Our luck continued after the breathtaking airstrip encounter when, the very next morning, the pack were found along the banks of the Sand River. Eager with anticipation, we positioned ourselves, cameras at the ready, hoping to capture the magic of all five adults and thirteen pups crossing the river.
The sun now high in the sky and temperatures rising, the wild dogs flirted with the idea of crossing, playing along the water’s edge in a display of playful camaraderie. However, luck wasn’t on our side as they decided to revel in the shallows, eventually settling in the cool shade nearby.
Anticipation hung in the air as we set out early in the afternoon, eagerly awaiting the moment these magnificent creatures decided it was time to take the plunge. Our patience was rewarded with a delightful afternoon of birding, surrounded by the serene scenery on the edge of the Sand River.
As the golden hues of the setting sun began to transform the scene, the wild dogs finally began to stir. With a sense of reluctance, they trot along the riverbank, teasing us with their dance in the shallows.
Finally, the wild dogs take the leap, crossing the river in what could only be described as organised chaos. Pups banding together around a couple of the adults, the rest keeping a watchful eye for any danger. Before you know it they are bounding through the water and onto the northern bank and off they go.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
To view the YouTube link, click here.
To Subscribe to our YouTube channel, click here.
You were well-rewarded for your patience! I would have probably parked it there all day and given up breakfast and lunch to see the crossing. The scene of them playing is probably just a snippet of all the antics that day.
Well done.
It was well worth the wait. So this is only a tiny percentage of the antics that went on. I had more than 90 minutes of footage to sift through and so only took the best parts.
Wow Sean, that was awesome to watch the wild dogs crossing the sand river. They were very cautious at first, and rightly so as the crocodiles are there as well. So much excitement for them and you Rangers and then for us to see them crossing. They were dancing and turning around in the water and then decided to go for it.
It was awesome to eventually see them crossing the river.
A great video, Sean. Hopefully, the dogs won’t leave Londolozi and stay a bit longer on your territory.
Does anybody know , why there are only five adults left? Were the other two – I think – killed by some other predators or crocodiles?
To be honest we are not sure what happened to the other two adults and the rest of the pups. They could have been killed by crocodiles or maybe lions.
What a beautiful scene! Patience certainly paid off. I could practically hear the adults saying, “alright, pups, all together now, annnnnddd we cross!” The pups are growing so big.
Patience really did pay off in the end and it was such an awesome afternoon.
First of all, thanks for this entertaining video Sean. It was definitely interesting watching the adults display such high intensity alertness when entering the water, followed by the nervous pups that formed a protective circle of little bodies. But I was initially struck by your introduction of telling us that there were 5 adults and 13 pups – Since your last update, have the other 2 adults and 6 pups been lost? Considering the dangers that exist in true wilderness, I suppose it was just a matter of time for more pups to be lost, either from other predators or lack of nourishment, and the 2 adults, who knows? The pups are so much bigger now and hopefully at a stage where they are more likely to survive. Anyway, your post again proves that patience is key when viewing wild animals and whilst you may not always get to see the end game, when you do, it’s magical!
So when we last saw them on the airstrip there were only five adults and thirteen pups. I am not sure what happened to them though. They could have been killed by lions or possibly a crocodile while crossing the river at another point in time.
Super blog Sean, thank you.
Thank you so much, William.
How fantastic! They are so stinking cute! And getting big! Nervous even watching because you cannot tell on video how deep the water is! Glad they all made it!
The pups are such epic little animals to spend some time with. It was a little nerve-racking watching them in the water.
As this amazing Virtual Safari attests Sean, the wild dogs and their pups are an endless source of fascination!!! I love your description of “organized chaos.” So apt!!!