A wild discovery

With bad news emerging from Kruger Park this month that a pack of wild dogs was wiped out by Canine Distemper, Wild dogs here at Singita Sabi Sands have put smiles back on everyone’s faces with the discovery of a den site and at least seven new pups.

The excitement began with the sight of a heavily pregnant alpha female moving with the pack, followed days later by tracks and signs of just a few dogs at a time, indicating that perhaps the pack had found a den site nearby. Guides and trackers made exploratory walks in different areas to try to find the den site, but it was the dogs themselves that ended up leading us straight to their chosen spot.

In the days following the discovery of the den, (a hole in a termite mound shaded by a beautiful Scotia tree), a continued presence of different individuals guarding the entrance as well as clear signs that the alpha female had been nursing, kept guides and guests on the edges of their seats, hoping and wishing for the first glimpse of the pups.

At last the day came, and what a sight it was! Four tiny balls of fluff with white tails wobbled their way out the den entrance. Keen to explore, they slid and staggered their way down the termite mound and out into the sunshine. The alpha female seemed to have her hands full, continually picking up the braver individuals in her mouth and bringing them back closer to the den.

With a gestation of 69-73 days on average, pups are born black and white and only start to develop their tricolour tan in the second month. For the first ¾ weeks before they emerge, the alpha female stays at the den while the pack goes hunting. Puppies can be weaned as early as 5 weeks, and become dependant on meat disgorged by returning pack members. By 7 weeks, the puppies loose their rotund shape and assume adult conformation. By 8-10 weeks the pack abandon the den after which the youngsters gain most of their food directly from a kill. Aggression is rare within the pack, with peace and good-will maintained through ritualized begging, a technique all young canids employ to make adults regurgitate food for them.