Wild dogs interrupt morning plans
Andre explained to Latest Sightings that they had been out to track lions when the incident occured.
“My tracker Chriswell and I stopped our vehicle and set off on foot to find the lions,” he explained.
He said the wind had been so bad that all tracks and other evidence had been destroyed and for this reason, they had decided to return to their vehicle.
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“We told our guests that it might be better to stop for a drink somewhere and enjoy the sunset,” he said.
However, there plans were about to change! As they were driving to a spot to enjoy a drink, they decided to take a different route past a nearby watering hole.
Wild dogs gather around waterhole
As they approached the waterhole, they saw three wild dogs running to the water’s edge. It was a spectacular moment and everyone in the vehicle held their breath.
On driving closer to the wild dogs, they saw that they had chased a young impala into the dam.
“I positioned the vehicle and we waited for the action,” said Andre.
He continued, saying that he explained to my guests that what they were about to see would be rather graphic, but very rare.”
Game viewers anticipate ‘graphic’ sighting
African wild dogs are fascinating creatures to watch. One of the reasons for this is there pack behaviour. An African wild dog kill is one of the most efficient and coordinated events in the wild, reflecting the species’ extraordinary teamwork and endurance.
Wild dogs have one of the highest hunting success rates of any large predator, often exceeding 60 percent. This is because they rely on long-distance chases rather than ambushes, using stamina to exhaust prey such as impala or kudu until it can no longer flee.
The hunt is guided by subtle communication through body language and soft vocalisations, allowing the pack to move almost as a single unit.
These wild dogs continued to communication among themselves, as their presence drove the impala further into the water.
Usually with wild dogs, when they finally catch their prey, the kill happens quickly. Multiple dogs will target the hindquartres and abdomen of the animal to bring it down as fast as possible, reducing the risk of injury to the pack.
Feeding is also rapid and intense, and the dogs usually consume most of the carcass within minutes. It is for this reason Andre warned his guests that the sighting would be ‘quite graphic’.
He explained that the dogs circled the dam until eventually one dog made a dash and jumped into the water.
“It got hold of the Impala and dragged it out where his companions were eagerly waiting,” he said. “As the three dogs were busy with the Impala, two more dogs came running in. They finished the young impala in less than five minutes!”
Having had their initial plans interrupted, Andre and those with him eventually left the scene and made their way for sundowners. It’s no mystery what they talked about as they enjoyed their drinks!
