December 2004
WILD DOGS
No sightings of wild dogs were recorded in December 2004.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 0
November 2004
There was just a single sighting of two wild dogs, both females, on the hunt on central Charleston, one afternoon in November. Perhaps they belong to a larger pack, which had been temporarily split up during the hunt.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 2
October 2004
There were two sightings of wild dogs in October. Both sightings were of five dogs, and the sightings were in the south of the reserve. On the first occasion, it was believed that there were 4 males and one female present, but on the second occasion, the count was 3 males and two females. It is quite likely that there was an error in one of these counts, but of course it is possible that the dogs seen were just part of a larger pack. One of the adult male dogs was wearing a collar.
On the second occasion, the dogs were seen to kill and rapidly devour an impala.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 5
September 2004
WILD DOGS
A pack of 13 Cape Hunting Dogs were spotted on Flockfield at the beginning of September. They were seen on three consecutive days, moving north through the reserve, hunting. There were no pups in this pack, all members being adult or sub-adult. One of the dogs had a radio collar around his neck.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 13
August 2004
WILD DOGS
There were no wild dog sightings on the reserve during August.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 0
July 2004
WILD DOGS
A pack of 10 wild dogs, including a male with a radio collar, made an appearance on the western bank of the Sand River on Flockfield on the 18th of July. Most of these dogs appeared to be adults, and they were quite relaxed in the presence of vehicles. They moved quite quickly in a southerly direction. This was the only sighting of wild dogs during July.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 10
June 2004
WILD DOGS
There were no Wild Dogs encountered over this June report-period.
May 2004
WILD DOGS
There were no Wild Dogs encountered over this May report-period.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 0
April 2004
A single Wild Dog, a young female, was seen on two successive days towards the beginning of this report-period. It's quite likely that she was the sole survivor of the litter of pups which was seen with only three adults on the reserve in August last year. Although she looked to be in good health, she wasn't seen to meet with any hunting success, in spite of running in on several groups of impala.
Living alone would of course also make her somewhat more susceptible to enemy attack and when last seen, she had a narrow escape when she loped past a couple of resting lions, missing them by only a few meters. As it was, neither party noticed the other and nothing happened. But it could so easily have gone the other way! Hopefully, though, she'll find another pack to link up with and enjoy what could perhaps be termed a more normal life for a Wild Dog.
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 1
March 2004
There were two sightings of a single Wild Dog this month, perhaps of the same animal. The first sighting was near the Mala Mala airstrip and then the next, just over a week later, on NW Toulon. No sex could be established for the first Wild Dog sighting, while the second was identified as being a male.
Could this have been the sole surviving adult of the pack which arrived on Mala Mala last August with 9 pups and three adults?
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 1
February 2004
There were no sightings of Wild Dogs during FebruaryNumber of Wild Dogs encountered: 0
January 2004
There were no sightings of Wild Dogs during January
Number of Wild Dogs encountered: 0
MalaMala
Game Reserve, PO Box 55514, Northlands, 2116, South Africa.
Telephone:
+ 27 11 442 2267 or 0861 SAFARI.
Facsimile: + 27 11 442 2318
e-Mail: reservations@malamala.com
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