A canid seen in Danakil Depression in
Eritrea/E Africa. Photos of the canid seen by Mr. Jugal Kishore Tiwari
in Eritrea, and reported to the Canids SG by Satish Kumar. Jugal has written
that the area was badly affected by the war for independence of the country
from Ethiopia and possibly no field biologist has visited that area for
a very long period.
The animal was seen in the Danakil Depression
40m below sea level . The habitat is open coastal sand-dune with scanty
bushes of Aerva, Zygophyllum and Suaeda. The area is also known as the
"Afar triangle" , an area used for grazing by the Afar people.
Rainfall is < 60mm/year. Potential prey includes rodents , ground squirrels,
Dorcas and Soemmering's gazelles . Locals complain about loss of sheep
and goats to predation by some canid.
