On safaris, people are always eager to spot a Tiger and if that doesn’t happen, they are willing to settle for a Leopard sighting. We often forget the most organized and ferocious predator in Kabini; the Wild Dog. On the safari today, the Dogs took centre stage.

Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus)

Within ten minutes of entering the forest, we came across a pack of Wild Dogs playfully enjoying the comfort of a lush green carpet. Considered as one of the most social carnivores, Wild Dogs often live and hunt in packs. They are territorial and work together in every aspect of their existence in the wilderness. Sometimes packs even merge with other groups to bring down bigger mammals like Gaurs.

Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus)

Interestingly, only one pair in a pack will breed at any given point and we were lucky to spot them indulging in courtship. The reason why only one pair breeds at a time is to make sure that the success rate of breeding is high and also because the other members of the pack can provide maximum help and attention to the young ones. The breeding pair is called the alpha male and the alpha female.

Wild Dogs (Cuon alpinus)

At a little distance from the alpha pair, we saw a few young ones playfully scampering around. Their playtime serves as a training session. It boosts their natural hunting traits and also plays a significant role in determining superiority. As soon as a young one is born, he is schooled into becoming a fierce hunter. It is vital for their growth and survival in the wild.

Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus)

One particular Wild Dog had an ugly scar behind his ear, a probable result borne out of a previous hunting session. Wild Dogs usually hunt during the day as chances of the larger cats being around are very slim.

Wild Dogs display an amazing sense of roles and responsibilities in their daily life. Being selfless, Wild Dogs work as a team and do their daily chores successfully. One great lesson to learn from their character is their sense of understanding and willingness to work as a group.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Predators. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.