Our first group of guests in camp were no strangers to safari. Having met in Serengeti several years ago the group of ten have been travelling through Africa ever since. This year’s adventure brought them down from Rwanda into Serengeti then through Ruaha to a finale at Sand Rivers Selous. There has been an infectious buzz of enthusiasm throughout the lodge during their past three nights. The name on everyone’s lips…the African Wild Dog.
Cites listed “endangered” with a population fewer than 5,500 it is hardly surprising that these painted canids are so often the cherry on the cake that eludes the most seasoned of safari veterans. This pack of seven gave us dawn and evening viewing in an area we call “the garden” just north of the lodge. There were some pretty broad smiles around camp this evening.
There are no guarantees when it comes to viewing wild animals in their natural habitat but with the highest population of wild dogs on the continent and boasting a surprising density of this species (one every 30 square KM is hardly dense but it’s a striking difference to Serengeti’s one in 208 square KM), the Selous is a pretty good bet!
