This Poor Buck Is Stuck Between Wild Dogs, Crocodiles, and a Deadly Hippo

There are not one but two animal encounters to marvel at in this fascinating video. We spot the poor beleaguered nyala buck stuck in an impossible situation. On the shore, this young animal faces a pack of wild dogs who are clearly hungry and are lining him up as their next meal. His head is down and he is trying to fend them off with his antlers. However, they seem to be getting the better of him. Suddenly, another character arrives on the scene. It is a large hippo who emerges from the water and seems to want to join in the fight! The hippo opens its enormous mouth and takes a snap at the nyala from behind.  Later, we see two hippos watching the scene from a distance.

The tension increases and you can’t help but feel sorry for the nyala as he has to retreat deeper and deeper into the water to get away from an increasing number of wild dogs who seem to sense that they are winning the fight and a meal will be served soon! Just when you think things cannot get worse for this poor animal – a crocodile strikes. They come out of nowhere, perfectly hidden just under the surface of the water. At least now, the suffering of the nyala is at an end!

Wild Dogs Hunting in Packs

In many ways, this poor young nyala does not stand a chance. Their typical habitats are the savannas of Africa which provide plenty of cover, fresh water, and lush grass. They are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaziland. This footage was recorded at Royal Malewane in Kruger National Park.

Before being claimed by a clever crocodile, he was pursued by African wild dogs which are also called Cape hunting dogs. They have a mottled color pattern on their coat which helps them to blend in with the grassland. As we see here, they are highly efficient hunters and have highly developed sharp teeth to tear at meat. They are also the second-largest wild hunting dog species in the world. As well as trying their luck with nyala, they feed on warthogs, hares, cane rats, and insects.

Here we see the dogs acting as a pack which is typical of their behavior. They live in groups of between 10 and 30 and have a strict hierarchy. A breeding pair is dominant and all other pack members are below them in rank. As well as hunting, they also share food, help injured or sick members and help to raise each other’s young.

They also gather together before hunting – licking each other and making high-pitched squeals. It just goes to show that even these vicious hunters have a soft side!

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