In 2022, the Painted Dog Fund granted $25,000 to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL),
who have Project Lycaon to assist in their bold bid to save West Africa’s last painted wolves
from the brink of extinction.
Niokolo-Koba National Park in south-eastern Senegal supports West Africa’s only remaining
painted wolf population which is at extreme risk of extirpation. Thought to number just 3-4
packs, virtually nothing is known about this isolated population that is ecologically unique
and possibly genetically distinct. Listed as a UNESCO “World Heritage Site in Danger,” the
park lacked dedicated conservation efforts to protect this critically endangered species – until
now.
In 2022, ZSL launched Project Lycaon to safeguard this population. This programme, led by
Professor Rosie Woodroffe, assessed the status and distribution of painted wolves, identified
key threats, and raised awareness of the species through community campaigns and
surveys. Their efforts confirmed 22 adults in four packs and led to a National Action Plan for
painted wolves in partnership with the Senegalese government. This led to UNESCO visiting
the project and park in March 2024 and in July they officially removed Niokolo Koba from the
endangered list, praising the conservation actions taken to save the species.
The success of Project Lycaon is beginning to demonstrate that with dedicated effort,
collaboration, and community engagement, painted wolves in small, isolated populations are
worth conserving to give them a fighting chance at recovery, and that conservation efforts to
save them have a wider landscape impact than simply protecting the species.
