Others rush in and they begin playing tug-of-war. While discussing this new phenomenon with Peter, a puppy picks up the baboon’s dismembered head. Though it may seem nonsensical, a renowned guide named Henry Bandure told me he thinks it may be because they are used to being hunted by leopards, which can climb trees, and the alarm calls baboons use cannot yet distinguish the unique threat posed by painted wolves. Often when wild dogs approach, baboons will rush down from the trees in which they shelter. Baboons haven’t killed any wolves yet, as far as I know, but they should be added to the list of suspects when one goes missing. While capturing a baboon may use less energy than running down an impala, it certainly has become an increasingly dangerous pursuit. I was not sure if he would survive, but these wolves are tough-he pulled through after only a few days’ convalescence and nurturing from the rest of the pack who licked his wounds to keep them clean. The wolves retreated after a male, called Patrick, sustained severe wounds to his neck and side. The whole troop joined in and I was amazed to see how effectively they could use their long incisors, charging the wolves while trying to bite them. One morning, I experienced a ferocious counter-attack from the baboons. “This new behavior might help restore some balance to the ecosystem.” Fighting backĪt first, the baboons looked paralysed in the face of this new foe-but more recently they have begun to adapt by changing their own behavior. By potentially curbing baboons, the wolves could indirectly help the birds, he says. Many ecologists have also expressed concerned about the area’s growing baboon population, he explains, which might have led to a decline in birds thanks to the primate’s nest-raiding tendencies. It is not only good for the painted wolves, but takes the pressure off the impalas, which are their staple diet in this park,” he says. “For a start, it widens the painted wolves’ prey base, providing them more hunting options. This new hunting behavior is a positive development for both the painted wolves and the ecosystem, he believes. I am with my good friend Peter Blinston, head of Painted Dog Conservation, who has dedicated the last 20 years of his life to following, understanding, and working to protect this highly-endangered animal. I darted through some bushes towards the commotion only to see a painted wolf close on the tail of a large male. Suddenly I heard a group of panicked baboons running towards me, loud warning barks echoing into the dusky air. My car was over a mile away and it is at night that lions become aggressive-no time to be out in the bush alone. I first saw this happen several years ago after photographing an alpha female named Blacktip and her pack of 25, which were playing boisterously by a waterhole.Īs the group moved off to hunt, I decided not to follow in the growing darkness. There’s as yet no record in the scientific literature of wild dogs eating baboons, or another other primate. I thought I was becoming an expert until I witnessed something never yet documented: a grisly ambush of baboons. They have a reputation for being Africa’s most efficient predators, with a hunting success rate up to 80 percent, mainly preying on antelope such as impala and kudu. I became obsessed, reading every book and scientific paper on the animals, scientifically known as Lycaon pictus (from the Greek root for wolf, lykos, and the Latin for painting, pictus).
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