It’s winter and the Kabini forest is drying up. We were on a safari one misty morning when we spotted a herd of Gaur on the main road. These are the largest wild cattle found in the world and comprise the Tiger’s major prey. They appeared beautiful, and the backdrop only served to enhance their charm.We also sighted Spotted Deer in large numbers. They were busy grazing in the grass, and as usual, the Langurs on the trees above were helping them obtain gooseberries, to make their breakfast tastier.

We then continued with our journey hoping for more sightings. On spotting the foot prints and droppings of wild dogs on the safari road, we began tracking the pack. In the process, we spotted a Barking Deer, which however, quickly disappeared into the bushes. As we proceeded, we sighted only one female wild dog that seemed to be searching for something.

A Wild Dog Searching for her Team Mates

I immediately recognized that she was the alpha female of a pack of wild dogs. I also began anticipating whether she was looking for her team members. We followed her for about 5 kilometers and spotted a large pack of wild dogs. The moment this alpha female joined the pack, it was the most fascinating thing to watch their behaviour, especially the manner in which they greeted the queen. We spent around 45 minutes with the dogs, but had to return as it was getting late.

A Beautiful Pack!

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