Direct answer: Current estimates place the African wild dog population in the wild at around 6,000 to 6,600 individuals, with roughly 1,400 of those believed to be mature adults. This makes the species one of Africa’s most endangered carnivores, despite some regional concentrations in protected areas across southern and eastern Africa. Population figures are continually refined as surveys update kill rates, pack dynamics, and range distributions, but the consensus from major conservation sources centers on approximately 6,000–6,600 wild dogs in the wild, plus a small captive component in zoos or sanctuaries. If you’d like, I can break this down by country or by subpopulations, or explain the main factors driving the decline and current conservation efforts.
