Fewer than 7,000 painted dogs are left across the entire continent.

They may not be as famous as their trunked, horned, or maned neighbours, but these painted dogs —also known as African wild or hunting dogs—are beautiful, unique, and fascinating social animals.

Painted dogs are native to Africa, and aren’t found in the wild anywhere else on the planet. They live in small pockets across a handful of countries including Zimbabwe, the home of Painted Dog Conservation. There are roughly 700 painted dogs here, and we work with local populations of both humans and dogs—via conservation, education, and outreach programs—to help them not only survive here, but thrive.

In Zimbabwe, painted dogs are protected under the following Statutory Instruments (SI):

SI 2020-071 Parks and Wild Life (Specially Protected Animals) Regulations, 2020,

SI 56 and 57 of 2012 of the Parks and Wildlife Act