This young kudu antelope faced its worst nightmare when it was chased by a pack of wild dogs. A nearby dam was the antelope’s only hope, but unfortunately for it, wild dogs are excellent swimmers!
Neil Whyte, the chief ranger at the Savanna Private Conservation Area, captured this incredible wildlife encounter.
“We were on a morning tour, specifically searching for the pack of wild dogs that had settled in this area. After some searching, the entire group found the pack. Everyone was excited to witness the dogs finishing off the remains of a kudu they had caught.”
Wild dogs are opportunistic and will take advantage of any food they can find. A duiker, a small antelope, may not be enough to satisfy seven wild dogs, but it’s certainly better than nothing. They usually continue searching for more food until everyone is full.
It seemed that there would be no more action, but things changed rapidly with the wild dogs. The pack finished eating quickly and began to run back toward their den. On the way home, they encountered a herd of kudu.
The wild dogs chased the kudu out of the thick brush and managed to catch a young antelope. Wild dogs are excellent hunters with incredible endurance; the young kudu knew it had no chance of escape. Therefore, it did the only thing it could do – it sprinted towards the nearby dam.
The wild dogs could swim, so they could have chased it from the start, but there were other predators around, and the pack was aware of this. The desperate kudu did not think about what other dangers might be lurking in the water.
Crocodiles pose a threat to most animals, including other predators. The wild dogs did not take any chances; instead, they surrounded the dam, trapping the poor kudu in the middle. This situation lasted for some time until the pack realized they needed to do more.
Some of the dogs moved closer to the dam, always on high alert. There was a hippo nearby, but fortunately for both the dogs and the kudu, the hippo did not seem overly agitated.
Wild dogs are excellent hunters with incredible endurance.
Eventually, one wild dog thought it would be safe to chase but gave up midway. This happened twice, and by the third time, the wild dog pursued to the end. The kudu was dazed; it couldn’t do anything as the rest of the pack surrounded the dam, leaving no escape route.
In this desperate situation, the young kudu did not give up easily. It swam in circles, kicked, jumped, and tried everything to fight back, giving the wild dog a bit of a challenge.
After a struggle in the water, the wild dog changed its tactics, opting not to bite the legs and rear but instead gripping the large ear of the kudu and slowly leading its prey to the shore – where the rest of the pack was waiting to finish the job. A sad ending for the poor kudu.
They nearly devoured the entire kudu without interference from the hyenas, which is quite unusual. Afterward, they returned to their den.
