March 2007
Thanda Private Game Reserve
Wild Dog Monitoring Report
Background
Four adult Dogs (2 females from Venetia and two males from Imfolozi) were released on Thanda on 4 April 2006 after bonding in a boma on Thanda for a few months. After being released the Beta male left the pack to join two Imfolozi females on the area next to Thanda. They were darted and moved back to Imfolozi. The other three Dogs remained on Thanda as the Thanda Pack.
In December 2006 our only adult male was killed by 3 Lions. On the 16th February 2007 a new Male was brought to Thanda from Madikwe and was put into a boma on the property. He was in the boma until the 30th of March when the rest of the pack came down to the Boma and the gate was opened for him to join them. His name is Skye.
General Pack Status And Ranging
On the afternoon of the 1st a few staff members saw 3 Dogs run through the Tented Camp. The next morning Lia's signal was on the hill next to Nhlabeni and didn't move the whole AM. On the morning of the 5th Lia's signal was in the big block between the fence and the Villa. The signal was there the whole day. On the morning of the 6th all 6 Dogs were at the Villa. They ran up and down along the fence trying to get to the water inside until it started raining and they went into the bushes at the back of the Villa.
On the morning of the 8th they were on Mfhlweni close to the top dam. I could hear them eating something in the bushes about 20 metres from the road, but I couldn't see them. They were there the whole AM. On the morning of the 9th I saw one Pup at the junction Loop rd/Mpafha. I drove onto Mpafha and found all 6 Dogs at the BB site. They ran towards the Villa and disappeared into the bushes. Lia caught an Impala on Khohliwe and they all ate there. They spent a long time there before they went to sleep in the shade close to the road.
On the morning of the 10th all 6 the Dogs were in the corner D242/600ha. They moved up the fence to the Firepit link and down to Firepit. I found them again at the Villa from where they went onto Ipiva and into the bushes where they went to sleep. On the morning of the 16th all of them were at Lodgedam and their bellies were full.
On the afternoon of the 19th the Dogs were seen at the bottom Mfhlweni pan. The Elephant Herd was there and the Pups started teasing them. The Elephants went towards them and they scattered, but the Dogs came back to tease the Elephants again. The next morning the dogs were at the Villa/Ipiva. They slept there most of the day. On the morning of the 22nd the Dogs were seen running through the Tented Camp car park. I saw them again at the top Mfhlweni dam and then the bottom dam. From there they went up onto the hill behind the Tented Camp. On the morning of the 23rd they were next to the D242 fence close to the junction with Zovolo Road.
On the 25th in the morning Lia's signal was still in the same area close to the fence next to Nombeva. On the evening of the 26th they were all at the Villa waterhole. From there they went to the back of the Villa. The Dogs were at the Lodge on the morning of the 27th. I got signal for Lia between Ndlovu Highway and Phakama on the morning of the 28th. In the afternoon they moved to the BB road and from there to the hill across from Ndlovu Highway/ Main South. The next morning the signal was still on the same hill. In the afternoon the signal was on the hill behind the Lodge. Later in the evening Lia and Shane were at the junction Phakama/Main South by themselves and moved to Khohliwe. After a few minutes the Pups were at the junction Phakama/Main South sniffing aound and went in the same direction the females went into. They slept on the hill behind the Lodge again.
On the morning of the 30th they moved from behind the Lodge down Phakama onto the link road to the fence close to the Off-loading Ramp. They slept there for a little while before they moved to the Bomas. From there they went to Mgankla pan and to the drainage close to Vula Zulu. They went back to Mgankla pan and slept there. The next morning they woke up next to the dam and went straight to the dead wildebeest. From there they went to base and then to Arrie's fence. They moved up to the corner at board #11 and slept there. That afternoon they moved past North gate and towards the back gate at vula zulu. They were hunting in the block close to Vula Zulu and slept in the corner Vula Zulu/P450.
