AFRICAN WILD DOGS HUNTING

African wild dogs, also known as painted wolves (Lycaon pictus), are superlative co-operative hunters of the African bush. Their top speed is 70 km/hour but they also have formidable endurance to catch their prey. I watched this pack for two hours in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park work together to isolate, corner, bring down and devour an impala. Animal detection locked focus onto the middle dog of this trio and a shutter speed of 1./2000th second froze the action.

F/6.3, 1/2000th second, ISO 1600
Accepted: Smethwick 2025