Worst Day Ever as a Kudu Fights Wild Dogs, a Hippo, and Crocodile at Once

Written by Sharon Parry
Published: December 11, 2022
© Jurgens Potgieter/Shutterstock.com
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This poor kudo is having the day from hell. He is forced to fend off not just wild dogs but also a hippo and a crocodile! The outcome is inevitable.

Wild Dogs as Accomplished Hunters

From this stunning footage of a pack of wild dogs in their natural habitat we learn that they are amongst the best hunting species in Africa. Packs can pursue prey over long distances and, working together, they are able to overcome animals that are much bigger than they are. They have great stamina and can outrun many other animals who tire more easily. African wild dogs are also called painted dogs and Cape hunting dogs and have mottled fur which acts as camouflage when they are roaming the deserts, open-plains and arid savanna areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

They live in groups (packs) made up of between 10 and 30 individuals. Within the packs there is a hierarchy with a breeding pair having dominance over the other dogs.

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Close up of wild dog
Wild dogs hunt in packs so that they can take on larger animals

©Richard Juilliart/Shutterstock.com

A Poor Choice of Escape

In this unique footage, we see that a kudu has been pursued by a group of wild dogs and has entered a river to try to escape. The male kudu (an antelope species) has long, twisting horns on the top of his head and uses them to fend off the dogs as best he can. He seems to just about have the situation under control when a huge hippo emerges from the water behind him. We see the hippo before the kudu does!

When the kudo does notice the hippo, he obviously perceives it to be just as big a threat as the wild dogs. He twists his body and pushes his large horns towards the astonished hippo who promptly turns around and sinks back under the water. The poor kudo thinks that he is now much safer but is making a mistake by staying in the river because a more deadly predator is lurking beneath the murky water.

The kudu is so focused on fending off the wild dogs that he does not notice a large crocodile sneaking up on his left. With no warning, the croc strikes with deadly accuracy and drags its prey into the water. The kudu has no time at all to react or to try to escape and within seconds it is dead. The odds were stacked against this poor animal!

Next up:

Watch Two Crocs Fight To The Death in An Intense Match

Watch a Gigantic Crocodile Cannibalize a Smaller Croc

Watch This Croc Wrangler Bait a Giant With Their Bare Hands


The Featured Image

Kudu with large horns
Male kudu have large horns that they can use for defence
© Jurgens Potgieter/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Sharon has a Ph.D. in Public Health but has spent the last decade researching and writing about all things connected with animal health and well being. As a life-long animal lover, she now shares her family home with three rabbits, a Syrian hamster, and a very energetic Cocker Spaniel but in the past she has also been a Mom to Guinea Pigs and several cats!She has a passion for researching accurate and credible information about pets and reviewing products that make pet owners' lives a bit easier. When she isn't checking out new pet products she's trekking around the Welsh mountains and beaches with her dog - although she lets her husband and her three grown up daughters tag along sometimes if they are lucky!

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