During the course of an exhilarating week, we were fortunate to bear witness to a series of extraordinary sightings of wild dogs and their adorable pups in their natural habitat.
Our first encounter was on the Londolozi airstrip, where the wild dogs seemed to relish the open expanse of the landing area. They playfully milled about beneath and in front of the Londolozi windsock, offering us the potential for an extraordinary marketing shot. The adults and their playful pups, still panting from their morning escapades, strolled right past our vehicle and then settled right behind us allowing the perfect opportunity to capture some stunning low-angle photographs before we allowed them to continue their day undisturbed.
A week later, we were granted another rendezvous with these charismatic canines, once again near the airstrip. This time, they were engrossed in a hearty meal, feasting on a female impala. To add an extra layer of drama, a multitude of vultures loomed in the trees, eagerly anticipating the chance to scavenge any leftovers. As the pups filled their bellies, they couldn’t resist the temptation to engage in a spirited game of chase with the hopeful vultures. The Hooded Vultures, being smaller and more agile, dared to approach closer, attempting to snatch a morsel. In contrast, the larger White-backed Vultures maintained a safe distance, perched on elevated termite mounds, observing the ongoing commotion. Their height advantage gave them the confidence to gaze down upon the curious pups as they cautiously inched closer.
As time passed, the carcass dwindled, and we chose to leave, assuming that the wild dogs would remain close by. That very afternoon, our luck continued when we were treated to a scene of pure joy: all the wild dogs frolicking on the airstrip. The adults eventually departed for a hunting expedition, leaving the pups to their own devices. Suddenly, a fleeting moment occurred as a hyena sprinted past, likely drawn by the commotion of the wild dogs feeding and the chance of a free meal. In what felt like a matter of minutes, the adults returned, and the airstrip was filled with frenzied pups, eagerly begging for food, their appetites growing with each passing day.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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![Ntsevu Pride, Wild Dogs And Rhino (6) [rcb]](https://media.londolozi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/12140043/Ntsevu-pride-wild-dogs-and-rhino-6-RCB-280x178.jpg)
So cute….but those pups are growing fast. Do you think once they’re bigger the whole pack might move on? I’m hoping they’ll still be around when I arrive on 13th.
The pups are growing so fast. I hope they are around while you are here.
“Epic video”, certainly the operative description of today’s virtual safari. Exciting footage of these 19 rambunctious pups, pint-size replicas of the adults. At times it seems as though you can only glimpse flashes of white, all those tails acting as beacons. It’s impressive that these adults have been so successful in raising the pups to this age. Hopefully you’ll be able to follow them to adulthood.
Thank you so much, Denise. It is impressive that the adults got the pups to this age. They lost a few very early on but managed to keep these 19 safe for quite a while.
Sean, all I can say is great video of the wild dogs. I really enjoyed viewing.
Thank you so much, William.
Incredible video thank you Sean. So now there are only 13 pups left end 5 adults left. Something must of gone down loosing the other 2 adults and 6 pups. But nevertheless there are still 13 pups and we just hope they make it to adulthood. So wonderful to see them playing and chasing each other. Also quite inquisitive and brave chasing the vultures off. Time well spent with the wild dogs, you just see those white tails up in the air as they run around and feed on the food brought back for them.
Something must have gone down. I wish I knew what but this is another mystery that I doubt we will be able to solve.
Hi Sean, just want to let you know we will be returning to Londolozi on September 14, 2025! I have also asked for Tayla & Rich to be our guide and driver. Let them know we are returning w/ first time Safari friends this time. Can’t wait!!!!
Hi Linda, I will let them know that you will be coming back. I hope that they will be around for your stay.
How fun it was watching the pups interact with the vultures!
It was so awesome to see them playing around and chasing the vultures.
Thanks for a great Wild Dog experience! Fantastic video – especially the low-angle shots! It’s going to be amazing when all the pups get to be adults! Will they all stay together??
Thank you so much, Michael. So often all the adult males in the pack are related an all the female adults are related. The pups may break away in same sex groups and seek out another group of the opposite sex to join up with and start a new pack. Most of the times the males stay behind in the pack and its the females that depart.
What a great video! They are getting so big! And so brave going after those big vultures! I was going to ask how many were left…thought I counted 14…wondered if they would all make it to adulthood. Are 5 adults enough to sustain the remaining pups? And when do the adults stop regurgitating? Why do they not bring the pups to the kill? My last question is what do you guys do when there is wildlife on the airstrip and you have a plane coming in?! Thank you for spending so much time with them…really love watching them 🙂
Thank you so much, Anita. They are growing so quickly. So I think five adults should be able to handle the task of raising the pups but it would be a matter of if they have a run-in with any other predators or threats. So at this point the pups will now be led to a carcass and rely less on the regurgitation from the adults.
So we restrict the times that planes can land to be outside of game drive times (after 09h00 and before 15h00). The animals are most likely off the actual airstrip then as it will be warm and animals will be seeking the shade. However, they will get chaperoned off the strip before an expected plane is to arrive.
Lovely, the pups seem to have settled well behind your vehicle, feeling safe and probably sensing the good energy around the vehicle..!
I guess you could say that they were rather comfortable with the vehicle and maybe felt safe around it.
Wonderful video, Sean. And great that the wild dogs are still there, even though it seems that their number has been a bit reduced. Hopefully they will stay for some more weeks or even months on Londolozi.
It really has been amazing that the wild dogs have spent so much time here on Londolozi.
Amazing video capture Sean! Love those wild dogs!!
Thanks so much, Paul. The wild dogs are such awesome animals to spend time with.