Shaheen explained they had been watching the sleepy pack when they had noticed an elephant herd approaching the area. The MalaMala Game Reserve set the stage for the unforgettable sighting.
Elephants approach wild dogs with trunks in the air
Shaheen related how the the elephants had approached the wild dogs with their trunks in the air, showing that they could smell the dogs in their territory.
“Soon after they gave chase to them.”
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Although wild dogs pose virtually no threat to healthy adult elephants, dramatic encounters between the two species occur more often than many people realise.
These chases are usually less about predation and more about communication, and personal space.
Wild dogs spend much of their day covering vast distances in search of prey. They travel quickly and often use roads, dry riverbeds and elephant paths that also serve as highways for many other animals. This overlap means they regularly encounter elephant herds, solitary bulls and breeding females with calves.
She said the pack ran away from the elephants, again relaxing when they believed that enough distance was between them.
However, as she explained, after the pack had gained distance and sat down, the elephants again emerged and gave chase.
Despite their immense size, elephants are surprisingly fast. They can reach speeds of around 25 km/h over short distances, more than enough to convince any wild dog that leaving is the smartest option.
These elephants were definitely not happy that wild dogs were in their territory!
Elephant charges past open-backed vehicle
In a striking moment, one of the elephants charged past a vehicle leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.
This happened to be an open-backed vehicle, and the presence of the elephant so close to the vehicle must have left the game viewers just a little on the edge of their seats.
Elephants keep watchful eye on wild dogs
The wild dogs kept on moving away from the elephants and the elephants kept on charging towards them.
“This happened a few times until the wild dogs moved into a thicket.”
It seemed that the elephants eventually felt satisfied that the wild dogs were sufficiently out of the way. “Eventually the elephants had enough and moved away,” said Shaheen.
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Wild dogs return to rest in open area
Satisfied that the coast was now clear, the wild dogs moved back into the area. With the troublesome elephants gone, they were able to rest in the open area even as evening fell.
Most meetings between wild dogs and elephants are uneventful. Wild dogs simply trot past, giving elephants a respectful berth.
However, elephants are highly perceptive and constantly assess potential risks in their surroundings. If a dog pack approaches too closely, or remains close, as this pack did, elephants usually do react to show who is boss.