordinary gift, and a reminder that while they are rare, they are not yet lost. In Botswana, they run free, raise families, and maintain their ancient role as efficient hunters of the plains.
Their survival, however, depends on more than luck. It relies on science, community, and respectful tourism. With continued effort—and visitors who care—we may yet ensure that painted wolves remain part of the Okavango’s future.
Check out our other Safari Botswana blogs –
- Safari Botswana – A Tourist Heaven of Wildlife, Wilderness and Wonder
- Visiting the Okavango Delta – What You Need to Know Before You Go
- Nxai Pan National Park – Salt, Stars and Safari Stories in the Sands
- Makgadikgadi Pans National Park – Zebra, Rivers and the Silence of the Salt
- Savuti – Wild Dogs, Lions and Rock Outcrops in Chobe’s Wild Heart
- Moremi Game Reserve – Flooded Forests, Wild Dogs and the Pulse of the Okavango
- Khwai Game Reserve – Wild Dogs, Community Conservation and the Spirit of the Delta
- What to Expect on a Mokoro Ride in the Okavango Delta
- Walking Safari in the Okavango Delta – What to Expect
- Ancient Voices on Stone: Bushman Rock Art at Savuti, Chobe National Park
- Mobile Safari Camp or Self-Drive?
- Why Do Hunting Safaris Still Exist in Botswana?
- Are There Ground Hornbills in Botswana?
- Dr Livingstone in Botswana: Footsteps Across the Kalahari
- Is the Hippo the Most Dangerous Animal in Africa? It Might Just Be
- Sunset Safari on the Zambezi: An Evening Boat Ride from Kasane, Botswana