Map
Population Structure
1 Adult Male, 2 Adult Females, 1 Pup Male (born 2006), 3 Pup Females (born 2006)
Total Thanda population 3 Adults + 4 Pups = 7 Dogs
Hunting/Feeding Records
On the morning of the 2nd I found a young Nyala/Impala scull on Nhlabeni from the night before. On the morning of the 8th they caught something right next to Mfhlweni rd, but I could not see what it was. On the morning of the 9th Lia caught a young Impala, ate a bit and fetched the rest of the pack. They all came there and ate the rest of the Impala. On the morning of the 22nd I saw the Dogs come out the bushes just after they had eaten. Mduna still had a leg in his mouth and it looked like an Impala/Nyala. The Dogs killed an adult male impala at the water feature at the Lodge on the morning of the 27th. They saw the staff and pulled the Impala away from the water feature.
Noteworthy Activities And Behavioral Highlights
On the morning of the 6th Stitch had a big hole in her left front leg and it was very swollen. She didn't step on it at all. Shane was still limping a bit too. On the morning of the 10th I put some of Skye's feaces on a road where the Dogs were running to. They ran past it, but then stopped and went back to it. They all smelled around that area for a while before they moved on. By the 10th Stitch was still not stepping on her foot. On the morning of the16th Stitch was seen playing with the rest of the pups running around, but after a little while she was limping again.
On the 20th she was walking much better and playing with the rest of the Pups. They were all resting when a Warthog came out the bushes. All the pups chased after it but came back to sleep on the road again. On the morning of the 23rd Kanga was seen outside the Reserve on the District Road. The other Dogs were on the other side of the fence. We cut 3 big holes in the fence to get Kanga to go back in. She was very tired and after about 2 hours she went through one of the holes and we heard her join up with the rest of the Dogs.
On the morning of the 30th the pack went to the boma. The gate was opened and all the Dogs went into the boma with Skye. They chased him around inside the boma and he ran out towards a pan. The others followed him. He went into the water. The Pups were standing at the edge of the water twittering, but didn't go into the water. Every time he wanted to come out they ran to him and he eventually sat down in the water. When he finally came out the Pups sniffed him and he ran away. There was a dead wildebeest close to the pan which they smelled and Shane and Lia went to eat some of it, but the Pups just jumped up and down around it. They went into the bushes again, but were in the area most of the day.
In the afternoon the guides saw them at the Wildebeest again. Skye kept running away when the Pups went closer to him, but he came back to them every time. On the morning of the 31st the Dogs were more relaxed with Skye. He followed them closely. Mduna was very submissive to Skye once and lay down on the ground whining while Skye was sniffing him. The other Pups then attacked and chased Skye. He came back and slept close to them. In the afternoon while Lia and Shane were hunting, Skye and the pups were sniffing each other and pushing each other around.
Interaction With Other Carnivores
On the morning of the 12th a Lion and 2 Lionesses were at the boma where Skye was in. They charged the fence and one of them got shocked. Skye ran towards them barking and then ran a big circle in the boma before running towards them again still barking. The lions left him after about half an hour.
On the morning of the 22nd the Dogs came running out from the back of a dam being chased by a Lioness. Lia went to the one side of the dam barking at the Lioness while the others went the other way around. Lia jumped up and down a few times before running into the bushes. The other Dogs stopped running and were still barking a lot when I saw the Lioness return. None of the Dogs were injured.
On the afternoon of the 26th there was a Male Cheetah at the Villa waterhole when the dogs got there. The Cheetah chased the Dogs and went back to the water. The Dogs went back there and barked at him. He chased them away again and they came back again. Some of the Dogs drank water while the others barked at the Cheetah, but they left him alone after a while. On the morning of the 31st there was a Hyeana in the corner at board #11. Skye saw him and they sniffed each other, but Skye ignored him most of the time. The Pups came and chased the Hyeana away.
Planned Activities For Next Month
Collect fecal samples.
Monitor Skye's progress within the rest of the pack.
