Mo 30.07.07 Temporary enclosures have to be built inside the outer wild dog enclosures. These small enclosures are not entirely shut, but open at one side. The plan is to herd the dogs through that entrance and then close the enclosure, keep them in a small area to be able dart them from a shorter distance. As they won’t be fed today the smell of meat is hopefully attracting them tomorrow. All the three temporary enclosures are finished by the end of the day. |
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Tu 31.7.07
Dr. Colin Lovely the veterinarian (originally from South Africa) arrives at Harnas in the morning. Every wild dog has to be darted in order to take blood samples, check them, tag them (tatooing the ears) and write a data sheet for each dog. Blood samples will be sent to a specialist in the UK to do DNA studies of these wild dogs. As the plan is to release them some day, it is important to know how they are related to one another and what family groups they belong to.
After 10h30 everyone drives out to the wild dog enclosure where the medical stuff is already set up in the shade of some trees.
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Different teams with diffrent jobs are formed. A team has to do the ear tatooes, some have to take pictures from different sides of every single dog and write the data on the sheet (ear tatoo number, sex, age etc), some help carrying the sedated dogs over to the vet etc.
Everyone has got a job to do and after the 3rd dog you can already see some routine at giving injections, tatooing ears etc.
Once a dog has been darted, it takes approx. 5-10 minutes until the sleeping drugs are working properly.
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When the dog is fast asleep, it is transported on a strecher onto a clinic table in the medical corner.
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To prevent the wild dogs eyes from getting dry, a special gel has to be put into each eye. The vet does a quick allover body examination, has a look a the teeth. Pulse and heartbeat are checked, the body temperature is monitored and if a dog is too hot, it has to be cooled down with water. The vet then takes the blood samples. It is important to take the wild dogs tongue out, so he is able the breath properly.
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The ear is tattooed and he is given diffrent injections (rabies, a combination shot of hepathitis, distemper and others, a deworm- and deparasiting injection). Every dog is then sprayed with anti-tick spray.
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Once a dog is treated and examined he is transported back to the shade, where he can slowly wake up. During this stage, the dog is still monitored and the body temperature checked, to see if he is doing ok. If they are too hot, they get soaked with water, if they are too cold, they are put a bit more into the sun. |
| One of the dogs has been in a fight this morning, just before he got darted, so his wounds are cleaned and sprayed with antiseptics. |  |
They discovered that some of the wilddogs have puppies, they are approx. 2 weeks old. Darting the other guys of this pack results a bit more diffucult. The mother and puppies will not be darted.
The veterianarians examinations also showed that one of the females is pregnant.
As it is getting very hot out there at midday, they decide to have a break. So after a short lunch break everybody moves back to the enclosures. At this stage, some of the dogs that have been darted first are waking up, trying to get on their feet, but mostly stumbling and walking really wobbly. Everyone is busy until the end of the afternoon. One dog is not really well, he takes a long time to wake up and seems to be quite weak.
Today 19 dogs have been darted and treated, we will have to do the rest tomorrow.
We 01.08.07
Last night the wild dogs thave been darted and treated have been monitored and seemed to be doing ok. This morning some of them had a big fight. The one who had troubles waking up was laying on its own in the shade. Somehow the others managed to get close to it and they all attacked it. It has been wounded and had to be stiched.
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When the volunteers arrive on site shortely after 9h, Schalk, the vet and some others are already out there, taking care of that wild dog. Also Schalk has already started to dart more dogs. We dart and treat only 2 wild dogs today. There are 4 missing, but they have got enough blood samples so we will leave these ones. |
Interviews (31.07.07)
Volunteers Rob, UK and Chantel, UK
1) Do you know much about wild dogs?
Rob: Not a lot. I know that they are really endangered. They live in packs.
Chantel: Not really. They hunt and live in packs.
2) Have you done something like this before?
R: I have done nothing likely before. I have only watched it on wildlife programs.
Ch: No, never.
3) What were your experiences with wild dogs up until today?
R: Feed them in their enclosure. Clean their enclosure.
Ch: One went to bite me last week when I was feeding it. Our group feeds the wild dogs close to the house.
4) What job didi you have to do?
R: I was timing them after they’ve been darted, monitored them and checked if they were asleep and save to move.
Ch: I had to tattoo the ears (numbers). I liked it.
5) What was the most amazing experience about this project?
R: Getting close to wild dogs and touch them. I’d never imagined to touch one in my life.
CH: I suppose to see them that close. And they stink!
