A safari goer caught these African wild dogs on camera as they happily padded down a road in the Kruger National Park. There looked to be around six of the dogs in a short convoy, but it’s unknown if this was the full pack.
Pack sizes vary significantly, with the smallest consisting of only two or three individuals, while larger packs can number up to thirty dogs. Available territory and food are large factors in pack size.
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They’re nomadic animals that are capable of travelling up to 50 kilometres a day, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Their territories can span a distance of over a thousand square kilometers.
Places To Be
These dogs were quite happily making their way down the road when they were spotted and caught on camera. They seemed to have adopted quite a leisurely pace.
Wild dogs are excellent long-distance runners, and this was likely a speed they could maintain for a long time, and with the flat surface of the road to use, they could travel far in search of food.
Most of them took only a passing interest in the vehicle and then carried on their way. However, one of them paused long enough to notice something looking back at it.
People To See
The inquisitive dog had looked at the car, only to see another unfamiliar dog looking back at it. This proved to be grounds for further investigation, and the dog wasted no time in looking closely at this newcomer.
Although wild dogs are intelligent animals, they aren’t quite at the point of self-awareness where they can recognize themselves in a reflection. That intelligence does allow them to communicate effectively with each other.
The wild dog bobbed its head up and down, and it looked like it tried to touch its nose to its counterpart’s. The lack of a scent from its reflection likely confused it, but physical contact also makes up part of wild dog communication.
He’s Talking To Himself
This dog’s attempt to make a new friend was always going to be doomed to failure, unfortunately, and it gave up quickly on its new canine companion.
It’s probably rather boring to have a new friend who only copies whatever someone else is doing, and these dogs have places to be and people to see.
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Social Canines
It was a fantastic sighting to have one of these dogs pause to take such an interest in the vehicle itself, and despite the deadly capabilities of these animals, it was quite cute.
While it may have been a surprise to the cameraman, wild dogs are incredibly social animals, so it makes sense that one would stop and take a closer look at another.
According to the IFAW, the social structure of wild dogs is slightly different, with an alpha male and female that make up the dominant couple, with the rest of the pack being subservient, and males typically migrate to a new pack once they reach maturity, rather than females.