Watch The Sighting Here:
This amusing video was sent to Latest Sightings by Marc. He filmed it while on a game drive in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Angry Momma
As Marc’s video begins, an irate female elephant and her calf come onto the road alongside the safari vehicle.
With her head raised, ears flared, tail held horizontally, and trumpeting loudly, she is not a happy momma.
Pack Of Dogs
As the camera zooms out, we see the reason for her displeasure. A pack of African wild dogs gathers on the road surface.
As the pair of elephants advanced, the dogs gave way, trotting up the road ahead of them.
Totally dependent on its mother for protection, the calf stays close on her heels.
Not Satisfied
After running a short distance, the dogs stopped on the road, with some of them turning to watch the elephants. In turn, the cow is not happy and continues to pursue them.
Still, the dogs only run a short distance before stopping. Again, this raises the ire of the protective mother who continues to growl and trumpet her fury.
All-Round Vigilance
Subsequently, for a few moments, a stand-off ensues, with each waiting to see what the other will do. The calf, too, remains vigilant, checking that there are no threats behind it.
When the dogs didn’t yield, the mother continued her pursuit. However, because her calf faced the opposite direction, it nearly got left behind.
Soon enough, it realised Mom was off running, and it set off in pursuit.
Stop And Go
After fleeing for a short distance, the dogs once again stopped as the cow slowed down.
Then, as the light fades and her poor eyesight hinders her, the mother determines to drive off the perceived threat.
As for the dogs, aside from keeping a curious eye on the mother and calf, they make no attempts to harass or separate the elephants.
While there are records of wild dogs attacking elephant calves, the chances of them doing so with a belligerent mother present are remote.
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Curiosity Satisfied
After another brief stare-down, the dogs seemed to get the message and, curiosity satisfied, melted into the surrounding bush. Not sure whether she could trust them, the cow kept a close eye on them.
Only when she was sure there was no longer a threat did she lead her calf off the road and into the settling darkness.
Critical Distance
Most animals have what is termed a critical distance or flight zone. In the video, note how the wild dogs maintain a certain distance between themselves and the pursuing elephant.
This is a horizontal distance between themselves and another species, beyond which they feel comfortable. Should another animal intrude within that radius, it will stimulate the animal’s fight or flight response.
This distance can vary depending on circumstances, such as the level of visibility (open ground vs dense bush), activity levels (on the move vs stationary), and body language (attentive vs dismissive).
Interestingly, some prey species will reinforce the messaging of these distances with displays of physical strength, speed, or agility. For instance, impala will often leap and dart within view of a predator, as if signalling that they are fit and likely to escape.