I’m currently processing images, preparing prints, working on a book, planning new photo tours, planning existing ones, updating tour PDF’s, and the list goes on and on. We’re running a couple of tours to Botswana next year, which made me have a look at my images from our last visit there, eight years ago. I usually have very little time to do any processing, so most of my images are just in folders, waiting patiently for me to open them someday. In this case it took me eight years to have a second look at 6715 images from Botswana and to finally process this wild dog image. It’s crazy.
Anyway, wild dogs are cool. They have the most amazing social structure, they make funny sounds, they look fantastic, and following them on a hunt is among the most exhilarating safari experiences you will every have. Once they start running, they don’t stop. They simply follow their prey until it is too exhausted to run any further. And then they rip it to shreds. While it’s still alive. Nature at its most brutal.
The African wild dog is classified as endangered by the IUCN, as it has disappeared from much of its original range. The current population has been estimated at roughly 39 subpopulations containing 6,600 adults, only 1,400 of which are fully grown. The decline of these populations is ongoing, due to habitat fragmentation and human persecution. The usual suspects. As a result, they’re not easy to find, but there are a few spots where your chances of finding them are relatively high. One of those places is in Botswana.
If you would like to see wild dogs, then you should try your luck on our 2016 Botswana tour. Which is not only focused on wild dogs by the way. The area that we will visit, is famous for the interaction between lions and buffalo. We’re basically planning to stalk the lions, hoping that we will witness a hunt. I’ve been lucky to see it a couple of times, and it’s adrenaline-charged action.
We have two openings left on our 10-19 April tour, and only one on our 25 April – 4 May trip. If you’re interested, please have a look at my website for more information:
Squiver Photo Tours & Workshops
Hope to see you there!
Marsel
©2015 Marsel van Oosten, All Rights Reserved. This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.
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