There’s something about wild dogs that captures the imagination like few other animals can. Their energy, their cooperation, and the sheer unpredictability of their movements make every encounter unforgettable. Over the past few months, there have been whispers of several wild dog packs around Londolozi — from the Ottawa and Toulon packs, both of which successfully denned this year, to the small pair that continues to move quietly through the northern parts of the reserve.
If you happened to read a recent blog about the Othawa Pack, you’ll know just how special this time of year can be. Barry Bath captures the moment the pack reunited with their pups after months of secrecy — the chaos, the excitement, and the unmistakable sound of wild dog calls breaking the morning silence. I’m yet to see this pack roaming with their pups, but I cannot wait.
Both packs chose to den off our property this year. The Ottawa Pack, made up of eleven adults and eight pups, settled deep in the western reaches beyond our boundary. We didn’t see them while they were denning, but hearing that they successfully raised eight healthy pups was cause for celebration in itself. Now that they’ve left the den, the hope is that we’ll start seeing the full complement of the pack hunting and moving through Londolozi again soon. By the sounds of things, from other reserves, they are getting closer and closer.
The Othawa Pack of wild dogs, with a previous litter of pups, cautiously cross the Sand River, keeping a watchful eye for any crocodiles that may be lying in wait
The Toulon Pack, consisting of seven adults and (X) pups, denned further east of our northeastern boundary but not by much. During that time, we were lucky enough to see the adults occasionally pushing onto our property to hunt before returning to feed the female and pups. Just over a month ago, one of our guides, Chris Taylor, was fortunate enough to see the pack and the pups as they left the den, but since then, no one has been as lucky. We’re hoping they return soon.
Denning season is such a critical time for wild dogs. For roughly three months, starting with the alpha female, then possibly another female, an adult remains at the den while the rest of the pack provides for her and the litter. It’s a time of vulnerability, teamwork, and patience. Once the pups are old enough to keep up, the pack reunites and resumes their nomadic lifestyle — the real spectacle of wild dog life.
A previous litter of young pups at the entrance to the den
We also mustn’t forget the pair of wild dogs we have been seeing in the northern parts of the property. They’ve continued to surprise us with their resilience, hunting successfully and sticking together through it all. Watching them is a different kind of fascination; they don’t provide the chaos of a large pack, but it’s chaos nonetheless.
Fresh off a kill, the pack of two wild dogs are clearly not limited by the fact that there are only two of them.
With both the Ottawa and Toulon packs now moving around again, and the pair still lingering in the north, we find ourselves in that wonderful state of anticipation that only the bush can bring. The next few weeks could bring some incredible viewing as the full packs, adults and pups alike, begin exploring wider territories.
Ross Cheshire
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