Recently I had a vibrant group of guests from Sydney, Australia. On meeting and greeting I asked what their their interests where. The immediate response from the three young boys was, “We want to see a kill!”. This is not an uncommon request… My usual response is, “So do I!”
Although large predators making kills happens fairly regularly in nature, actually witnessing it happen does not, and I see it as the gold medal of sightings. Wild dogs hunt as a pack and are considered the most successful hunters out there. Your best chance of seeing a kill would probably be to find and follow these athletic canines as they hunt small antelope usually up to the size of impala. And this is what I told the Sydney boys.
Wild dogs feeding on the oxygen rich organs of the impala giving the bright red colour.
However, (I digress before I have begun) I do not intend to tell you about vicious carnivores tearing into dainty impala, but now that I have your attention, I want to talk about something quite different – the unexpected similarities between wild dogs and dwarf mongooses.
Both highly social species, the wild dog and dwarf mongoose live in close knit communities (both referred to as packs), and it is in their social lives that the most intriguing similarities lie.
These two unrelated species share a social structure in which a dominant male and female pair rule the roost. Referred to as the alpha male and female, they will lead their pack out when hunting or foraging. Females of each species will usually have their pups (term used for young of both species) in vacant termite mounds. The the rest of the pack help raise them by playing, grooming and protecting the young, and will even bring food back to the den site for them. Wild dog will regurgitate bits of meat for the pups while mongooses bring caught insects back to the den. The two “top dogs” (alpha male and female) in each species also dominate breeding, usually being the only members to have pups. There is, however, a sinister side to this.
Possibly the alpha male and female photographed that here would lead the pack out on hunting expeditions.
In some instances the subordinate females get the chance to mate at the same time as the dominant female, but will either abort or lose their young after giving birth. This is most often due to infanticide by the alpha female. These females who have lost their young will then help suckle the young of the alpha female.
A band of dwarf mongooses emerge to sun themselves on a chilly winter morning before heading out to hunt. The one top right may well be the alpha male who is highly protective of his pack and the most vigilant while the alpha female is usually the one to lead the pack off foraging each morning. They will move to a different sleeping site in their territory each night, returning to each one on a roughly 2-3 week rotation.
A possible reason for these social similarities developing among such different animals could be explained by something I mentioned in my last blog relating to similarities between Old World and New World vultures know as convergent evolution. Two different species, both social carnivores, have separately found it beneficial to adopt this altruistic social structure that has been the key to their success.
Wild dog pups most likely all belonging to the alpha female. Litters are usually large at around ten pups and so the help from the other females sucking them is much needed by the alpha female. Photograph by Adam Bannister.
We had had a great safari with the boys from Sydney as we made our way back to camp on the last morning, but had not seen a kill… Yet. Then, turning the last corner into camp, the unmistakable small, brown shape of a dwarf mongoose shot out of the grass right next to our vehicle. Airborne for a split second, it smashed into a mouse, tackling it to the ground, savagely giving it a death shake and made off with its meal. We sat stunned for a few seconds. Then we all erupted in excitement as the Sydney boys shouting “We saw a kill”.
Perhaps not the full-blown article they were originally after, but definitely something to write home about. A special sighting of a kill, if not from a wild dog, then from the next most comparable thing.
Love your blogs Rob. Always something new to learn. Interesting comparing wild dogs and mongoose. I did not know they that they are so similar.
I have seen a wild dog hunt and kill (Londolozi) two lion kills and a cheetah kill, I also saw an impala birth and that rates as a memory just as much as the hunts and kills.
So interesting, Rob. Last time we were in the Bush we seemed to be in unit where our neighbours were a sizeable pack of Dwarf Mongooses. Fascinating little animals and I could watch them for hours at a time. There were about 15 – 20 in the one group and further out in the Bush there was another Group of similar size. However -we have never actually seen a pack of Wild Dogs – yet. We feel deprived. Wendy M
Well, a mongoose pounce and kill is more exciting than watching a frog go for a bug in the eyes of kids. Sounds like a successful drive on all levels. Thank you for your informative narrative related to mongooses and wild dogs.
Sorry for also slightly digressing…… As a regular reader of the Londolozi blogs, I note with much pleasure and excitement the rather frequent return of stories about wild dogs, cheetahs and ostriches (last year). What’s next James?
Hi Jacqueline!
Given that the ostriches have been mating, hopefully another story about a successful nest!
We saw a pack of 6 wild dogs recently with what looked like two pregnant females, so who knows…?
Such interesting habits and similarities between the mongoose and wild dogs. Much to learn and you tell it so well. Thanks Rob!
Great blog Rob! It’s great when safari stories have happy endings! 🙂
Rob–coincidentally in today’s New York Times (July 24) there was a fascinating article focusing on the re-introduction of wild dogs in Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique) as part of a scientific study of the shifting distribution of species. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/science/gorongosa-animals-environment.html
Interesting example of convergent evolution, never thought of these two species as similar
Rob, What a cool story and glad you boys found their “kill”! Never would have thought about those similarities!!
Great blog. Rob!