Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f7,1, iso 2500. Focal length 500mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

North Botswana’s Okavango Delta remains a stronghold for African wild dogs, though population densities might be lower than in years past.  The low numbers mean that it can sometimes be days or even weeks (or longer) between repeat sightings of packs.  At times they can be highly mobile, which can make them difficult to follow for a vehicle.  They also like hunting in woodland, where again, it can be impossible to keep up with them due to dense stands of trees.  All these things make wild dogs very challenging subjects to photograph.  But, I believe it is a big mistake to not try.  This incredible and action-packed sighting from a January 2024 photo-safari reminded me again why I should always keep trying to follow and photograph them.

The sighting took place at Pom Pom Camp, part of Kwando Safaris in the Okavango Delta.  A pack of fifteen African wild dogs had earlier chased and eaten two sub-adult impala.  Now, they where resting and lying about in the grass.  Content and  almost every dog well fed.  The six young dogs in the pack where not sleeping, but chasing each around in play.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f5.0, iso 1600. Focal length 238mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

Just after 08h00, a small herd of African buffalo noticed them from afar, and one of the buffalo made a direct approach toward the resting dogs, eventually forcing them to stand up and trot away from their resting place.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo.  Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f4,5, iso 100. Focal length 100mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

The dogs that had so rudely been roused, where looking as if they would walk away but something made them change their mind.  Instead of moving off, some of the adults began to approach the buffalo, first just ambling in their direction but then, lowering their ears like they do sometimes when they intend to hunt!  Amongst the buffalo herd where four calves, of varying ages.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f7,1, iso 3200. Focal length 500mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

The dogs took special note of the calves and starting trying to get close to the them, sometimes sneaking up behind the buffalo until they got noticed and chased away.  Adult female buffalo, though not as large or heavy as full-grown male buffalo, are still formidable in defense and will easily injure or kill a wild dog if they are able to get close to it.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f7,1, iso 2000. Focal length 500mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

After the dogs had been hassling the herd for perhaps twenty minutes, two female buffalo charged the wild dogs, at full speed, with lowered horns and menace in their eyes.  The wild dogs where fast enough to outrun the buffalo though and after a while, the female buffalo started to tire and stopped charging.  The dogs where showing interest in the young buffalo in the herd and almost managed to nip them on the legs a few times, trying to make them break away from the adults.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f7,1, iso 3200. Focal length 500mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

At this point the wild dogs managed to get the whole herd of buffalo to panic and run.  They kept chasing and trying to separate the adults from the young buffalo calves.  After about a kilometre they succeeded and this time the adults kept running and did not try to chase the dog pack away from the single calf they managed to separate.

 

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/2000sec at f7,1, iso 2000. Focal length 500mm. R3 and RF 100-500L f4.5-7.1 IS. Click for larger view

Although African wild dogs have sharp teeth and strong jaws, they are much better adapted for killing smaller prey animals with thin skin like impala or red lechwe.  In contrast, buffalo, even calves , have an extremely tough skin.  The calf that they had captured was not the smallest one in the herd.  With a big team effort, the dogs where able to stop the calf from running by holding onto it’s rear.  Several times the buffalo calf broke loose from their grip and it looked as if it might escape but each time the adult dogs would easily catch up to it and the fight would start again.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/800sec at f5.0, iso 125. Focal length 24mm. R6 and RF 24-105L f4.0 IS. Click for larger view

We could see the other members of the buffalo herd in the distance but they did not approach at all and kept moving, further and further away.  It was not obvious to us why the adult buffalo had not defended the calf more vigourously.

Botswana. African wild dog and buffalo. Shutter speed 1/800sec at f5.0, iso 200. Focal length 24mm. R6 and RF 24-105L f4.0 IS. Click for larger view

The weight of a single African wild dog may range from 20 kg for a yearling or female up to 39 kg for an adult male.  It was there quite a tough physical challenge for them to kill the buffalo calf which was much bigger than any of them.  But, they did indeed kill the calf shortly after I took this image and ended the suffering.

The whole pack fed very well on the calf and did not hunt for another two days after this.