Page 51 - Discover Botswana 2021

LINYANTI
endangered species. During denning season, the packs will limit their movement within the area while raising their young. Two of the packs often move into the dense mopane woodland, to den in relative safety and stand a better chance of successfully raising their young. In the early mornings and late evenings, they lope out of the thickets and down to the rivers to hunt.
The stealthy spotted hyena, which are plentiful here, are always lurking in the woodland a little away from the river. Interactions
between hyena, wild dog and lion here are legendary, even though there is essentially food for all. Leopards roam the riverine woodlands too, stalking silently, trying to avoid the other predators. During the drier months, this is often impossible as game is concentrated around water and all the big predators have to share the same hunting grounds.
Antelopes grazing peacefully on the plains may suddenly explode into a frenzy of hooves as they try to escape the pack of wild dog that has just come charging out of the trees. Some run in fear towards the water’s
Facing Page: Botswana holds one of the largest viable African Wild Dog populations in Africa. Critically endangered due to canine distemper from village dogs as well as persecution from farmers, they hang on by a thread. Linyanti is an extremely important region for them.
Above: Opportunistic and tenacious, the African Wild Dogs are arguably the best hunters on the continent. Water is no obstacle for them as they prepare to attack a herd of Red Lechwe.
Left: Curiosity gets the better of the pack but a Hippopotamus is an unlikely target for the Dogs. Soon, they would trot off looking out for smaller, more manageable prey.
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