Wild Pups Romp Again in an African Paradise
August 5, 2019 12:06 PM Subscribe
Wild dogs have returned to the famed Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. The first puppy litters were not far behind. (slnyt)
Last summer, not long after releasing a pioneer pack of 14 African wild dogs into Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park as part of an ambitious wildlife restoration effort, Paola Bouley went to see for herself what in the name of Canis major could have happened to the wild dog pups.
Last summer, not long after releasing a pioneer pack of 14 African wild dogs into Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park as part of an ambitious wildlife restoration effort, Paola Bouley went to see for herself what in the name of Canis major could have happened to the wild dog pups.
Fat headed little BABIES!
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 12:36 PM on August 5, 2019
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 12:36 PM on August 5, 2019
love those ears
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 2:59 PM on August 5, 2019
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 2:59 PM on August 5, 2019
I love how tolerant they were of Nhamagaia, the beta female who broke her leg and then went and got pregnant, as I am clearly the Nhamagaia of my immediate family and have benefited from similar magnanimity. They are terrifying monsters, but good dogs also.
posted by wreckingball at 4:04 PM on August 5, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by wreckingball at 4:04 PM on August 5, 2019 [5 favorites]
Awesome! Wild Dogs are incredible and have such amazing social structures.
My four year old has a game where he will suddenly declare that he has The Power of The Wild Dog Pack. That is the signal that I have to pretend to be a sick or old water buffalo, zebra, or other creature grazing on all fours on the floor. He then will proceed to pounce on me several times until I fall over and become a carcass (or carco as he calls it) that the pack is clearing from the land - because they are good community helpers. It’s marginally preferable to when he plays leopard power, and tries to drag me up the nearest tree (which means me climbing the tree so that he can say he dragged my carcass up there).
posted by inflatablekiwi at 4:21 PM on August 5, 2019 [10 favorites]
My four year old has a game where he will suddenly declare that he has The Power of The Wild Dog Pack. That is the signal that I have to pretend to be a sick or old water buffalo, zebra, or other creature grazing on all fours on the floor. He then will proceed to pounce on me several times until I fall over and become a carcass (or carco as he calls it) that the pack is clearing from the land - because they are good community helpers. It’s marginally preferable to when he plays leopard power, and tries to drag me up the nearest tree (which means me climbing the tree so that he can say he dragged my carcass up there).
posted by inflatablekiwi at 4:21 PM on August 5, 2019 [10 favorites]
You need to teach him alligator power so you can roll around the floor and then get stuff under some furniture [all underwater]
posted by srboisvert at 4:31 PM on August 5, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 4:31 PM on August 5, 2019 [8 favorites]
Adorably cute!
posted by Dip Flash at 5:39 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Dip Flash at 5:39 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
African wild dogs used to be horribly persecuted by people partly because people did not think their method of killing was as noble as how lions kill. Wildlife "experts" even disregard them and even advised to exterminate them.
posted by RuvaBlue at 5:50 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by RuvaBlue at 5:50 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
You need to teach him alligator power
Oh I get to be a crocodile sometimes, but mostly after he declares he is now a Jaguar pouncing on a crocodile in the Amazon. This mostly happens at public swimming pools about one second before he jumps in - claws out - onto me.
Maybe I should foster Wild Dogs instead.
posted by inflatablekiwi at 6:29 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh I get to be a crocodile sometimes, but mostly after he declares he is now a Jaguar pouncing on a crocodile in the Amazon. This mostly happens at public swimming pools about one second before he jumps in - claws out - onto me.
Maybe I should foster Wild Dogs instead.
posted by inflatablekiwi at 6:29 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh fuck this guy.
posted by glonous keming at 7:30 PM on August 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
In 1914, British big game hunter R.C.F. Maugham wrote: "It will be an excellent day for African game and its preservation when means can be devised for [the African Wild Dog's] complete extermination."From RuvaBlue's link.
posted by glonous keming at 7:30 PM on August 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
"Inexcusably cute" is quite an understatement.
posted by MissySedai at 9:14 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by MissySedai at 9:14 PM on August 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
I love them!
They always remind me of a time in high school, when I went to the local zoo that had just revealed new painted puppies in their baby animals nursery. Each room had a glass wall so the visitors could see them from the outside. So, being a slow winter day with no one around, I jumped into a crouch at one end of the window to get their attention, and then I ran the length of it to have them chase. And then ran the other way. And they chased again and tripped over themselves in puppy wiggles.
Best couple of minutes I've ever had in a zoo
posted by lesser weasel at 12:26 AM on August 6, 2019 [4 favorites]
They always remind me of a time in high school, when I went to the local zoo that had just revealed new painted puppies in their baby animals nursery. Each room had a glass wall so the visitors could see them from the outside. So, being a slow winter day with no one around, I jumped into a crouch at one end of the window to get their attention, and then I ran the length of it to have them chase. And then ran the other way. And they chased again and tripped over themselves in puppy wiggles.
Best couple of minutes I've ever had in a zoo
posted by lesser weasel at 12:26 AM on August 6, 2019 [4 favorites]
Lovely puppies! This reminds me that I should probably make an FPP on the arctic fox restoration here in Norway. Similar reported successes, and similar cuteness levels in the puppies.
posted by Harald74 at 1:20 AM on August 6, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Harald74 at 1:20 AM on August 6, 2019 [2 favorites]
YES please do that immediately
posted by poffin boffin at 9:54 AM on August 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by poffin boffin at 9:54 AM on August 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
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