Wild Dog Dawn

The African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) is the 2nd most endangered carnivore in Africa after the Ethiopian Wolf. There are very few ecosystems large enough to house self-sustaining populations of wild dog and many conservationists feel that only the Okavango Delta (Botswana), the Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania) and the Kruger National Park (RSA) are in fact large enough. Wild dog need space and the reason why, is that are constantly on the move! Here one day and gone the next! The only time they become sedentary is for the three months that they den. I like moving subjects and as a result, Africa’s ‘painted wolves’ are among my all time favourite photographic subjects! They are also very difficult subjects to photograph! Not only are they always on the move, but they move effortlessly through thick bush and simply keeping up with them is a difficult task, let alone trying to capture images! Over the years, I have been privileged to spend time with ‘dogs’ as they are affectionately known and one attribute that that has stood out above all the rest, is the way the pack functions like a family. They care for one another and even if one dog makes a kill, it will regurgitate food for the others. The adults also regurgitate food for pups and even when killing, the dogs seem to turn everything into a game. They are indeed fleet of foot and light in spirit! I find the way that the pack operates as a close-knit working unit, in stark contrast to a lion pride where survival really does belong to the fittest! As a photographer, when one feels a great degree of passion or compassion for a subject, you always want to capture an image that can do that special creature some degree of justice? For me, I wanted to capture the African Wild Dog in a pack and on the move, as this is indeed how they live. One early morning, in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, we were following a pack of dogs when we heard over the radio, that they were heading back down our way. Switching the engine off, we waited for the pack to appear on the horizon and shooting into the sun, I was able to capture the dust and surreal atmosphere that is so tangible whenever one spends time with these amazing canids. G

Equipment: Nikon D3, 200-400mm