Wild Dog Monitoring Report
Background
Four adult Dogs (2 females from Venetia and two males from Imfolozi) were released on Thanda on 4 April 2006 after bonding in a boma on Thanda for a few months. After being released the Beta male left the pack to join two Imfolozi females on the area next to Thanda. They were darted and moved back to Imfolozi. The other three Dogs remained on Thanda as the Thanda Pack.
In December 2006 our only adult male was killed by 3 Lions. On the 16th February 2007 a new Male was brought to Thanda from Madikwe and was put into a boma on the property. He was in the boma until the 30th of March when the rest of the pack came down to the Boma and the gate was opened for him to join them. His name is Skye.
General Pack Status And Ranging
On the afternoon of the 1st a few staff members saw 3 Dogs run through the Tented Camp. The next morning Lia's signal was on the hill next to Nhlabeni and didn't move the whole AM. On the morning of the 5th Lia's signal was in the big block between the fence and the Villa. The signal was there the whole day. On the morning of the 6th all 6 Dogs were at the Villa. They ran up and down along the fence trying to get to the water inside until it started raining and they went into the bushes at the back of the Villa.
On the morning of the 8th they were on Mfhlweni close to the top dam. I could hear them eating something in the bushes about 20 metres from the road, but I couldn't see them. They were there the whole AM. On the morning of the 9th I saw one Pup at the junction Loop rd/Mpafha. I drove onto Mpafha and found all 6 Dogs at the BB site. They ran towards the Villa and disappeared into the bushes. Lia caught an Impala on Khohliwe and they all ate there. They spent a long time there before they went to sleep in the shade close to the road.
On the morning of the 10th all 6 the Dogs were in the corner D242/600ha. They moved up the fence to the Firepit link and down to Firepit. I found them again at the Villa from where they went onto Ipiva and into the bushes where they went to sleep. On the morning of the 16th all of them were at Lodgedam and their bellies were full.
On the afternoon of the 19th the Dogs were seen at the bottom Mfhlweni pan. The Elephant Herd was there and the Pups started teasing them. The Elephants went towards them and they scattered, but the Dogs came back to tease the Elephants again. The next morning the dogs were at the Villa/Ipiva. They slept there most of the day. On the morning of the 22nd the Dogs were seen running through the Tented Camp car park. I saw them again at the top Mfhlweni dam and then the bottom dam. From there they went up onto the hill behind the Tented Camp. On the morning of the 23rd they were next to the D242 fence close to the junction with Zovolo Road.
On the 25th in the morning Lia's signal was still in the same area close to the fence next to Nombeva. On the evening of the 26th they were all at the Villa waterhole. From there they went to the back of the Villa. The Dogs were at the Lodge on the morning of the 27th. I got signal for Lia between Ndlovu Highway and Phakama on the morning of the 28th. In the afternoon they moved to the BB road and from there to the hill across from Ndlovu Highway/ Main South. The next morning the signal was still on the same hill. In the afternoon the signal was on the hill behind the Lodge. Later in the evening Lia and Shane were at the junction Phakama/Main South by themselves and moved to Khohliwe. After a few minutes the Pups were at the junction Phakama/Main South sniffing aound and went in the same direction the females went into. They slept on the hill behind the Lodge again.
On the morning of the 30th they moved from behind the Lodge down Phakama onto the link road to the fence close to the Off-loading Ramp. They slept there for a little while before they moved to the Bomas. From there they went to Mgankla pan and to the drainage close to Vula Zulu. They went back to Mgankla pan and slept there. The next morning they woke up next to the dam and went straight to the dead wildebeest. From there they went to base and then to Arrie's fence. They moved up to the corner at board #11 and slept there. That afternoon they moved past North gate and towards the back gate at vula zulu. They were hunting in the block close to Vula Zulu and slept in the corner Vula Zulu/P450.
