This sighting was not just rare, but also extremely energetic!
Even more so, when some hyenas entered the scene and battled it out with the wild dogs for leftovers.
Wild dogs sprint out in unison
The clipping begins with intense action. The wild dogs sprinted across a grassy area of the reserve, showing immense speed.
Wild dogs are known for their frenzied hunts and the communicative noises they make between pack members. This bustling pack presented a fast and dynamic viewing experience.
The pack was fairly large, and pack members sprinted across the grassy areas of the bushveld in a riveting moment.
For any potential prey, the unbridled enthusiasm of the pride must have presented an intimidating, frightening moment.
They ran out in full view of a group of game viewers in a safari vehicle, without losing their focus. This was teamwork and for the hunt to be successful required the efforts of each and every pack member.
Wild dogs are pack hunters, and their success lies in their incredible teamwork. Packs usually consist of six to 20 individuals, but can be larger. They use coordinated strategies, working together like a well-trained unit.
Wildebeest herd observes stirred-up wild dogs
A herd of wildebeest was grazing nearby The wildebeest lifted their tails with panic and stared out in unison in the direction from which the wild dogs were coming. However, the dogs sprinted past them.
They had their focus on something else in the distance.
The dogs charged forward, and in a moment it appeared they had caught something.
Wild dogs close in on buck
They leapt into the bushes and one by one descended with fury upon what appeared to be a small buck.
Wild dogs have been known to be ruthless in their hunting technique. Sometimes they even begin feeding on the prey while it is still alive.
These ones began to devour the buck, appearing as an energetic swarm. There was a buzz of excitement from the dogs as they fed.
Hyenas surprise wild dogs with unexpected ambush
However, they hadn’t realised that some spotted hyenas were in the region. The hyenas had obviously been alerted by the stirred-up behaviour of the wild dog pack and knew that something was up.
They closed in on the wild dogs and caused the pack members to scatter.
This was a clan of hyenas and the wild dogs weren’t about to put themselves at risk. Besides, they had already eaten most of the buck.
By the time the hyenas closed in to feed, there was just leftovers for them. However, as scavengers, these big boys were just happy to get a free meal.
Justin’s memorable, fast-paced clipping also showed a glimpse of how the the frenzied scene appeared from an open-back vehicle. These game viewers definitely got their money’s worth, and got to share and intense and intimate moment with a pack of wild dogs. The vehicle they were in moved with the sprinting dogs, adding to the drama and anticipation of the sighting.
It was an epic moment which won’t easily be forgotten.