A blood-spattered African wild dog has been pictured chomping down on the the remains of a young impala in the Botswana delta plains.
The remarkable images show nature’s savage side with the wild dog – which is known locally as a painted wolf – gnawing on an impala calve’s jaws and staring straight down the camera lens.
The spectacular shot was snapped by luxury travel consultant Josh Flatman, 29, while he was on a safari holiday in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Flatman, who is usually based in Bristol, had spent the day following a pack before finding the perfect moment to capture the grim snapshot.
‘When it was happening, there is such excitement and you are so caught up in the moment that you don’t really fully take in what you are seeing,’ Flatman said.
‘When I was looking through the pictures later and seeing the gruesome details you can’t really believe that you were there to witness it and see nature, red in tooth and claw.
‘We first spotted the wild dogs just in front of camp. As we approached in the game vehicle they moved into a bush and relaxed in the shade. After a few minutes they all jumped up, alert and scattered off running through the bush.
‘When it was happening, there is such excitement and you are so caught up in the moment that you don’t really fully take in what you are seeing,’ Flatman said.
‘When I was looking through the pictures later and seeing the gruesome details you can’t really believe that you were there to witness it and see nature, red in tooth and claw.
‘We first spotted the wild dogs just in front of camp. As we approached in the game vehicle they moved into a bush and relaxed in the shade. After a few minutes they all jumped up, alert and scattered off running through the bush.
These dogs are very social, and packs have been known to share food and to assist weak or ill members.
African wild dogs hunt in formidable, cooperative packs of six to 20 (or more) animals. Larger packs were more common before the dogs became endangered.
The dogs are often frequently killed by farmers who fear they will attack their livestock.
Flatman said there was a mixed reaction to his fascinating shot – with some people even accusing him of faking the photo.
‘It’s a very striking shot,’ the 29-year-old said.
‘At the time it was more the noise of the wild dogs feeding and crunching that people on the scene were reacting to. You don’t expect just how loud a predator is when it is feasting frantically on all parts of an animal like this.
‘Regarding the actual image, I have been surprised that some people have thought it is fake, they don’t think a wild dog would eat the jaw like this!’
African wild dogs hit the headlines in the UK recently after 16 animals were killed at a safari park when a pack escaped from their enclosure due to damage caused by Storm Ciara earlier this month.
Staff at West Midland Safari Park in Bewdley, Worcestershire, were left ‘extremely saddened’ by the loss of six deer and 10 sheep.
The wild dogs were returned to their compound unharmed.