Map
Population Structure
1 Adult Male, 2 Adult Females, 1 Pup Male (born 2006), 3 Pup Females (born 2006)
Total Thanda population 3 Adults + 4 Pups = 7 Dogs
Hunting/Feeding Records
On the morning of the 2nd I found a young Nyala/Impala scull on Nhlabeni from the night before. On the morning of the 8th they caught something right next to Mfhlweni rd, but I could not see what it was. On the morning of the 9th Lia caught a young Impala, ate a bit and fetched the rest of the pack. They all came there and ate the rest of the Impala. On the morning of the 22nd I saw the Dogs come out the bushes just after they had eaten. Mduna still had a leg in his mouth and it looked like an Impala/Nyala. The Dogs killed an adult male impala at the water feature at the Lodge on the morning of the 27th. They saw the staff and pulled the Impala away from the water feature.
Noteworthy Activities And Behavioral Highlights
On the morning of the 6th Stitch had a big hole in her left front leg and it was very swollen. She didn't step on it at all. Shane was still limping a bit too. On the morning of the 10th I put some of Skye's feaces on a road where the Dogs were running to. They ran past it, but then stopped and went back to it. They all smelled around that area for a while before they moved on. By the 10th Stitch was still not stepping on her foot. On the morning of the16th Stitch was seen playing with the rest of the pups running around, but after a little while she was limping again.
On the 20th she was walking much better and playing with the rest of the Pups. They were all resting when a Warthog came out the bushes. All the pups chased after it but came back to sleep on the road again. On the morning of the 23rd Kanga was seen outside the Reserve on the District Road. The other Dogs were on the other side of the fence. We cut 3 big holes in the fence to get Kanga to go back in. She was very tired and after about 2 hours she went through one of the holes and we heard her join up with the rest of the Dogs.
On the morning of the 30th the pack went to the boma. The gate was opened and all the Dogs went into the boma with Skye. They chased him around inside the boma and he ran out towards a pan. The others followed him. He went into the water. The Pups were standing at the edge of the water twittering, but didn't go into the water. Every time he wanted to come out they ran to him and he eventually sat down in the water. When he finally came out the Pups sniffed him and he ran away. There was a dead wildebeest close to the pan which they smelled and Shane and Lia went to eat some of it, but the Pups just jumped up and down around it. They went into the bushes again, but were in the area most of the day.
In the afternoon the guides saw them at the Wildebeest again. Skye kept running away when the Pups went closer to him, but he came back to them every time. On the morning of the 31st the Dogs were more relaxed with Skye. He followed them closely. Mduna was very submissive to Skye once and lay down on the ground whining while Skye was sniffing him. The other Pups then attacked and chased Skye. He came back and slept close to them. In the afternoon while Lia and Shane were hunting, Skye and the pups were sniffing each other and pushing each other around.
Interaction With Other Carnivores
On the morning of the 12th a Lion and 2 Lionesses were at the boma where Skye was in. They charged the fence and one of them got shocked. Skye ran towards them barking and then ran a big circle in the boma before running towards them again still barking. The lions left him after about half an hour.
On the morning of the 22nd the Dogs came running out from the back of a dam being chased by a Lioness. Lia went to the one side of the dam barking at the Lioness while the others went the other way around. Lia jumped up and down a few times before running into the bushes. The other Dogs stopped running and were still barking a lot when I saw the Lioness return. None of the Dogs were injured.
On the afternoon of the 26th there was a Male Cheetah at the Villa waterhole when the dogs got there. The Cheetah chased the Dogs and went back to the water. The Dogs went back there and barked at him. He chased them away again and they came back again. Some of the Dogs drank water while the others barked at the Cheetah, but they left him alone after a while. On the morning of the 31st there was a Hyeana in the corner at board #11. Skye saw him and they sniffed each other, but Skye ignored him most of the time. The Pups came and chased the Hyeana away.
Planned Activities For Next Month
Collect fecal samples.
Monitor Skye's progress within the rest of the pack.
Prepared By
Michelle Swemmer