Wrestling Giraffe: Video

Missing wild dog.

The wild dogs had me on the trot this morning. I knew they were around Banyini but just couldn’t get to grips with them. Eventually I got a report from the scouts that they’d seen them at Chikwete Cliffs on the Chiredzi river which was many kilometres away. And they’d travelled there in half an hour. They sure have amazing stamina.

In that half hour though I’d been filming this group of giraffe bulls all sparring with each other on the airstrip. Luckily nobody had plans of landing right then.

It was another of those hot steamy days, but as I write it is now raining. What a relief! And the bush will be happy too!
Lots of the smaller pans had already dried up in the veld but the bigger ones like Chekwa were still going strong and the elephant were right there.

This dry spell hasn’t had any impact on the animals. There is plenty of food around and water too. But the grasses in most areas all but died back and dried out.
No doubt they will all be sprouting again tomorrow.
The dogs were taking flack in the heat and many were lying in the mud in a pan near the Chiredzi river. But towards sunset storm clouds built up obliterating the sun and the pack were on the move early.

It was only now that I was able to do a proper count – one dog is missing! I still can’t work out who it is. With so many to check and with them not standing still for me it’s not easy.
But all our key players are there, including all BB’s pups. So I’m not sure if it’s an adult or one of the Alpha pups missing.
The dogs definitely present – Alpha male and female, BB, Sash, Ntombi, One-eye, Toffee, Skrik, Brownie, Floppy, Split, Half-split, Cracker-Jack.
Come to think of it, I didn’t see Whisky and I’m sure I would have picked him up.
I’m going to have to check on them again but I left the dogs in the Chiredzi river. I was worried they might cross, but thankfully they are nervous of the water and crocodiles. So they should be in the area in the morning but depending on how much rain has fallen I might not be able to get down there tomorrow.

THE ‘MARABOU WALTZ’ VIDEO CLIP FROM 2 DAYS AGO, IS NOW WORKING.