Safaris can bring both moving and heartbreaking sightings that remind us of the brutality of the circle of life.
Around one year ago, wildlife guides in Botswana were reminded just how much of a rollercoaster survival in the savannah can be when two African wild dogs in the same pack had litters at the same time – something that is not very common.
Soon after, they were distraught to find out that lions had found the dens and killed the babies.
“After the lion attack, we had not seen the dogs for days, so we assumed they had all been killed,” says Stephen Frenkel, sales and marketing manager at Desert & Delta Safaris.
But Desert & Delta’s senior guide Isaac Mpuchane had an inkling that some of the pups might have survived.
Trusting Mpuchane’s expertise as an experienced guide, they returned to the den site, close to Savute Safari Lodge in Southern Chobe, and waited with bated breath.
“After half an hour of watching, we finally saw movement,” says Frenkel. “Some of the adult dogs returned; the alpha female leading the way.”
Seeing the dominant female return to the den gave them hope that some of the pups might have survived the attack.
After waiting a little longer, their patience was rewarded. “Ten minutes later, we saw more than six wild dogs and pups emerge from the den,” he says, adding that this was the largest litter he’d ever seen. “I felt such incredible joy to see they had survived.”
In the touching video, the mum wanders out of the den before pausing and looking back. Then, a moment later, around nine tiny pups emerge and trot towards her and join an adorable cuddle puddle, tails wagging and squeaking with delight as they snuggle up to mum.
Thanks to Mpuchane’s in-depth knowledge of these endangered animals, the group were blessed with this charming encounter, Frenkel says.
“Isaac Mpuchane, our guide, is a true expert in his field and he suspects that the Alpha female led the lion to the other litter of pups (since two were born at the same time which is highly unusual) in order to protect her own,” he says. “We believe that the lions attacked the other den, leaving this one unharmed and allowing the Alpha’s pups to survive.”
Although they can’t be sure that this is exactly what went down, they were delighted to see these young pups survive another day. Frenkel adds: “It is a wildlife sighting I will cherish forever.”
Image and video credit: Desert & Delta Safaris
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