Dispersal behaviour of African wild dogs in Kenya

Dispersal behaviour plays a key role in social organisation, demography and population genetics. We describe dispersal behaviour in a population of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Kenya. Almost all individuals, of both sexes, left their natal packs, with 45 of 46 reproductively active "alpha" individuals acquiring their status through dispersal. Dispersal age, group size and distance did not differ between males and females. However, only females embarked on secondary dispersal, probably reflecting stronger reproductive competition among females than males. When dispersing, GPS-collared wild dogs travelled further than when resident, both in daylight and by night, following routes an order of magnitude longer than the straight-line distance covered. Dispersers experienced a daily mortality risk three times that experienced by adults in resident packs. The detailed movement data provided by GPS-collars helped to reconcile differences between dispersal patterns reported previously from other wild dog populations. However, the dispersal patterns observed at this and other sites contrast with those assumed in published demographic models for this endangered species. Given the central role of dispersal in demography, models of wild dog population dynamics need to be updated to account for improved understanding of dispersal processes.