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Le Plan Du Loup

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Le Plan Du Loup Le Plan du Loup (The Wolf Plan) PAGE 4 These Montana Ranchers Are Helping Grizzlies, Wolves and Cattle Coexist PAGE 8 Diane Boyd— Patient Pursuit of Understanding PAGE 12 Pictured: the painted “wolves” of Africa—actually, wild dogs that share many behaviors with wolves and are similarly endangered. PAGE 27 PERSONAL ENCOUNTER 1994. There were 17 seven- or eight- Acts Like a Wolf, Misunderstood Like a week-old pups inside! It was puppy Wolf—and Barely Surviving, a World Apart chaos when the adults returned with leftovers in their bellies. The begging for food by mobbing, licking, tum- Text by Nancy Gibson • Photos by Nicholas Dyer bling pups was short but intense. The yearlings pampered and played with the watch the silhouettes dashing across behaviors with Canis lupus—wolves. pups while older “wolves” surrounded the tall grasses and think: This could There is one obvious exception, and the site like sentries to alert members of I be a pack of wolves chasing elk in the “painted wolves” provides a hint. They any imminent attack by lions, leopards Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. are costumed in patches of white, black, or hyenas—all of which are a constant, Instead, I am bouncing along in a jeep at brown, gray and everything in between. deadly threat to helpless pups. The pack dusk in Botswana, Africa. The animals Their large, round ears are reminiscent of was incredibly tolerant of our clicking weaving and darting in pursuit of an Disney’s famed Mickey Mouse character. cameras and whispering voices as we impala are wild canines, creatures with (Many African animals have large ears to tried to contain our excitement. I became multiple names—African wild dogs, radiate excess heat from their bodies.) expert at watching pups sleep in a pile Cape hunting dogs, painted dogs and This distinctive pelage allows researchers for three days, but the raucous spurts most recently, painted wolves. Despite to easily identify each individual. The of play made the memories. Overhead, all the monikers, Lycaon pictus, share a only consistency is the white tassel at the vultures lurked in trees awaiting their distant, common ancestor and many end of the tail. Closer inspection reveals duty as “nature’s clean-up crew” by four toes but no dew claw or thumb, devouring pup scats and food rem- making L. pictus unique in the canid nants. All quite tidy. family. Both species are long-legged, but As Dr. L. David Mech wrote in his adult gray wolves are larger than their 1975 paper about the hunting strategy of African cousins that weigh between 44 these two social canids, “they stand out and 66 pounds. in occupying Even though the similar two species live on ecologi- different continents, they share the same survival tools and denning behaviors. Painted “wolves” are mainly led by the breeding pair, but the female takes significant rank with hunting and pack management. I was riveted when I saw my first painted “wolf” den in Moremi Camp, Botswana in International Wolf Spring 2019 27 cal niches…nevertheless both the wolf painted “wolves” quickly transitioned small groups provides some security and the hunting dog face the same prob- to stalking their prey. Once near, they when trying to attract a new pack with lem: securing a livelihood by preying on erupted at full speed, expertly sorting out unrelated siblings. This is a good but large ungulates.” the most vulnerable antelope. Success! challenging plan, as forming new terri- New research states that most painted Unlike wolves, which catch a breath tories is fraught with snaring and other “wolf” packs need at least six mem- of rest after their prey falls, these painted prevalent human hazards. bers to hunt and reproduce success- “wolves” burst into a feeding frenzy. One I repeatedly return to Africa with fully although like wolves, some smaller grabbed a chunk of food and retreated one goal: to see more painted “wolves.” groups can survive. New data suggests 15 feet, looking out for hyenas and lions. June 2018 took me to Zimbabwe. I met the average adult needs nine pounds of They took turns scarfing what they could, award-winning photographer Nicholas but when nightfall arrived, so did the Dyer, who visited the International Wolf hyenas. A guttural alarm call resonated Center in late winter 2018 and detailed for staff the similarities between our gray wolves and the painted “wolves.” His enthusiasm and stunning photographs of painted “wolves” sparked a return visit to Africa. Africa is full of varied landscapes, but Mana Pools National Park in Northern Zimbabwe, where I camped, is serene and captivating in its remoteness, far- flung savannahs and wildlife. It bor- ders the Zambezi River with views of the neighboring Zambian foothills to the north. I prefer basic