Just a short drive from the Lower Sabie camp, John’s guide from Travel Buggz was informed of a wild dog sighting ahead, this got everyone excited. Upon arriving at the location around 7:30 a.m., they found the dogs asleep. Wild dogs are endangered, making each sighting precious. John took the moment to take some pictures of the dogs lazing around. Other visitors came and went, but John stayed, intent on capturing the beauty of these wild dogs.
The atmosphere shifted when a couple in a nearby car used their binoculars to look further into the bush, signalling something unusual. John decided to look for himself through his camera, and that’s when he eventually spotted a leopard behind a bush, its gaze fixated on the sleeping dogs. Despite several cars at the scene, a hush fell over the area, and the tension could be felt.
The leopard, using the wind and bushes to its advantage, began a stealthy approach towards the dogs. It used the direction of the wind to blow its scent away from the dogs so they could not be alerted. The thick bushes were perfect camouflage for the leopard. Moving closer to the unsuspecting dogs with each step. The leopard was careful not to make a sound, placing each paw precisely where the 1st was. Its eyes, sharp and focused, never left the dogs as it moved. The dogs were completely unaware. The leopard’s movements were so silent and calculated that it was able to get within a few meters of the sleeping dogs!
Just then, one wild dog lifted its head and saw the leopard a few meters from it, instantly shifting the dynamics. The leopard turned in shock and began running, and a chase ensued as the dogs all took off behind the leopard. The confrontation ended as quickly as it began, with the dogs triumphantly returning to their resting spot. For the dogs, they were extremely lucky that one of them picked up the leopard’s presence, had they not things might have not ended so well for one of them!
