A recent study carried out by the University of Idaho has revealed a fascinating insight into the world of wild dogs, and in particular into how they make decisions.
Based on their research, there are some interesting hypotheses which could suggest that wild dogs 'vote' on whether they start a hunt.
Read on to find out more.
Wild dogs in Botswana's Okavango Delta - Wilderness Safaris
Wild dogs are prolific hunters with a hunt success rate in excess of 70%. They are in fact some of the most successful hunters in the African bush. To maintain this amazing record, they require the full commitment of every pack member. Packs will regularly hunt twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, setting off in search of prey that they can run down thanks to their phenomenal stamina. Dogs will usually hunt when it is cooler during the early morning and late afternoon, avoiding the searing heat of the day - a time they typically rest up in the shade.
In Botswana’s Okavango Delta, a research team from the University of Idaho monitored, filmed and recorded the sounds of wild dogs as they began to wake up from their midday slumber. As dogs at different levels of hierarchy within the pack felt it was time to head off, they would try and rally the rest of the pack. The research has suggested that a series of ‘sneezes’, which were only recorded at these ‘rally events’* might be one of the ways that they decide how many dogs are ready.
Wild dog pup in South Africa's Timbavati - Toby Pheasant
Through the recordings, the researchers found that packs were more likely to start a hunt if there were more sneezes heard. They also discovered that it required fewer sneezes of an Alpha dog to convince the pack to get going, around 3, compared to the amount of sneezes a lesser ranked dog had to emit to get the pack going - more than 10.
The sneezes could, of course, be complete coincidence with the dogs having already decided they’re ready to hunt and so it’s a good time to clear your nose. The correlation between the number of sneezes and the rank of the dog however does raise the question, are wild dogs democratic?
*85% of all the sneezes were at 'rally events', 15% seemed to be genuine sneezes from dust.
References
Sneeze to leave: African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) use variable quorum thresholds facilitated by sneezes in collective decisions - Walker, King, Weldon McNutt, Jordan. Sept-17
James Handley
Born and bred in the South of England, James is Bonamy’s intrepid traveller. When not honing his skills in London over the last decade, he's spent much of his time on self-planned expeditions and a...
View profileNever miss a notebook entry with our newsletter