camping tents, fully a warning, but open to the sounds and activity of wild- the ferocious life, versus semi-insulated lodges, and fight for the on that trip it was the right choice. The carcass was river is home to hippos during the day, instantaneous. but our camp was clearly on the trail Teeth gnash- for night grazing. Elephants plucking ing, squeals ripe tree-fruit in camp were common- and a cacoph- place, and included a curious bull that ony of brutal surveyed our tent. Grazing antelope sounds filled chose the protection of camp during the night—the the day, but the hyenas and lions came savage turmoil at nightfall— often together. of survival. I Painted “wolves” typically den in returned at day- June, so our search for the pack began. light thankful We knew that the Nyamatusi pack was food daily. Medium-sized antelopes like not to see a dead painted “wolf.” The sometimes spotted along the Cheruwe impala (Aepyceros melampus) and kudu bent grasses and smears of blood were River valley. The river bed is dry in sum- (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) are their main the only evidence of last night’s struggle. mer, and thick sand made for arduous food source. Competition for food is intense in Africa. hiking. Additionally, we saw the tracks Painted “wolves” are crepuscular By three months of age, pups gradu- of numerous lions, leopards, hyenas hunters (active at dawn and dusk)—to ate to their nomadic stage, moving with and dangerous Cape buffalos crisscross- my advantage as I watched the hunt the pack at dawn, scouting for prey. In ing the sand. The guide carried a gun that memorable evening in Botswana. I late afternoon, a babysitter is assigned for safety as we searched the valley. My couldn’t hear their excited communica- and a safe location is secured for the instincts piqued with each venture into tion but saw their exuberant movements pups. The predator-and-prey theatre the thick scrub and tall grasses. and their round ears turning like disks begins once more at dusk. Strong bonds While painted “wolf” tracks were in all directions. Eager noses, slightly form among the pups, especially among prevalent, there was no obvious trail to smaller than a wolf’s, sniffed the air. As same-sex siblings. By age three, broth- the den. But after trekking four kilome- their keen eyesight captured the slight ers will link together as they disperse ters, we spotted a well-worn path up a movement of impalas cautiously graz- in small groups. The pattern is similar short ridge that landed us nearly next ing at the edge of a scrubby forest, the for sisters around age two. Leaving in to the pack’s deep den with five pups. A 28 Spring 2019 www.wolf.org glance to the right showed three adult by domestic dogs. Once abundant south my side. Peering through thick brush, animals hiding in the grass and one male of the Sahara Desert, they exist only I saw first-time-mother Lucy returning. standing his ground. I snapped a quick in protected areas. They are likely the We tried to count pups as they were photo and then fled to avoid intrusion. most persecuted predator, challenged by bursting out of the den. We estimated I later learned that the brave painted intense competition from other preda- 10 pups—not an unusual number —in “wolf” distinguishable by his black shoul- tors inside the parks and humans out- the flurry of bouncing youngsters ready der pattern was named Tequila. He was side the parks. Their population is just to eat and anxious adults ready to play. one of six brothers who dispersed from 6,500 animals. Sadly, none of those pups survived. their pack in 2015, met up with six sis- This Zimbabwean adventure ended In the fall of 2018, just as the pups were ters and formed the Nyamatusi Pack. at the Painted Dog Conservation’s cen- old enough to travel, a pride of 17 lions Unfortunately, Tequila was likely killed ter of operations, just outside Hwange tracked the pack for three days killing by lions shortly after my encounter. Most National Park. The structure resembles the pups and one adult collared male. of the pack, however, remains intact, a large, beautiful hut, and inside are Three collared painted “wolves” have and most of the attached photos are of engaging education exhibits. Led by its returned to the den area, but with their his former pack. charismatic director, Peter Blinston, it diminished pack numbers, survival is Painted “wolves” produce a repertoire employs 62 passionate staff of which 16 unlikely. While odds are poor for this of sounds. Their twittering sound is like are anti-poaching patrollers. The cen- species in general, sufficient habitat a bird call, but it indicates excitement, ter comprises more than 150 acres, an nourished by education and tolerance whether anticipating food, making a expansive “wolf” exhibit topped with a could easily change their fortunes.
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