Ndutu area: Mbwa mwitu Lycaon pictus "painted wolves"
 

a few hours ago , saw 7 dogs on the shore of lake Masek
5th Feb 2010 (became historical day for me). i have not seen the dogs for many years

Woohoo!!

Wow! That's great news for you AND the dogs!

Great news!

Most exciting and thanks for sharing.

Any photos?

Awesome!!!

Hmm, I think I must have been looking into my crystal ball.

That's great, aby! I hope the rest of your safari is just as excellent.

Leely - no complaits - had some interesting observations

here is a link (i happened to be in the same place and time with a serengeti photographer...)

<b>Serengeti: First Sighting of Wild Dogs in 20 Years</b>
http://www.takepart.com/actions/sere...20-years/52560

plus photos by photographer Uwe Skrzypczak
http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/201...s-in-20-years/

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news...d-dogs.html#cr

http://www.serengeti-wildlife.com/wildhunde.php

photographer Uwe Skrzypczak sites:
website: http://www.serengeti-wildlife.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/U.Skrzypczak
Blog:
http://uweskrzypczak.blogspot.com/20...-01022010.html

Wow, wild dogs in the Serengeti, incredible opportunity !
Sadly, considering the high-end equipment used, the photos have been processed very very badly, a shame. :(

Agree TP, so-so photos, lot of close-ups with poor cropping.

regards - tom

3 years later...

20th Feb 2013, morning, on the road from Serena to Seronera:

a driver of another car told us he's seen ("twenty minutes ago") <b>9 wild dogs</b> crossing the road and disappear in the bush. it was so sudden no photos were taken...

end of report

if joining reports together in this thread:

2006: sightings in Piaya (east of Serengeti)

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...-serengeti.cfm

aby

ps - in kenya the dogs were denning recently at Sweet Waters. saw some awesome pictures

Wild dogs seem to be proliferating. Nice to get your sightings 3 years apart, aby.

Are you going to be in the Serengeti for a few more weeks or are you heading out soon?

I hope you're right, atravelynn. They need so much space and they have little chance once they leave protected parks. The pack recently released in Hluhluwe in S Africa didn't survive, one of the few parks large enough to sustain a pack. Two animals that will make me go back - dogs and the ever-elusive pangolin!!

Christabir - when did that happen? We saw a pack of at least 13 wild dogs in Imfolozi last May, I couldn't believe our luck. It was our last day in the park and we decided to take a short drive before having to head to Durban to catch our flight and stopped at a hide. A couple we had talked to the previous day told us they had spotted the dogs just earlier and gave us directions to find them (they were laying a ways off the road in the grass, we would never have spotted them otherwise). Off we went in the opposite direction of the airport and luckily we found them, what a way to end our stay !

kelly - I'm thrilled and very jealous!! Hluhluwe has a viable population.

There are a few packs in Hluhluwe, but have a small gene pool. Dogs have been released pretty regularly to prevent more inbreeding. I can't find the blog of the researcher who told of his latest release. But from what I remember, 2 males and 2 females were released and three died (due to various reasons). Some dogs "showed up" in Thanda, so a few more were relocated there as well. Due to snare poaching in Mkuze, their dogs have been relocated, too.

We, as safari-goers, need to include wild dogs in the "big five" so the private reserves consider them economically viable. Hate to say it this way, but they need to be worth more alive than dead.

I'm so jealous of everyone who gets the opportunity to see them. Having them in Serengeti is awesome!! I wonder if they were released or just showed up. It's all very exciting. Such an important part of a healthy eco-system. (and I hear they are very fun to watch).

The only game left on my 'must see' list - wild dogs and the pangolin.
When you mention this to your guide, most every one has replied "me to" - goes to show how rare these sightings.