Wild dog conservation
There are many who believe that all living things, not only humans, have their own intrinsic value - a value that can't be, nor needs to be defined in terms of economic worth. However, while it is philosophically simple to assert that all life on earth is important, wildlife conservation and management needs to mitigate conflict between wildlife and people and this becomes extremely complex in the face of real development problems. Idealistic views of nature and wildlife contribute to conservation but the bottom line in human terms is necessity. Wildlife is a valuable natural resource for different reasons to different segments of society. Individuals may utilise wildlife for subsistence or commercial gain, while communities may value wildlife for its cultural or spiritual significance, and the state may appreciate it for its broader economic potential. Understanding these differences in attitudes toward wildlife as a natural resource is fundamental to long-term conservation and management but is difficult when they are not necessarily static or compatible. Herein lies the conservation challenge of future generations.

Several specific wild dog conservation priorities are currently being promoted. Among these, the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist group identifies the maintenance of large contiguous tracts of land set aside for wildlife as the most important. As human populations continue to rise, pressure on wild dogs will increase. Protected areas large enough to accommodate their wide ranges will become the only areas where threats to wild dogs can be minimised in the long term. Within these protected areas, tourism might have the single most positive influence on wild dog conservation. Unlike most wild large canids, wild dogs are tolerant of human presence and provide rewarding opportunities for wildlife and photographic tourism. Also important to wild dog conservation is the reduction of human induced mortality persecution, hunting, snaring, and road traffic accidents. Integral to this is working with local people to reduce conflict between man and wild dogs as well as dispelling the myths associated with wild dogs. Lastly, the threat of disease to wild dogs needs to be investigated and managed. This includes minimising contact between wild dogs and domestic animals, implementing vaccination programs for domestic animals, and developing disease control strategies for wild dogs.

Conservation strategies such as those mentioned above can only be developed and implemented with detailed knowledge about the behaviour and ecology of wild dogs and about the social and economic factors that affect conservation and wildlife resource management in Africa. The work of the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project and other wild dog studies is integral to conservation and management. Additionally, continued information-gathering through long-term studies is crucial to identify new threats as they emerge.