After picking up a recent set of guests, a big request for their stay was the hope to see wild dogs. Luck was in their favour as on the day of their arrival, the Imbali Pack of Wild Dogs had been found that morning on Londolozi. So without wasting any time, Robbie Ball and I decided to head out that afternoon to try to find them.
Not long after exploring the area where they were last seen that morning, we spotted a few big black ears peaking through the long grass in the shade of a thicket line.
Notorious for being mostly active at dusk and dawn, we found the pack conserving their energy in the shade all huddled up together.
While they rested, we waited patiently as the afternoon shade crept over the reserve and the warm winter sun started to subside. As we began to layer up with jackets on the vehicle, it conveniently coincided with a herd of elephants nearby that sparked the attention of the wild dogs. Catching the scent of the wild dogs in the area, the elephants began to approach our direction. With the increased commotion of nearby elephants, the wild dogs quickly perked up and decided to get moving and avoid any interaction or confrontation with the largest land mammals. Thank you elephants hehe!
Once wild dogs are up and on the move, the pace of the game drive increases as it can be challenging to keep up with them. It’s always an exhilarating and exciting experience following these animals on the move, as you never quite know what may unfold if you are able to stick with them.
Hungry and wanting to grab any hunting opportunity that came their way, the pack of dogs began to trot along a very thick drainage line, which made it difficult to stick with them and keep eyes on any of the dogs. From sitting patiently with them for almost an hour, the dynamics on the vehicle quickly changed to all eyes from the vehicle scanning and guests shouting “There they are!” or “I just saw one run in that direction!”.
Without much luck getting a good view of them running through the thicket, we decided to loop up ahead to a nearby waterhole, hoping that they would continue in that direction. With a few moments of calm watching an elderly hippo while we waited, we were almost ready to call it an afternoon, when Tracker Equalizer shouted “I can hear something coming! There they are! Oh no, wait… it’s a waterbuck!”
And the next thing we knew, we were watching two wild dogs chase a young waterbuck around the circumference of the waterhole only for the waterbuck to run straight into the middle of the water.
I’ll let the pictures describe what happened next. Safe to say, it was a very eventful first afternoon at Londolozi for the guests we were with!
With all the commotion, the hippo awoke and took a fair interest in staring in the waterbuck’s direction with as much intrigue as all the eyes from our vehicles. This instinctual act of seeking refuge in water is a behaviour unique to waterbuck, driven by both evolutionary advantages and immediate survival needs. Other antelope like impala are also known to sometimes run into the water to avoid predation, but without the unique adaptations, waterbuck have.
Waterbucks have developed a symbiotic relationship with their watery surroundings. Their thick, oily fur is specially adapted to repel water, allowing them to swim with ease and remain buoyant. This gives them a unique edge when predators are closing in, as many terrestrial predators, such as wild dogs, are less adept at swimming and are often hesitant to pursue prey in deep water. Fortunately for this waterbuck, the hippo’s presence was likely what prevented the wild dogs from pursuing it any further as the water levels were not that deep.
After some time of all three animals standing in a check-mate, the hippo gave a warning sign of irritation to all the disturbance around his territory. Even though it was a sign of aggression, it was fascinating to watch the young waterbuck not move an inch watching a mighty jaw display not two meters away from it.
The young waterbuck’s decision to dash into the water was not just a desperate gamble, but a calculated move grounded in instinctual wisdom. Water bodies serve as natural barriers and can significantly slow down or deter predators. In this case, I think the hippo’s presence is what predominantly deterred the wild dogs, as the water levels were not too high given the time of year, and I am sure without the hippo, they may have splashed across the water trying to close the gap.
While the hippo remained slightly agitated but did not present any further signs other than the odd yawn, and the waterbuck seemingly not at all phased by the hippo’s companionship, it was the wild dogs that eventually lost interest in waiting and cut their loss by leaving the edge of the water to continue hunting elsewhere. The waterbuck slunk deeper under the water, the hippo seemed to relax and when the waterbuck felt confident the coast was clear, it slinked out of the water.
Kate, what a wonderful adventure for you, Equalizer, your guests – and the waterbuck. Great photos, too.
WOW. incredible story and great photos!!! Thanks for sharing
It seems it was a lucky afternoon for everyone, save for the wild dogs. As your guests most likely discovered, each action in the bush creates a reaction, in this case beginning with the discovery of the dogs by the elephants. The ensuing results of that first action are now captured on sensors, journals and most likely shared sitting around the Boma campfire. Thanks for your photos Kate that really illustrated the events of the afternoon drive.
That was quite some sighting, Kate and I bet your guests were very happy….as was the fortunate waterbuck!
Dear Kate, what an exciting story, and what for pics.
How exciting this must have been to watch. And what a lucky escape the waterbuck had. I once saw a young Kudu being chased into the water by wild dogs. And there was no hippo around, so the dogs followed it into the water and killed it.
Great blog, Kate and lucky guests!
What a cool and completely fascinating encounter Kate! Clearly the wild dogs were not going to pursue the waterbuck once the hippo made it clear that it would be ill-advised! And maybe the coolest thing was the fact the young waterbuck just stayed put, seemingly sensing the safety of being in proximity to the hippo!!
So glad the wild dogs could not get to the waterbuck, they are my favorite antelope. Luckily the hippo gave a huge yawn and I think the wild fogs are weary of him. Beautiful photo of the waterbuck in the water with the reflection in the water.
Hi Kate, waterbucks are delightful antelope and I love all their pictures! Hippos are among my favourite animals too… I often watched videos where they save antelopes or zebras by predators even crocodiles… maybe they don’t want any aggressive behaviour in their territory, maybe with youngsters, but I won’t exclude empathy as a possibility. They are animals with complex behaviour and very deep. Thank you it was so nice to watch
What a fascinating story Kate. Thanks for sharing the hippo, waterbuck and wild dogs chasing each other. Wonderful pictures also.
What a wonderful first sighting for your guests! I’m glad the waterbuck escaped this time, unlike the unlucky impala a few weeks ago. Interesting that the hippo was agitated, but ultimately left the waterbuck alone. I wonder if they can tell the difference between predator and prey species given that they have so few predators themselves.