Wild Dogs Work Together To Cut Wildebeest Off From Herd

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In some cases, the hunts between predator and prey are short-lived. For instance, a pair of lions may lie in wait for warthogs to emerge from their burrows and grab them as soon as they come out. However, sometimes the hunts are long, and the chases even longer. This can be extremely taxing for predators and prey. Make sure not to miss the video above, where these African wild dogs work hand in hand to hunt this wildebeest down. 

African Wild Dogs Hunting Wildebeest

In Africa, we see a group of African wild dogs that are hunting wildebeests. The Jungle Journey YouTube page shared this short video and added their own educational commentary on the hunt. This channel’s most recent content is of African men stealing a lion prides prey, a group of elephants attempting to save a baby elephant, and a massive giraffe taking a tumble. 

The Great Wildebeest Chase

As the video above starts out, these African wild dogs have found two lone wildebeests that are not within the protection of their herd. And while most wildebeest herds are a lot lower in number, during the great migration, they can reach up to 1.2-2 million!  

As they are giving chase, we can’t help but be amazed at the speed both of these animals are going. Wildebeest are able to run up to incredible speeds of 50 miles per hour. However, as the narrator shares, this run is short-lived. It might help them evade a potential predator and escape. That only works if the predator gives up the chase.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the African wild dog can run up to 44 miles per hour. But, as the narrator in the video points out, they are able to sustain that run for an extended period of time. Giving them the advantage over short-winded animals such as the wildebeests in the video above. 

Is a Wildebeest an Antelope?

The wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is of the family Bovidae which is the same family that the antelope belongs to. Stanford University shares that “Antelopes include around 91 species in 30 genera (out of 143 species of bovids).” Antelope reside worldwide in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, and North America. 

Antelope are herbivore eaters that rely on a heavy subsistence of grass, shoots, seeds, and leaves. They are hunted by various predators, such as lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles, pythons, large birds, and African wild dogs.