We have been really lucky with sightings of wild dogs as of late, hence why I headed out into the bush early one morning to find the pack we had seen the previous afternoon. Also, my obsession with these animals is pretty real!
As I approached the Londolozi airstrip, we spotted tracks of the pack heading towards the river. James Tyrrell then called us on the radio to say that he had seen one of them briefly but then lost sight of it as it headed into a very thick area between roads. We decided to leave them for the morning and try again that afternoon.
Determined to find them again as the sun started dropping, Barry Bath (trainee ranger), tracker Advice Ngwenya and I drove straight to where they were last seen.
As we were driving, Ranger Sean Zeederberg found them in the Sand River. They had moved into the middle channel, so we decided to track them on foot to best establish which direction they were headed. This proved to be successful as we found them lying in a cool sheltered spot near a large pool of water. They started to greet each other and bounce around, which is always a special sight to witness, and generally an indication that they are about to get going.
We decided to go and get the vehicle so we could get a better view of the dogs – and that is when we saw a sudden flash of rosettes and a loud growl as the Flat Rock male ran into the pack, scattering them in confusion.
This part is not easy for me to write, but this is raw nature.
The leopard grabbed one of the wild dogs by the scruff of her neck. He turned to look at us (I think he knew I was staring at him in disbelief) all the while the wild dog still kicking and groaning in his jaws. The rest of the pack had now realised what had happened and immediately ran at the leopard, giving their best effort to save the female. Unfortunately, the Flat Rock male had already hoisted the wild dog up into a sausage tree.
The pack was now desperate; a few of them were circling the base of the tree and even attempting to jump up the trunk. The rest of the pack had now started running out of the river, the pups in front so as to keep them out of danger. We were still on foot, watching from literally thirty metres away, aghast.
We followed at a distance as they ran, and every so often one of the adults would look back, hoping to maybe catch sight of the now missing pack member. This was the really tragic part to witness; their obvious distress.
The distraught dogs ran and ran and RAN!!!! We left them running off into the darkness…
Around noon the next day, we went back to the sausage tree to do some investigating and hopefully get some closure. We caught a quick glimpse of the Flat Rock male as he slowly moved off into a thicket. We then managed to get a good look at the hoisted wild dog. There wasn’t much left but from what we could gather we think it was an adult female. It is not an easy thing to witness but as I said earlier, this is raw nature.
The remains of the hoisted wild dog
The fascinating thing about this very sorrowful event was the behaviour of the wild dogs; it reiterated how strong the bonds are between pack members.
But to end on a positive note, this particular pack is still 15 members strong which is pretty impressive!
It has been very long time since we heard about one ear pack and their remaining pups. Would you please tell us if you have updates about this pack. How many of the pups survive? Did you hear recently about this pack from any source. Thanks
Hi Kebebew,
We sadly haven’t heard anything of them for a long, long time…
Wow hope this do not happen to often, as there are may less than 6000 painted wolf left in the wild……
Wow Jess! That’s the first time we have heard of a leopard “take out” a wild dog! The Flat Rock male must have been some kind of a sneaky hunter to catch them off guard! The visual of the dogs realizing they had lost a family member must have been tough to watch….
Tough story to tell and difficult to read and visualize. Reminding me of the struggle for life and death every day in the Bush. Thanks for sharing
When I saw the headline I thought it must have been a dog that was away from the pack, but this is astonishing behaviour by the Flat Rock male. Has anything like this ever been documented before?
We’ve seen it with a leopard grabbing a pup Suzanne, but never an adult…
Jess, I loved all the photos🤗
Hello Jess, It was interesting to read. It is like you say raw nature. I have never seen wild dogs but I hope to see them one day! I think they are so impressive and smart! I’m happy to hear that the pack is still 15 members strong! Thank you for sharing!
Oh dear. Flat Rock, why did you do that? But actually I didn’t think that predators usually ate each other. Seems a bit less usual….
OMG, what a story! Sad, but as you said, an act of nature! I cannot imagine being on foot and witnessing this. That had to be such a shock. Thank you for sharing, Jess.
Golly Jess, what a story ….and to be so close and on foot to witness it all !!! As you say, that’s the way of the Wild but I’m So pleased it wasn’t the 3 eared family. Still sad. I hope she wasn’t the Mum of the last puppies 😔. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻💕
Oh what a tragic awful thing to witness Jess….just like that…and it’s over for that poor wild dog pack female…..so precious and now gone…. I hope she wasnt the Alpha female……that’s raw nature for sure…..the pack of wild dogs will be stressed for some time no doubt, as their family bonds are so strong…v v sad news indeed
I almost couldn’t read that. I can’t believe it. Leopards really are opportunistic – I did not think it would eat another predator. I so love the dogs, so I am sad to hear there is now one less.
Wow! Incredible post, if heartbreaking for the wild dogs. My fascination for them is real as well, and I always love blogs about them, even when things don’t tip in their favor.
A truly incredible sighting!
Sooo Sad and Heartbreaking. God Bless All the Precious Beautiful EndangeredWild dogs and Endangered LEAPARDS. I Love And Respect All Animals especially All the Endangered Beautiful Animals in the Wild..
What a week this has been so far. First the Ottawa lion with his aardvark kill and now the Flat Rock male claiming his prize by attacking the pack. Can hardly wait to see what’s next!
Wow! That is a first! And I’m sure as the story was told … lighting fast. That Flat Rock leopard certainly knew what he was doing and then to get it up the tree so fast… there is a lot to be said about the element of surprise!
Wow what a story and a sad loss to that wild dog pack.
How sad for the wild dogs, how exciting for the leopard and for you to watch.
This shows again that animals have and show feelings like we humans have, such as sadness and the will to rescue their relatives.
Aside from the witnessing part, is it incredibly rare that something like that would happen at all?
What an astonishing sighting Jess. Feeling sad for the traumatised wild dog pack.
It is so sad Jess. Wild dog are my favourite predators. Maybe because they are so endangered. It is nature though.
Wow Jess, that is a really sad story and so sorry to loose another one of our beautiful dogs. As you say though, that is the raw wild and it will happen again I am sure. I am quite surprised that the dogs didn’t sense the leopard being close by though, for such alert predator’s. Thanks for sharing and keep the news coming no matter how tragic it may be.
Thanks again and stay safe
kind regards
Gavin Bester Durban, KZN
Dear Jess. That is so very sad. It must have been a horrible thing to witness. I can understand a predator killing another predator, but had no idea that the predator would actually EAT the other predator? This doesn’t often happen, does it? Wendy M
Thanks a lot for the response. It is so frustrating for not to hear about their fate. Hope they alive somewhere and pop up one day
What an incredible story and I am flabbergasted to hear the flat rock male killing an adult wild dog. Just goes to show the tenacity of the leopard. Good story.
Well, when wild dogs tear apart antelopes and leopard cubs alive it’s even less pleasant