They are back! 4 African painted dogs make their return to the Houston Zoo

African Painted Dogs (Jackelin Reyna/Houston Zoo)

HOUSTON – Four African painted dogs made their return to the Houston Zoo after a three-year absence.

The four male dogs, Modo, Rafiki, Tamu and Wiki, moved from Binder Park Zoo in Michigan as part of a Species Survival Plan, which controls and conserves the population with careful breeding that is genetically diverse and stable, the Houston Zoo said in a news release.

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The four dogs were part of a litter of 11 pups born in November.

The zoo said African painted dogs are currently one of the most endangered carnivores in Africa, with an estimated population of less than 5,000. Top reasons include human conflict, widespread diseases and habitat fragmentation.

The Houston Zoo wants to let visiting guests know that a portion of every admission ticket is donated to conservation efforts to protecting animals such as the African painted dog in the wild.


About the Author

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.

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