Image taken on my trip to The Okavango Delta in Botswana.

The Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) is a medium-sized eagle in the family Accipitridae. Its closest relatives are the snake eagles. It is the only member of the genus Terathopius and may be the origin of the "Zimbabwe bird", national emblem of Zimbabwe. It is endemic to Africa and small parts of Arabia. "Bateleur" is French for "Street Performer".


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Saw two small packs of wild dogs in the delta, one of about ten individuals and one of only four. This dog belongs to the smaller group who were taking a siesta.

Lycaon pictus is a canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It has been called by many names.

Once, about 500,000 African wild dogs existed in 39 countries, and packs of 100 or more were not uncommon. Now, only about 3,000–5,500 are found. They are primarily found in eastern and southern Africa, mostly in the two remaining large populations associated with the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and the population centered in northern Botswana and eastern Namibia. Other populations occur in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and in Tanzania along with isolated populations in Zambia, Kenya, and Mozambique

The African wild dog is an endangered species due to habitat loss and poaching. It uses very large territories (so can persist only in large wildlife protected areas), and it is strongly affected by competition with larger carnivores that rely on the same prey base, particularly the lion and the spotted hyena. While the adult wild dogs can usually outrun the larger predators, lions often will kill as many wild dogs and cubs at the brooding site as they can, but do not eat them. One-to-one, the hyena is much more powerful than the wild dog, but a large group of wild dogs can successfully chase off a small number of hyenas because of their teamwork. Most of Africa's national parks are too small for a pack of wild dogs, so the packs expand to the unprotected areas, which tend to be ranch or farm land. Ranchers and farmers protect their domestic animals by killing the wild dogs. The African wild dog is sometimes affected by outbreaks of viral diseases such as rabies, distemper, and parvovirus. Although these diseases are not more pathogenic or virulent for wild dogs, the small size of most wild dog populations makes them vulnerable to local extinction due to diseases or other problems.

The African wild dog lives and hunts in large packs. Like most members of the dog family, it is a cursorial hunter, meaning it pursues its prey in a long, open chase. Nearly 80% of all wild dog hunts end in a kill. Members of a pack vocalize to help coordinate their movements. Its voice is characterized by an unusual chirping or squeaking sound, similar to a bird. Wild dogs frequently kill larger prey by disemboweling, a technique that is rapid but has caused this species to have a negative, ferocious reputation. After a successful hunt, the hunters will regurgitate meat for those that remained at the den during the hunt including the dominant female, the pups, the sick or injured, the old and infirm, and those that stayed back to guard the pups.

The wild dog's main prey varies among populations, but always centers around medium- to large-sized ungulates. It sometimes hunts large birds, especially ostriches. Other predators, such as lions, sometimes steal the prey that wild dogs catch. Some packs also include large animals among their prey, including zebras and warthogs. The frequency and success rates of hunting zebras and warthogs varies widely among specific packs. To hunt larger prey, wild dogs use a closely coordinated attack, beginning with a rapid charge to stampede the herd. One wild dog then grabs the victim's tail, while another attacks the upper lip or nose, and the remainder attempt to disembowel the animal. Male wild dogs usually perform the task of grabbing warthogs by the nose. This behaviour is also used on other large, dangerous prey, such as the African buffalo, giraffe calves, and large antelope—even the one-ton giant eland.
Studies indicate this large-animal hunting tactic may be a learned behavior, passed on from generation to generation within specific hunting packs. Some studies have also shown other information, such as the location of watering holes, may be passed on similarly.

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Okavango Delta, Botswana


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Okavango Delta, Botswana

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