It's A Dog's Life

Writer: Sarah Kingdom Photography: Shaun Stanley

We sat, silently watching the wild dogs...16 in total. They lay napping in a shady depression, camouflaged by their mottled coats. The air was warm and still and the only sound to be heard was that of distant birds. Aside from the occasional flick of a tail, the pack lay inert. We observed, transfixed, as the sun sank lower in the sky. One by one the dogs awoke, yawned and stretched. Getting to their feet, the pack members exchanged elaborate greetings, whimpering as they sniffed, smelt and licked one another. The dogs became livelier, and it became apparent what the 20 or 30 hooded vultures, lurking in the wings, had been waiting for. In preparation for their evening’s hunt, the dogs voided their digestive systems. I watched, horrified, as the vultures squabbled over and made quick work of these ‘deposits’. Having ‘lightened their load’, the dogs pranced and played, making half-hearted, playful attempts to catch the still lingering vultures. There was a definite light-hearted atmosphere amongst the pack members as they gambolled together, waiting for the last few deep sleepers to stir. Playtime over, it was time to get to work and the pack readied itself for the night’s hunt. A hyena appeared, previously hidden from sight, obviously intending to follow the dogs, hoping to cash in on their hard work and score a free meal.

We had come to Mana Pools to stay with African Bush Camps and were lucky enough to see wild dogs from two of their camps— Zambezi Expeditions and Nyamatusi Camp. Zambezi Expeditions is perched on the banks of the Zambezi, with the magnificent backdrop of Zambia and the Zambezi Escarpment across the river. And Nyamatusi Camp, a stunning, brand new camp, is where, between game drives and wild dog sightings, we relaxed in the lap of luxury. It was on an afternoon drive from Zambezi Expeditions that we’d had our first wild dog encounter and when we moved camp to Nyamatusi we would see the dogs again the next morning. After what had clearly been a successful hunt they lay resting, with blood-smeared faces and bloated tummies.

The Zambezi River at Mana Pools is wide and dotted with islands. The silhouettes of elephants, buffalo, hippo and more are visible, wading in the shallows and feeding on the banks. Mana Pools is a 219,600hectare national park and wildlife conservation and World Heritage area in northern Zimbabwe, situated along the lower stretches of the Zambezi River. The river has, over time, gradually changed its course, leaving behind river channels, ox-bow lakes and seasonal pools, surrounded by forests of winter thorn, mahogany, wild fig, ebony and baobab trees. Mana is the Shona (local language) word for ‘four’, and within the park the abandoned river channels have created four large pools, giving the park its name. All this water provides an abundance of vegetation, attracting a wealth of game. In the dry season, the shady glades beneath the trees are filled with concentrations of wildlife: herds of impala, eland, elephant, zebra, buffalo, waterbuck and kudu. These populations provide a plentiful supply of prey for both predators and scavengers. There are several sizeable prides of lion, as well as leopard and hyena. Mana Pools is a stronghold for wild dog, sometimes called painted wolves, African painted dogs, or Cape hunting dogs. Currently listed as endangered by the IUCN, with only 6,600 remaining in the wild, African wild dogs are one of the continent’s most captivating carnivores and one of its most endangered species. Once found all over Africa, their numbers have drastically declined over the last 100 years. Seen as pests by farmers and frequently blamed for livestock deaths (that are more often than not the work of lion or hyena) they are often poisoned, or catch distemper and rabies from domestic dogs. With vast home ranges, wild dogs are vulnerable to humans. Nowadays, populations are limited to pockets of wildlife sanctuaries and reserves. At Mana Pools the wild dogs live far from human habitation, so the risk to their survival is relatively limited. They thrive in the park and can regularly be seen hunting twice a day, generally in the early morning and late afternoon, when the weather is a little cooler. There are six main wild dog packs in the park, numbering around one hundred individuals. Three of these packs live on the flood plains and have become relatively accustomed to human visitors.

Wild dogs are hugely successful hunters, having a success rate of around 80 per cent, which is remarkable considering lions only average around 30 per cent. Hunting in packs, numbering anywhere from five to 40, the adults combine to become an awesome killing machine, communicating constantly with bird-like chirrups and hoots. They are prodigious athletes, able to outrun almost any creature over long distances. Using stamina to overcome their prey, they can maintain an impressive 50 kilometres an hour for extended periods of time, occasionally reaching top speeds of 70 kilometres an hour and basically running their prey to exhaustion. Wild dogs’ ability to co-ordinate their moves, combined with

their relentless running skills, enables them to take down an animal over 10 times their size and literally tear it limb from limb at an astonishing rate, eating pretty much the entire carcass… right down to the eye balls!

Wild dog packs have an extraordinary social dynamic; they play, nurture and communicate efficiently with one another, functioning as a highly integrated group. Play forms an integral part of wild dog society and helps to reinforce pack hierarchies and bonds. Each pack member is an individual, with unique characteristics and behaviour, and each takes on a different role within the group. With their intriguing markings, each as unique as a fingerprint, and an intimate social structure combined with impressive hunting success, these are fascinating creatures to watch. After the hunt the pack will usually return to the den, where they regurgitate their kill for the pups, as well as for old or injured pack members. The whole pack will work together to raise a litter of pups, even if that means letting them feed first on a kill.

Wild dogs are a ‘weather vane’ species for conservation—an indicator of the health of the whole ecosystem. Their presence in Mana Pools is definitely a sign of a successfully balanced environment. www.africanbushcamps.com

'Inland from Mana Pools lies the hidden gem of Chitake Springs. This is an area which epitomises the wild, where annually the natural Chitake spring is a life source and of crucial importance to a diversity of wildlife occurring in this southern part of Mana Pools National Park. It is here where the "battle for survival" between large herds of buffalo and prides of lion takes place during the drier months of the year'. Shelley Cox, Africa Conservation Travel