Range use by the wild dog in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa

Range use by wild dogs in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park was studied between April 1993 and October 1994. Data were collected using radio telemetry assisted by direct observation, triangulation of telemetry bearings and tourist-ranger sightings. Data sets were analysed separately with the program Home Range; and minimum convex polygons were drawn for the pack. Only two outliers were identified in the large data set; their removal effectively reduced the extent of the unused peripheral areas within the minimum convex polygon, and the area of the home range from 242.35 km2 to 218.37 km2. No outliers were identified using telemetry or tourist-ranger data sets. Minimum convex polygon plots of fix locations, and isometric contour plots created from the harmonic mean utilisation distribution, showed a reasonably symmetrical and extensive use of a relatively compact range. There were few if any exploratory excursions outside the home range during the study period.