Endangered wild dogs return to Malawi’s Kasungu NP

(Lilongwe, Malawi – 24 July 2026) – Four wild dogs have been spotted in Malawi’s Kasungu National Park. The event has taken conservationists by surprise—ten years have passed since the last pack of the endangered species roamed the 2,316 kms² wilderness.   

Excitement has grown since IFAW Field Operations manager Gervaz Thamala photographed the dogs a few days ago during a dawn patrol.  

Scientists from the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) later identified the dogs from photos taken in Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley, a wild dog stronghold which is about 140 km away and the site of the country’s longest-running wild dog conservation programme. 

Through its flagship Room to Roam initiative, IFAW works to secure wildlife migration corridors across the 5,366 km² Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), which includes Luambe and Lukusuzi National Parks in Zambia and Kasungu National Park in Malawi. 

“The dogs are natural proof of the importance of transboundary initiatives. The return of African wild dogs to Kasungu National Park after a decade is an exciting development. It's proof that with effort, we can reconnect wildlife habitats and make sure migratory species like wild dogs and elephants can travel freely across their home ranges,” said Bruce Sosola, IFAW Country Director Malawi. 

He cautioned that this sighting does not necessarily mean wild dogs have permanently returned to Kasungu National Park, since they are a highly mobile species and this is a dispersing group of females still in search of males to form a pack. 

Matt Becker, ZCP CEO, called the sighting a “an exciting development” further emphasising the importance of large, connected landscapes for dogs and other species. We have documented dogs dispersing up into Lukusuzi and beyond and always suspected that if dogs showed up in Kasungu that they would be from the Luangwa, and so great to have evidence.” 

“Our researchers have identified the four female wild dogs seen at Kasungu as the same dogs that were spotted and photographed by ZCP outside of Mfuwe, South Luangwa in May. They were a dispersing group, so we knew they would be moving, but it was a pleasant surprise to see how far they actually went.” 

“Seeing the dogs more than 100 km from where they were last spotted shows how important connectivity is for their movement. Hopefully we can work together to intensively monitor and protect these dogs and increase connectivity between these areas,” Becker said.  

Ends 

Press Contacts: 

Christina Pretorius 
Communications Director, Africa 
m: +27 82 330 2558  
e: cpretorius@ifaw.org