An incredible journey... 3 wild dogs travel more than 4,000 kilometers in search of a partner

In a time when dating apps have become a source of exhaustion and frustration for many, a true story from the animal world reminds us that the search for a partner may push its owner to embark on a difficult journey. Three male African wild dogs left their pack in Zambia and embarked on a long and dangerous journey of about 4,125 kilometres, searching for females to mate with and establish a new pack.

During the trip, the dogs encountered rivers full of crocodiles, areas infested with lions, in addition to human dangers. In less than nine months, it traveled a tremendous distance, ending last April, recording the longest documented land journey of an animal on the African continent.

The journey was not only significant in terms of its length, but it also revealed the surprising ability of these highly social animals to connect geographically distant groups. Conservation biologist Scott Creel of Montana State University followed the three dogs' movements day after day with GPS collars.

Creel, who co-authored a study on their journey, which was published in the journal The Scientific Naturalist last month, told Ofoq News that monitoring their movements daily was an extraordinary experience. African wild dogs are known for their strong social bonds.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, African wild dogs are classified as an endangered species, as there are only less than 700 groups and less than 1,700 adult individuals left in the world, and researchers are facing increasing difficulty in finding them. These dogs live within very large areas, and reproduction within the herd is usually limited to only one dominant male and female.

That is why other individuals, after reaching maturity, face a difficult choice: either to remain in the group and wait for an opportunity to reach a position of dominance, or to leave the herd in search of a mate and found a new family, a process called “dispersal”. On August 6, 2025, the three dogs, then three years old, chose the second option.

She grew up among the Mayukuyuku herd in Kafue National Park in western Zambia. Her departure was not surprising, because her opportunities to reproduce within the large herd were limited, especially since four of her sisters of the same age had left two weeks before her.

In just one month, the dogs had moved hundreds of kilometers towards more urban areas, retreating rapidly as they approached large cities like Kabwe. When they entered areas with a higher human density, their movement style changed significantly; Instead of the usual balance between hunting, rest, and movement, they began to move quickly and in more direct lines to reduce the time they spent near sources of danger.

In mid-September, a remarkable surprise occurred, as the three male dogs met their sisters, after covering more than 1,200 kilometers from their starting point. The researchers believe that this encounter demonstrates the strength of the sense of smell and the ability of wild dogs to locate members of their group even across vast distances.

After spending a day with their sisters, the three dogs continued a winding journey that lasted 6 months towards the west, until they reached a forest area in the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia, an area that contains one of the largest concentrations of African wild dogs. Creel believes she may have actually met females there, but the remoteness and inaccessibility of the area have made it impossible to confirm this until now.

These long journeys sparked researchers' optimism, because data on collared animals showed that there was actual contact between all populations of wild dogs residing in Zambia, across seven national parks. Some trips also extended to neighboring countries such as Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Malawi.

This interconnectedness is important for the survival of the species, because isolated populations are more vulnerable to extinction. But the other side of the story is much more cruel.

Weeks after the males met her sisters, one of the females fell into a wire trap set by bushmeat hunters. These traps do not specifically target wild dogs, but they catch any animal that crosses their path, and can cause deep and fatal wounds.

Tracking data indicates that two sisters returned to the infected female, behavior that reflects strong bonds within the group. However, one of the sisters later stopped moving, and her collar was found cut off with a knife, leading researchers to believe that she, too, fell into a trap and died.

The fate of the remaining sister remained unknown because she was not wearing a tracking collar. Creel believes that the problem of traps cannot be solved simply by implementing the law.

Many of those who use it live in extreme poverty and depend on hunting for food or income. Therefore, the solution also requires providing economic alternatives that make poaching less necessary.

The greatest danger is not only the death of the dogs themselves, but also the decline of the herbivores that constitute their natural prey. As prey becomes smaller, dogs must travel longer distances to find food, making them more likely to be exposed to traps and danger from humans.

Thus, the journey of the three dogs appears to be a mixture of hope and danger. It is a testament to the strength of these animals and their ability to survive and communicate across vast areas, but it is also a reminder of how fragile their future is in a world where humans have an increasing influence on nature.