We had a pack of African Wild Dogs staying close to our campsite and touched base with them almost everyday. When they would head out in search of prey, they would often go running right past our camp. They had no problems letting us photograph them in all aspects of their lives - resting, hunting, killing/consuming prey, and feeding their pups.
Wild dogs form packs of 20-25 animals and only the alpha male and alpha female breed. All members of the pack participate in rearing the young and there is very little aggression within a pack.
Hunting
They rely on their ability to tire their prey and the combined strength of the pack to bring the prey down. Wild dogs can reach speeds of 66 kilometers per hour during the chase. This is too slow to catch a medium-sized antelope during a short sprint chase. Instead, they depend on their stamina in long pursuits to wear down the prey. They are one of the most efficient hunters of all the predators in Africa.
Most chases cover 3-5 kms in the pursuit to wear down the prey. As soon as the dog catches up with the prey it will pull it down if it is small enough. In the case of larger prey, it will run alongside and slash at its rump to slow it down until more dogs catch up.
The dogs then bite chunks out of the prey and disembowel it. The prey then dies of shock and loss of blood. Often they work in pairs to pry the meat and skin apart.
Regurgitation/Feeding The Pups
After a hunt, the adults return to the den where a few adults and the pups are located. The adults then regurgitate part of their food for the pups and the adults that stayed behind. This is their solution to the problem of feeding the pups and protecting them from predators that would attack them in the open bush.
The population of the African Wild Dog is very much on the decline. This is due to habitat fragmentation, human persecution and disease outbreaks - mainly distemper. The dogs proved to be a great example of how the predator/prey system works in the African wilderness. They seem so cute, but can be as ferocious as any predator in Africa. They don't have the ability to outright kill their prey, but basically eat it alive.
At the end of all successful predator/prey encounters - you will find the African Vulture waiting its turn. There will be very little left for when the hyenas show up at night.
Next post from this trip.
