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Jacques Proust came across this sighting completely by chance while trying to film a vulture at the MalaMala Game Reserve, in the Greater Kruger Park.
While waiting with his camera ready to record the vulture, Jacques said he “noticed an animal standing not more than 40 meters away in a small tributary”.
This animal was an African wild dog, in the process of hunting a male bushbuck, and Jacques was about to witness an epic last battle between the two, as nature showed its gruesome face.
Backed Into A Corner
The wild dog Jacques spotted was alone at first, but it had still managed to corner the buck. Due to its small size, this wouldn’t be an easy kill for the dog.
The bushbuck’s horns could do some serious damage if it was able to land a blow against the wild dog, but the hunter had agility on its side, and it had friends.
Jacques said that suddenly, “out of nowhere, a second and then a third wild dog approached”. If the buck had been about to attempt an escape, that window had just closed.
Fight Or Flight
When wild dogs work together, as many as four out of five of their hunts can be successful, meaning the odds of this bushbuck making it out alive had just dropped considerably.
Nevertheless, this animal wasn’t about to go down easily. It lowered its head and tried to use its horns to defend itself, managing to beat the dogs back several times.
The dogs had it up against the wall though, and facing attacks from multiple sides the buck couldn’t make enough space to attempt an escape.
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An Epic Last Stand
This was a bleak reminder of how harsh nature can be. Wild dogs are canines built for running, so even if the buck had managed to force its way into open ground, it would have had to survive the ensuing chase.
It chose instead to go down in a blaze of glory, tackling the dogs again and again, every time they got within the range of its horns. The three dogs were agile enough to avoid any serious wounds though.
Keeping behind the stricken buck, the wild dogs mercilessly attacked its hindquarters, damaging its back legs, and burrowing into its soft meat while it still struggled to break free.
Defeated
Helpless against the feeding habits of the dogs, the bushbuck ultimately fell, becoming just another meal for the hungry predators. The way the dogs began feeding before the buck had even fully died seemed cruel, but it’s necessary for their own survival.
African wild dogs face multiple challenges that have driven them to the brink of extinction, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimating that fewer than 7,000 individuals are left.
Humans are the biggest challenge these canines face, but competition from other predators can make finding food difficult. Hyenas in particular will keep a close eye on wild dogs, always ready to steal their kills.
To make sure they consume as much valuable meat as possible before they potentially lose the kill, these dogs have to start feeding as soon as possible, sometimes even before they’ve killed their prey.