Elephant Herd Vigorously Protects Their Young from Wild Dogs in South African Standoff

In a remarkable wildlife encounter, safari-goers in the Sabi Sands region of northeast South Africa witnessed a tense standoff between a herd of protective elephants and a pack of wild dogs. The dramatic scene unfolded as tour guide Mr. Brent Leo-Smith led the group through the wilderness.

As the wild dogs approached a path, a group of elephants emerged from the nearby bushes, outnumbering the nine dogs. The elephants, displaying their imposing size, roared and intimidated the dogs, forcing them to scatter one by one while the elephants maintained a protective stance.

Even a young calf joined the adult elephants, forming a protective circle around the vulnerable creature. Elephants are naturally cautious of predators, and the presence of wild dogs in their territory was met with a strong defensive response.

According to the tour guide, while wild dogs hunt in packs, they are unlikely to pose a direct threat to elephants. Mr. Leo-Smith explained, “Wild dogs don’t show any actual potential threat to the elephants. I’ve never heard of a wild dog attacking a baby elephant. But elephants react negatively to any predator.”

Encounters between elephants and wild dogs are not uncommon in the wild. A recent incident occurred in Zimanga Nature Reserve in northern Kwazulu-Natal, where photographer Atkinson captured the interaction.

In the early morning, Atkinson and the group tracked down a pack of African wild dogs consisting of four members. The dogs had just finished feeding on a nyala antelope they had hunted and alternated between social bonding and play before settling down to rest. Nearby, a bull elephant was feeding on acacia trees.

As the elephant approached the resting dogs, he suddenly stopped, raising his trunk to the air, likely detecting the scent of the dogs or the carcass of the nyala. He turned toward the dogs and began walking faster, prompting the safari vehicle to move out of his path.

With its keen sense of smell, the elephant zeroed in on the nearest dog, which waited until the elephant was close before jumping up and fleeing. In a somewhat disdainful manner, the dog lay down again. The elephant continued to follow, and some of the dogs moved behind him. The elephant charged at one dog and turned around when another passed by.