The sight of a 50-strong pack of African wild dogs in action has to be one of the most wonderful and exhilarating spectacles on the vast African savannah. Wild dogs are renowned for their strong family bonds, and anyone lucky enough to witness their interaction with a new litter of pups cannot fail to be struck by their collective devotion. Peaceful and co-operative within their family groups, they look after their young and sick and depend on each other for survival. Sadly, such encounters are increasingly rare as Africa’s charismatic wild dog is pushed closer and closer to extinction. The wild dog is a ‘flagship’ species. Its presence signals a healthy ecosystem and its conservation goes hand in hand with the survival of innumerable other species and the protection of the wider landscape. Niassa National Reserve in north-west Mozambique is one of the largest wildernesses remaining in Africa and one of Africa’s best-kept secrets. This pristine and relatively unexplored wilderness is one of the largest protected areas in the entire continent, and is one of the last refuges for African wild dogs – providing a large area of habitat that offers a haven for 450 animals. The reserve also harbours a tremendous diversity of other wildlife, including 12,000 elephants, 14,000 sable antelope, several thousand buffalo and zebra, as well as smaller populations of hippo, wildebeest, kudu and other antelope species. Duiker and warthog abound, and lion, leopard and spotted hyena are common. Niassa is also home to about 30,000 people from the Yao and Macua ethnic groups. FFI has been helping our local partner to manage this magnificent reserve for almost a decade. Although we’ve achieved some remarkable successes in Niassa during that time, we still face some tough challenges. Land clashes between humans and large carnivores such as wild dogs and lions can cause tragic and unnecessary losses on both sides. We need your support to help protect this vast and beautiful sanctuary of the Wild dog. We need to continue to build on opportunities with local communities living within the Reserve, and focus on appropriate and long-lasting land management plans that work for the survival of both local people and wild life. We also need support to complete our vaccination and disease awareness campaign to simultaneously protect domestic and wild animals from rabies and other diseases. Diseases passed from domestic animals are one of the biggest threats to the survival of wild dogs. Please support Fauna & Flora International today and be part of our crucial work to save endangered landscapes and species across the globe.