The unfolding drama of the wild dogs at Londolozi continues to surprise and fascinate us, and the latest developments are no exception. The wild dogs have now moved on from their new den, crossing our southern borders. So, for now, we bid them farewell and hope to see them again—all fit, well, and together with the seven adults and three pups.

After a series of astonishing events during the denning period, we were captivated by yet another twist before the pack moved on. But for now, we’ll keep that suspense alive for another blog. Stay tuned! In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at why wild dogs move dens, with an emphasis on why these pups were moved.

A little over a month ago, our excitement was tempered with uncertainty as we closely monitored the wild dog Pack of Three—two males, a female, and their pups. Everything appeared to be going as smoothly as possible. We watched with bated breath as they faced challenges from the larger Toulon Pack, a group of seven wild dogs that have since rewritten our understanding of inter-pack dynamics.

The Toulon Pack’s arrival at the den was a game-changer. For several weeks, we witnessed unprecedented behaviour that left even the most experienced rangers scratching their heads. Instead of eliminating the pups, as might be expected, the Toulon Pack began caring for them—a rare instance of inter-pack adoption. Initially, one pup was moved to a new den while the other two remained at the old den, prompting questions about why this would have happened.

Two adults of the pack pay a visit to the pup outside of the den. This was a very cute interaction especially as there is no biological relationship between the adults and the pup.

As with most things we experience out here, we may never know the exact reasons with certainty. However, we can deduce some plausible explanations. On the night the pups were taken, we saw the Pack of Three arrive at the den and greet the pups before running out of frame. Not long after, the Toulon Pack returned. Initially, we feared the worst, assuming the pups had been killed. But then, one pup was found at a new den in the company of all seven Toulon Pack members. So maybe the Pack of Three was trying to move the pups to a new den to escape the Toulon Pack, only to be intercepted and forced to leave them behind.

Or perhaps the Pack of Three successfully moved one pup to the new den, but the other two panicked and returned to the old den. The lone pup at the new den might have then been discovered by the Toulon Pack, who took over from there. This scenario makes some sense, especially when you consider how unlikely it is that a pup would immediately accept new adoptive parents and willingly move to a new den with them. But as with this whole story, it raises more questions than answers: How far did the Pack of Three get with the pups before being intercepted? Why did only one pup reach the new den? How did the other two manage to return to the old den if their parents were trying to relocate them?

Maybe the lone pup quickly accepted the new adoptive parents, and the Toulon Pack moved it to the new den. The other two remained at the old den because it was familiar, and their parents kept returning there to feed them.

After multiple attempts, the Toulon Pack eventually convinced the two remaining pups to move to the new den. Ranger Nick, Joy, and their guests were treated to a spectacular sighting of the whole pack of seven adults and two pups trotting past them while they were watching a crash of rhinos, heading to the new den to join the lone pup.

The three pups reunited and seemingly thriving under the Toulon Pack’s care, stayed there for 10 days before packing up and trotting south of our boundary.

So, why did they move? The relocation of wild dog dens is not uncommon and can be prompted by several factors. As pups grow, the need for a cleaner, more spacious environment becomes crucial. Over time, the build-up of mites, fleas, and other parasites can compromise den hygiene, making a move necessary for the health of the pups. Additionally, the presence of threats or the need to avoid other predators might drive a pack to seek out a safer location.

In this case, it seems the pups were nearing an age where the Pack of Three would have been considering a move around the time the Toulon Pack arrived. The combination of the pups growing and the natural instinct to find a more secure and cleaner den would have urged the Pack of Three to relocate. Up until this point, the Toulon Pack had been the only threat to visit the den according to the camera traps, so there had been no pressure from any other predators.

So moving to a new den would make sense, only to have the Toulon Pack hijack the situation. Operating out of two dens is not an efficient use of energy and time, along with the probable deterioration of den hygiene. Hence, the repeated attempts to move the pups to the new den.

The 10 days spent together at the new den seems rapid to build up a severe parasite load. However, the pups were seen scratching quite a bit, indicating that they had fleas or mites. This is normal, now that they are interacting more with a much bigger pack of adults. There’s also the possibility that the burrow they were using at the new den already had some occupants before the wild dogs arrived.

This, in conjunction with the pups’ age, was probably enough to prompt the move. Pups usually become free-roaming with the pack at around three months old, so it’s likely they would have moved on soon anyway.

So what challenges lie ahead for the pups as they grow and begin to explore their surroundings? For now, we remain astonished by these incredible animals and their ever-unfolding story. The wild dog saga at Londolozi is far from over, and we can’t wait to see what happens next.