Painted Pups

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 14, 2016140 views8 comments

One of the definite highlights of my year was being able to witness how the Ngala pack of Painted Dogs (African Wild Dogs) brought their 17 new puppies out of the den for the very first time. My wife and I were spending time with the Endangered Wildlife Trust researcher Grant Beverly who monitors all the movements and dynamics of this species in the greater Kruger area, and perchance we happened to be at the den at the right time to witness the special moment when the pack called the pups out and regurgitated food for them and allowed them to explore and play around for about 45 minutes before nudging them back into the old termite mound they'd chosen as a den site.

See the rest of my "best of 2015" on my BLOG...

Nikon D3s | Nikkor 500mm f4 VR | f6.3 | 1/640 SS | ISO-1600

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on January 14, 2016 at 9:04 PM

Impressive image! The one turned backwards looks sort of scruffy compared to the other pups. I do like your composition of this scene. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on January 15, 2016 at 9:28 AM

Morkel,
Always nice to see some pups!
It maybe my monitor but the colour looks a little "brown"

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on January 16, 2016 at 9:34 PM

Great line up, which I bet was a real challenge with this many subjects.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 17, 2016 at 8:38 PM

This looks like quite the encounter Morkel Would have loved to see this in person, but the image gives me a chance to see it at all. I like the decision to go pano here.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Ashleigh Scully on January 20, 2016 at 8:42 AM

Hi Morkel! Very cool shot and i even like the one whos butt is sticking out. Great crop too.

Registered on November 4, 2013, 36 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on January 21, 2016 at 2:10 AM

Ha! Big "awww" moment in the Launstein house over this one, Morkel! What a great lineup! I take it you travel with a posing assistant now? laugh

Love the inquisitive, dirty faces and of course the comp is pretty much perfect for the scene IMO. Nice sandwich of tones too. Good stuff.

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on January 23, 2016 at 11:37 AM

Thanks folks.
Colour is reflective of how I remember the scene. The den is an old burrow so they were full of dirt to begin with.

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Ingrid Vekemans on February 4, 2016 at 10:24 AM

Lucky you...gorgeous shot, Morkel! They are mega cute...
Grt, Ingrid.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 138 Posts, 780 Comments