HARVEY WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

African Wildlife: Wild Dogs and Black Backed Jackals

Jackals remind me of a small North American coyote. They like to eat rodents and can be seen hanging around a pride of lions as they are eating in hopes that they can salvage some scraps before the vulchers show up.

Wild dogs are very interesting and sound like whistling birds more than they sound like dogs. Wild dogs hunt in packs, they have the endurance to run for miles and commonly just keep chasing after their prey until the animal simply can't keep running any longer. Wild dogs are social animals and live and hunt in packs. Each wild dog has his or her role whether it be rearing puppies, hunting or staying back to take care of the pups while the others are out hunting.

I saw this black backed jackal family from across a field about 50 meters away. I noticed that something had caught their attention in the bush, so I focused on them. Seconds later a baby came running out of the bush to greet mom and dad. The baby was left in the safety of the thick brush while his parents were out hunting. This family greeting is one of my favourite pictures.
   
This little guy was our introduction to the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania. The light was great and he was kind enough to allow me to take a few pictures of him.
   
Wild dogs are really interesting animals. They hunt in packs and have amazing endurance and are excellent hunters. They are interesting in that they whistle like birds rather than bark.