Botswana Game Drive: Wild Dogs

On our first morning game drive, we encountered a very agitated mother elephant and two juvenile elephants.  As this small group of elephants rushed towards us, trumpeting in angry elephant speak, our driver "Bee" explained that they were being harassed by some wild dogs.  Specifically they were trying to attack a baby barely visible in the space between the bigger animals.

Mother elephant and siblings close ranks to protect the baby.  When the threat was over, the smaller family group rushed to join the rest of the herd.

 Clearly out gunned by the completed elephant herd the wild dogs dropped their attack and moved on to look for new prey.

Trumpeting and low bass notes rumbling from this herd would be enough to intimidate any small four legged predator.  Not to mention penetrating this wall of pachyderm flesh to get at the baby in the center would be impossible.

Our Ranger, Bee, knew if we followed the wild dogs they would lead us to other game.  Off we went weaving through the bush on the trail of three wild dogs.

The alpha male sniffs the wind for the scent of the dogs' next meal.  Given the abundance of game in the Okavango, you had to figure their next meal wasn't that far off.

It is breeding season in Okavango and the male Impala antelope have gathered all the females into large herds.   This makes for an abundance of targets, but confusion on which one to target if you are a small four footed predator.  The dogs asked the Impala if they could eat them.

The dominant male Impala said no you can't eat us.  You are too small and we can easily jump over you.  And we can run faster than you can, so don't bother us.

The dogs were disappointed but they didn't give up.  They moved on looking for more game to eat.

Giraffe, we see you hiding in the bush, can we eat you?  Don't be silly.  You are barely tall enough to bite my ankles and I can kick you into to the next island.  Go away.  

We see the hard working wild dogs and know they will lead us to more game to watch.  Bee anticipated their every move and kept us on the dogs' trail despite their running through dense thickets and around bogs and marshy areas.

There are so many animals, so many scents...which scent should we pursue, which animal is the right one for our next meal?

This 1,000 pound male kudu is keeping a lookout for lions.  He can't be troubled by three 35 pound wild dogs.  Besides, one well placed kick will send the dogs off to look for their next potential meal.

The dogs are thinking can we eat you Mr. Cape Buffalo, will you let us get near enough to bite you and hang on for dear life?  Don't be foolish, my hide is very tough, and although I know your favorite mode of attack is to bite your victim and hold on until gravity yields a large mouthful of meat, there are only three of you.  I can easily roll on you and crush you before you have a chance to bite a vital part of me.

Wait, there's something out in that marsh, let's check it out

Don't even think about it.  Don't you know my reputation for fiercely defending my territory.  Besides you don't really like water and I could easily drown you.

So where now?  The female, in the middle of the trio, obviously very pregnant, is growing tired after two and a half hours of running through the bush and having trouble keeping up.

They'd probably settle for a bony, saddle bill stork if they could catch it, but naaah, it would just fly away as soon as they started for it.

This just wasn't their day, out run, out sized, out of luck.  I thought they might have to go a long time between meals...

Even the alpha male baboon had harsh words for the dogs..."come up here and I'll smash you in the face!"

We finally left the dogs feeling a little sorry for them knowing how hard they worked for a meal.  Hard enough that these hippo bones were beginning to look attractive.  Chock one up to the survival of the fittest.  To be continued...