After picking up on the scent of the wild dogs, she made an epic journey down the sand roads of the park, initially with nothing but her sense of smell to go on. Viewers in game vehicles followed her as she demonstrated her superior tracking skills.
Pack of wild dogs find momentary rest on a sand road
Ricardo explained that earlier that day, he had seen both a pride of lions on the S22 and a pack of wild dogs close to Renosterkoppies on the S114.
The wild dogs lay quite comfortably on the sand road at the S114/S22 junction. They seemed to have no intention of moving and were enjoying the down-time in each other’s company.
Lioness picks up scent at the side of the road
This was when a lioness approached the S114/S22 junction. She stopped to explore the side of the road and it became evident to Ricardo that the she was sniffing something just off the road. He realised she must’ve picked up on the scent of the wild dogs.
“She continued on the S114,” said Ricardo. “At that stage, I knew the lioness was onto the wild dogs.”
Ricardo said that on witnessing the lioness pick up the telltale scent of the wild dogs, and mobilise herself for action; he moved his vehicle back to where the wild dogs had been lying down about 4km away.
He then waited.
Lioness makes incredible journey
She soon appeared in all her glory, close to where the unsuspecting wild dogs were. She moved with purpose and while she had not yet sighted the wild dogs, she was in no doubt of their presence.
Lions possess an extraordinary ability to detect scents from miles away, with their sense of smell being at least six times more powerful than that of humans. This heightened olfactory ability plays a crucial role in their survival and daily activities.
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In natural habitats, lions actively rely on their sense of smell for various purposes, including hunting, tracking, and self-preservation. Observations in the wild show that lions follow scent trails over long distances to locate prey. Their keen sense of smell also assists them in detecting potential threats and identifying food and water sources.
This one knew she was hot on the trail of the wild dogs. As she moved her steps became brisker and more purposeful, until, seeing the wild dogs, she started to run.
Lioness moves in hot pursuit of wild dogs
As the lioness approached, the wild dogs were unaware of her presence. “Luckily for the wild dogs, she came charging in from quite a distance away which alerted the wild dogs.”
Her arrival scattered the pack, with wild dogs running off in all directions. Fortunately for them, none were injured. However, the lioness definitely put them on high alert and disturbed their peaceful quiet time.
The beautiful predator eventually gave up on her pursuit of the wild dogs and having demonstrated some superior tracking skills, as well as her presence as a dominant threat in the area, she moved off into the bushes.
The wild dogs later reunited at the S22/S114 junction.
“It was amazing to watch her on the trail of the scent and a very exciting sighting to witness, as I saw up close the interaction between the lioness and the wild dogs,” said Ricardo.