Five wild dogs released into the Madikwe game reserve in January mark a new beginning for the historic wild dog population in the reserve, which was decimated by rabies last September.

The famous pack of 24 dogs dwindled down to just three animals.

More dogs are being sought to form a second complete, unrelated pack which will include the three surviving dogs.

September's disaster shows that one vaccination does not protect against rabies. It also shows that a single pack in a reserve is at risk of extinction through diseases such as rabies and distemper.

In an attempt to make sure this does not happen, a vaccination programme against rabies has been implemented.

The Madikwe game reserve on which Tati Game Lodge is located, is famous for its wild dog and conservation programmes, offering guests rare and exciting encounters with the endangered wild dog.

The new pack, two captured males and three captive-born females, were given by the De Wildt cheetah breeding centre. The North West Parks Board organised the move, with support from Sasol. Tau Game Lodge, a member of Conservation Corporation Africa, sponsors the predator-monitoring project in Madikiwe.

Intensive monitoring of the released dogs is being done to determine just how well they adapt to their new environment.