Wildcast

The good times didn’t roll too well today. Hunting at dawn the pups were running amok and got left behind. Eventually the adults realising they weren’t being followed returned to find the adventurous bunch. In the meantime One-eye had killed himself a baby impala. None of the dogs were aware he’d killed. Eventually he came running back to join them with the impala’s head in his mouth. Of course the alpha pups thought they’d at least get a taste but One-eye wasn’t in for sharing today.

Moving south through the hills the dogs encountered this herd of zebra with a very young foal. This caught the interest of the adults AND the pups of course. A brief advance from the stallion sent the pack clambering over rocks.

Moving through the hills they soon came out at Nyari pan to rest up.

They’d all been sleeping for a while when suddenly the place erupted and I heard the death cries. Not 50m away they’d caught a Sharpe’s Grysbok in a steep little gully. At first the pups stood nervously on the bank watching the adults feeding, but then piled in shoving them aside.

The little antelope didn’t fill any tummys and the pack spent the rest of the day in the shade at Nyari pan, where they were joined by their entourage, Hooded Vultures. They will often follow hunting wild dogs to take advantage of pickings from their kills. But with no pickings today they feasted on wild dog excrement. At least it was fresh I suppose?!

BB’s pups are still not sure how to handle these avian creatures and approaching cautiously they take instant fright when the bird suddenly takes off. At least it keeps them entertained.

The dogs really didn’t have it in them today. Even as the sun set they were slow to get going and slow on the move eventually resting up near Banyini as it got dark. There is a slight chance they may still hunt tonight as the moon is now sitting at a quarter.