CDaescher wrote:
Very nice, Eric.
You captured him in great light. He almost looks peaceful.
Chris
Thanks Chris, they are much like dogs and puppies when they are not hunting...but once on the scent and hunt watch out...natural born killers!
Eric
Charlie Shugart wrote:
Eric- a combination of luck and skill has given you the honor of seeing these amazing creatures.
For me, TV is it, and they have to use fast Land Rovers and helicopters to follow a hunt.
This guy looks quite peaceful and amazingly tolerant of your presence. Your guide (?) must have known a good deal about how close to approach these animals.
And, oh, an excellent image- of course .
Charlie
Thanks Charlie...it is certainly luck with these guys unless they are denning. I give full marks to the guides who really go out of their way to find me those species I am looking for.
Eric
Tim Kuhn wrote:
Great info Eric and an even better shot. He posses a demonic combination charm and fierceness. The idea of a pack of these guys chasing one down is absolutely terrifying. Lucky you for getting the opportunity to photograph this guy. Very well done!
Tim
Thanks Tim. I had wished for more "action" but in absence of that getting good light on some stationary animals is a nice trade off. I always feel privileged when I get even a glimpse of these master hunters.
Eric
So a little research info for you after my thoughts Tony. But apart from the taxonomy there are obvious differences in social structure and predatory nature. Wild dogs live in packs with an alpha male and female and have a tight knit social structure. Black backed jackals, for example live with a life long mate but only as individual families. Wild dogs are predators that kill and devour their own prey while jackals are primarily scavengers. They can and do kill small mammals and young antelopes but are more commonly observed around the kills of lions and cheetahs.
Now some research from the world wide web
Although the Wild Dog has retained the overall body pattern of the canid it has developed some unique attributes on par with its divergent evolutionary progression, such as the complete loss of the fifth toe (dewclaw) found in most canids. Another interesting feature particular to the African Wild Dog is its exceptionally large ears and unusually long legs. In spite of its divergent evolutionary path some 3 million years ago, the Wild Dog still possesses the same number of chromosomes as the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) though its myoglobin structure differs by a single amino acid.
Modern research has clarified the relationships among the "jackal" species. Despite their similarities, jackals do not all stem from the same branch on the canid family tree. The side-striped jackal and black-backed jackal belong to a branch of canids that includes the dhole and African wild dog, while golden jackal, on the other hand, belongs to a branch which includes the Ethiopian wolf, the coyote, and Canis lupus, the grey wolf/domestic dog.
Hope this answers some questions. I will also look for some jackal shots to post side by side
Eric
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