When a pair of wild dogs attempted to move their pups, they drew the attention of nearby lions. What followed was a tragic example of inter-predator competition.
This heartbreaking wildlife moment, captured by filmmaker Liza Kruger near Nkaya Pan in Kruger National Park, follows a pair of African wild dogs escorting their 10 pups down the road. The parents were highly cautious, wary of two hyenas trailing them. When they briefly left their pups to investigate, the youngsters instinctively hid in the grass.
As the journey progressed, the parents appeared to reverse course, possibly deciding to return to their old den site. Tragically, during one of their absences, they encountered a lion. To their horror, they spotted one of their pups lying on the road. The pup—initially presumed dead—tried to flee, but the lion swiftly stalked and captured it. Another lion was suspected of having caught another pup.
The devastated parents frantically searched for their missing offspring, but none were found. Liza later confirmed that at least two pups were dead, while the fate of the others remains unknown. Given how endangered African wild dogs are, we can only hope for the survival of the remaining pups.
This distressing scene underscores the harsh reality of predator competition, where species eliminate rivals’ offspring to reduce competition, assert dominance, or, in times of scarcity, even use them for food. A brutal but deeply ingrained instinct in Africa’s wild ecosystem.
