I’m really a bit lost as to how to approach this whole habituation process with the dogs.
The pups were out in the dark when I got there playing at the back of the den, which they carried on doing to after sunrise.
Actually when I first heard the noise at the back there I was convinced it was a porcupine rummaging around. So after sunrise on investigation I found the pups on the loose. Then the alarm call. The adults were with them, and the pups scattered back to the den and underground. As a predator I could so easily have scooped a couple of them.
All was quiet till about 8am when mom called them to the back of the den and must have regurgitated food for them ‘cos they came back with 2 ears of a young impala. These provided the ideal toys for ages.
A while later mom called them again. This time they didn’t come back. I was now convinced mom was moving them to a new den.
I followed after some time. Again to the east I found them milling around with the adults. They hadn’t seen me. 6 pups came filing past me within a couple of meters. Mom was following but stopped about 10m away and called. They all turned and headed back east. How mom didn’t see me I really don’t know.
But following after them again I was bust! Both adults had me spotted. Their barks sent the pups in all directions. Then there were pups lost everywhere, calling and calling hoping to be found.
I left them to round themselves up and was sure they’d head back to the den.
Indeed they were there when I went back a while later.
Sitting in my hide I waited out the last remaining daylight hours.
Come sunset when it was too dark to film, I was just getting out my hide when mom barked. She was on her way in to the den and now I’d blown it!
I just wasn’t getting it right today. And I’m actually beginning to think if I really am getting right at all?
The dogs are getting the better of me already, as they don’t feed the pups in front of the den anymore. They call them round to the back. No good for filming.
And when the adults do come to the den they’re really only used to the hide and not what’s in it. So is the hide really helping me in habituating the dogs?
I like to believe they are sort of getting used to me when they see me walking. But of course they will bark, as they need to protect their pups.
So I’m now thinking I might try a new approach from tomorrow. I’m going to take the hide away. The adults probably won’t come in but I think they’ll call the pups around to the back of the den. That would of course be no different to what’s happening at the moment.
But then there’s also the chance they might move den. Well the new den could hardly be any worse than this one as far as my access goes.
I wonder too if I’m not harassing them too much? At least when I disturb them out the den it’s good practise for emergencies and this ‘predator’ isn’t going to eat them.
While in the hide I’m reading a book “Queen Bees & Wannabes” about helping teenage daughters survive adolescence. There are no simple answers to the very complicated world of teenage girls. But there is at least guidance.
And I was just wishing there was a book out on how to survive habituating wild dogs. Some advice would really help!
Why are you keeping disturbin them? The pups seem big enough to venture around a bit and will come back to the den. You’ll just got to have the patience for them to come back. I don’t think you can get it much better anyway with pups running within a couple of meters, and adults only alarming when they’re 10 meters away…outside your hide.
Yeah the pups are at the age now where the mother could move them to another den any day now. They’re still really young and clueless about the dangers of life.
I only follow after them if they’ve been away from the den for more than an hour. I just never know if they are moving den or not. in the hills I lose sight of them within a few meters. Not easy stuff up there.
If the mother is going to move them to a new den then I need to know where it is, which is why I follow after them. It’s hugely important that i habituate this pack so we can inoculate them against rabies. Last year we lost 2 packs to the disease. And endangered as these animals are we have to try and save those we can.
I think too my disturbing them when away from the den is good training for the pups in case they do encounter another predator they will be far experienced in dealing with it. At least this predator, me, is not going to kill them.
The pups only ran away from me when within a couple of meters because they’re so clueless and hadn’t seen me until almost ontop of me. Imagine if I was a predator.
And the adults - I can’t get more than 10m away from the den because then i can’t see anything up there in the rocks.
I can promise you I’d far rather leave them to go about their daily lives and not hassle them at all.
Those pups sure look healthy - the parents are doing a good job of feeding so many of them. Thanks for your efforts in getting to a situation where they can be inoculated. It must be tough to second guess. Hopefully your experiences this time will refine later attempts to do the same. Wildlife all over the planet is suffering as the planet groans under the weight of human exploitation. Any assistance to wildlife is enormously appreciated.
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