Also known as African painted dogs or Cape hunting dogs, this species was once widely distributed across most of Africa. However, human encroachment has now seen their numbers fall to below 5000 animals, many of which exist within packs with no viable long-term breeding outlook.

Their requirements for large home ranges over which to hunt, the decrease in available prey due to land clearance and urbanisation, along with the introduction of canid diseases such as canine distemper, parvo and rabies have drastically reduced numbers of this species. Widely regarded as pests, they are still poisoned, shot, driven over and trapped by local farmers in many areas.

Both Adelaide and Monarto Zoos participate in the regionally managed breeding program; with Adelaide Zoo having held the species since 1958 (it currently maintains a pack of seven dogs). Monarto Zoo displays the largest pack in Australasia with 33 animals, and in the past five years have recorded 52 births. Zoos SA also supports the Painted Dog Conservation Inc – Australia, (an organisation established to provide support to the Painted Dog Conservation Project, Zimbabwe, the African Wild Dog Conservation, Zambia) and also the Wild Dog Project, Namibia. The organisation aims to conserve the largest surviving wild population of African wild dogs by empowering the local people to protect their wildlife and its habitat by providing local school children, farmers and communities with education, skills and training. Furthermore, the protection of the species should also improve the well-being and future outlook of their own local communities.

Monarto Zoo’s Planet Keeper program provides opportunities for teachers and children to learn about this species with four local schools recently raising over $1,500 for conservation work. Zoos SA Education staff visited a bush camp facility in Zimbabwe during April 2007, and were inspired to develop “Creating for Conservation ”, an exhibition of work from over fifty South Australian artists that raised $10,500, donated to Painted Dog Conservation for in situ conservation work. Recently a further $3,000 was donated from the Zoos SA Conservation Fund to enable further field work in Namibia.