As we watch the subtle shift happening in the bush at this time of year. The lush green, vibrant hues of summer begin to fade, and the morning drives carry a cooler undertone. The gradual shift towards the golden brown hues of winter starts to become apparent, and the anticipation of change is upon us.
Possibly the most exciting shift is the anticipation of new wild dog pups, which is undeniably a highlight in the Lowveld during this time. Which is why this particular development feels just slightly ahead of its time. The Alpha female of the Othawa pack is heavily pregnant, and alongside her, the presumed beta female appears to be following the same path. Which, for wild dogs, certainly in the past few years here, is early.
Wild dogs typically den deeper into winter, when the grass has dropped, and visibility improves, offering the pups a slightly better chance in a more open landscape, coupled with the impala rut, where food is abundant, and the male impalas are somewhat distracted with each other.
You can’t help but hope to see a large litter of pups once again for this pack.
And yet, here we are.
Perhaps the heavy rains from earlier this year have influenced things, or perhaps the pack is simply responding to conditions in a way that suits them best right now. These animals are, after all, incredibly adaptive, and rarely bound to the rigid timelines we try to impose on them.
There’s also the question of where.
It will be some time before the newest additions will be viewed on game drive. This was a den from a few years ago on Londolozi.
For the past few years, the pack has chosen to den in the western sector, an area that has served them well, offering relative safety and a suitable area for raising a litter. It is presumed she gave birth in early June last year, and so only a couple of weeks earlier this year. Whether they will return there again remains to be seen. At this stage, there are no clear indications of a chosen site, and as always with wild dogs, their movements in the lead-up to denning can be wide-ranging and unpredictable.
We can only hope that maybe they will den here on Londolozi… A long shot- as we do not see this pack as much as we use to however time will tell. But for now we know that soon she will have her next litter and we hope to watch this chapter unfold. The next month or so promises to be a fascinating one to follow.
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on An Exciting Update for the Othawa Pack