These super-specialised hunting machines go by various names: painted wolves, Cape hunting dogs, and most commonly, African wild dogs. They are also highly endangered. With ears like satellite dishes, these dogs have exceptional hearing and they rely a lot on vocalised communication. They sound nothing like one would expect a dog to sound, as they do not bark or yelp, but rather ‘whistle’ and ‘twitter’. Extremely social animals, their sense of family within their pack is what makes them such a cohesive hunting force, and aids in the survival of their pups.
At Ezulwini Game Lodges in the Greater Kruger’s Balule Nature Reserve, a pack of 6 African wild dogs emerged for only the second time this year; a clear indication of how rare and special it is to see these animals. Numerous prides of lion claim the area, closely bordering each other’s territories and creating a dominant predatory force. Leopards are also sighted frequently on game drive with Ezulwini, adding to the predator population even more. It is no wonder the painted wolves are more scarce – who would want to compete with large, blue-eyed leopards, and lion prides that number 13 members each?
Years ago, the wild dogs were shot and killed by farmers who misunderstood their hunting method and believed them to be vermin. As farm boundaries encroached on wild land, and people and animals became closer neighbours, it was a common occurrence for leopards, dogs, jackals and caracals to prey on sheep and goats belonging to the farmers. The shooting of packs of wild dogs has contributed heavily to the scarce population we have today; so much so, that this supreme animal is the second-most endangered large carnivore in Africa.
The Kruger is a safe haven for the dogs, and they are now protected and treasured animals. What makes wild dogs difficult to see is their fleeting presence in one place – they do not stick around for very long and cover a very large range when they hunt (95% hunting success rate). Each year the dogs settle down between the months of March and June to den. If you’re in the right place at the right time, you’ll be lucky enough to see them raising their pups during this time!
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