iQhala and the Wild Dogs

While having our 5am cup of tea at GVI base, we were discussing the wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and cases of interesting behaviour that has been encountered on Zimanga. I mentioned to volunteers that we have had a sighting before where our big male leopard (Panthera pardus) was trapped in a knobthorn tree (Acacia nigrescens) with three of our dogs hovering under the tree. (Read about that amazing sighting here) 

About 15 minutes after departing on research drive, we found the wild dogs and what do you know, they were all sitting under a knobthorn with one of our resident female leopards trapped in the tree! She waited on them to turn their backs, leaped out of the tree and ran in the opposite direction with 13 slow dogs on her trail. They could not catch up to her, and came back to the knobthorn sniffing and playing around the sight as if they had won the battle. What an incredible sighting, and even more so as a first drive for the new group!

Ester van der Merwe,

Base Manager,

GVI Zimanga,

South Africa

iQhala and the Wild Dogs