Lone wild dog at Mombo still going strong

Observers: Kai, Simon, Dr. Malinga, Tshepo, Cisco
Photographers: Kai Collins and Cisco Retiyoe
Date: 26 June 2010
Location: Mombo Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Wild dogs have a distinct social hierarchy, relying on group cooperation to survive. They are also highly social animals used to operating in packs consisting of several individuals. This is what is so unusual about the lone wild dog at Mombo. She has been surviving on her own for over one year now in an area of very high lion density – not normally good odds for a wild dog to survive. But despite this she has been thriving, spending a lot of time close to Mombo Camp on Chief’s Island. In her search for company she has made friends with a family of five jackals and has one or two hyaenas which tolerate her as much as she them, with all three species often feeding on the same kill, normally made by the wild dog. The wild dog even took food back and regurgitated it for jackal pups when they were younger, and is even seen regurgitating for the adults as well.

On the morning of the 26th of June, we were following the lone wild dog down a game viewing track with three jackal in tow, when they suddenly broke off into the adjoining bush. Coming around the corner we saw a giraffe kill with about 16 hyaena and eight jackal feeding on it and the wild dog milling about in the background. The giraffe looked quite old, and the one back leg seemed broken and there were hoof scuff marks on the trees next to it – all indicating a titanic struggle with some sort of predator. We deduced the giraffe was killed by these hyaena. The jackals were feeding in a tight group near the head and growling ferociously at the large group of hyaenas feeding on the stomach area. Now and then a hyaena would chase the group of jackals off the carcass but they would soon return with just as much attitude.

At one point a very young hyaena was resting with his head on the neck of the giraffe and four jackals feeding within centimetres of him. Amazingly, later on in the morning, when most of the hyaenas had their fill, the wild dog snuck in and also started feeding on the giraffe carcass with two hyaenas and her jackal associates as well!