Researchers from the Zoological Institute of the Zoological Society of London and the University of Oxford argue that a rise in global temperatures could threaten the survival of wild African hunting dogs in Kenya. The findings, published in Global Change Biology, warn that a 3 °C temperature increase would almost certainly lead to severe declines or local extinction of these predators in their Kenyan range.
African hunting dogs, also known as hyena dogs, inhabit savannas and grasslands to the south of the Sahara. Past studies have already shown that this species is dealing with habitat loss and disease pressures linked to human activity. The new analysis suggests that climate change could push several populations toward extinction, compounding existing threats.
To assess risk, the researchers used computer simulations that modeled different temperature scenarios. Their results indicate that a one-degree rise in temperature could reduce the population by around 40 percent, while a three-degree warming scenario comes with a high likelihood of complete population collapse in some areas.
Leading zoologists note that higher temperatures restrict hunting success and elevate the risk of bacterial and viral infections. As temperatures climb, food availability can tighten, hindering nourishment for nursing mothers and reducing the survival rates of pups as they reach adulthood.
The study also highlights that climate change will place additional stress on other species in the ecosystem, such as migratory birds like cuckoos, which may suffer malnutrition or delayed migration as prey becomes scarcer or less accessible. Projections emphasize a cascade of effects across wildlife communities, underscoring the interconnected nature of climate impacts on predator and prey dynamics alike.