Savanna Lodge sits in the huge Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve - which itself neighbours Kruger National Park in South Africa. The big advantage of staying in a private game reserve is that the number of visitors is carefully controlled and, being a private business, security for the animals against poaching is always front of mind. Plus there's considerably less traffic in the reserve. But private game reserves are a lot more expensive. This reserve is huge - 630 square kilometres with a 50 kilometre open border with Kruger. It includes several exclusive lodges all of whom prize their population of leopard. These shy animals are a big drawcard for the lodges so the wild population is very carefully monitored. As it happened, although we did see several leopards (or was it the same one but in different places?) we were also very lucky to see a pack of African wild dogs and their pups, who had take up residence in one of the many anthills deep in the bush. Normally wild dogs roam far and wide making them very hard to see. Destruction of their regular hunting grounds, being persecuted by humans and suffering disease has brought the African population to less than 7000 and being described as 'endangered'. So, being able to see them and their pups was a very special treat. We also watched a cheetah hunt, another rare experience as well as a bloody and long-winded fight between two male rhinos. Watch on...
One feature of African Wild Dogs that I only just discovered while editing this post is their ability to communicate between each other. I know this sounds a bit dubious but populations living in the Okavango have been seen to 'rally' before setting out on a hunt and some, usually the dominant mating pair, make a sneezing sound which appears to sanction the departure of the pack. Around three sneezes is enough to guarantee a departure. If dogs that are lower down in the pecking order sneeze, they need up to ten others to sneeze to guarantee a hunting departure! Amazing.
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