Wildcast

Back on the burn was where it was all happening again.

We didn’t go to the den first thing this morning we headed out to the burn and picked up the adults hunting as they crossed the Binya road heading west onto the burn. But no sign of BB. This had us wondering if the rest of the pack could pull it off without her? They had hardly got their paws warm on the burn when they took off. But the burst of speed didn’t last and the alpha female was soon standing around wondering how things had gone wrong. 6 other pack members joined her and for about 5 minutes they stood around listening. Obviously hoping to hear the other dog having killed.

A couple of vultures and a Bateleur flew overhead and I was surprised that they should be up so early in the day before the thermals had got going. Of course the other dog must have killed and the birds were moving in. Well so I thought but that’s about as far as it went. The dogs headed northwest crossing the road and Voila! They were all getting stuck into an impala carcass. A subadult male. The missing dog must have killed it single-handedly and the other dogs were slow in finding it with the strong winds that were blowing all day.

A feast indeed was had by all and about 10 minutes later they were high-tailing it to the den, one of them carrying the head of the carcass. Back at base, the adults had already fed the pups having beaten us to the post. The alpha pups were standing wide, circling and jumping away from a very dead impala head. This was only the second kill they had seen and nothing was going to convince them in a hurry that this was breakfast. For a good 15 minutes they danced nervously around the carcass before finally realising this appetiser was for them. But even after feeding for a few minutes they would jump back expecting it to come alive and attack them.

Once they settled in to feed a Hooded Vulture arrived to partake in the pickings and seemed to have no respect for the pups. Well actually he knew the pups didn’t have the guts to take him on. And he was right but they weren’t about to invite him to their little party.

Whenever he got to a few feet of the feeding pups one would stalk him. Fly off? No that was too much like hard work. So off he trotted with an alpha pup trotting behind him and in circles they went around the carcass. This was quite the entertainment we needed. The lapping of the carcass was always stopped by Skrik. He was the boldest and would rush the vulture. The vulture would fly off a short distance only to start his advance again and the whole game went on. Later an adult arrived and put paid to their game.

Then BB’s pups suddenly discovered the carcass and came bumping in on already fat tummies to take over the carcass. The alpha pups had already had their fill and were passed out close by. Some 20 minutes later it was all over and all the pups had taken time out in a pile. It was surprising in the evening when the adults headed west on the hunt again when all seemed so well fed. Except for BB and she was actually leading the hunt. We lost them to the west of Formadhunga in a bad donga system soon after sunset and had to call it a day.