Wild dogs are among the most threatened carnivores in Africa. Understanding the impacts of climate change on this species and their habitat is key to effective conservation planning.
As part of her PhD research, Jenny Linden built models of African wild dog body temperature relative to activity levels, which suggest their hunting behaviour would be compromised by climate change. She also modelled wild dog habitat suitability and population projections under climate change and land-use change across Africa. These examples illustrate the vulnerability of key wild dog strongholds like KAZA and several previously suggested reintroduction sites. However potential refugia are found in central Kenya and southern Ethiopia. Findings have been shared with the KAZA Carnivore Coalition technical committee to inform their conservation strategy.
Jenny also co-authored the upcoming IUCN Green Status assessment for African wild dogs, and contributed to the Red List assessment. Further sharing her skills, she led a GIS training workshop for Lion Landscapes Research Assistants in Laikipia, Kenya.
