A rather unusual wild dog kill at the Jamala Madikwe waterhole.

One of the wild dogs, a member of the Southern Pack, moves in for a closer look at us.

We had not seen wild dogs in front of Jamala Madikwe for some time and as many of you know, The Madikwe Game Reserve is renowned for its very successful wild dog breeding program. However, living in this beautiful wilderness has afforded us multiple sightings of this extremely endangered predator, the majority of which have taken place in and around the lodge.

Whilst enjoying sunset drinks on the main deck of Jamala Madikwe yesterday evening with friends from one of our neighboring lodges, the smaller of the two wild dog packs made a much welcomed appearance at our waterhole.

After a brief drink, it was with considered purpose that the pack moved into the thickets south of the open plains. The hunt was about to begin! These animals never cease to amaze with their tactical assuredness and incredibly high success rate whilst hunting.

Within moments, we were drawn to the plight of a female impala as she broke cover, racing toward our waterhole – one dog in close pursuit.

Watching a kill is both exhilarating and incredibly sad, a range of conflicting emotions collide in that one brief moment. One has to remain detached and non-judgemental as audience to the realities of a life and death struggle in the wild. Their is no sense of victory in the catch. It is what it is! The hunter and the hunted – just as nature had intended.

This particular kill was different. We have never before witnessed almost leonine methodology in a wild dog kill. On this occasion the dog managed to apply a throat hold on the impala and it could not have taken more than thirty seconds before the female impala, breathless from the chase, gave up her fight for life.

With the calving season imminent, it was not surprising, although somewhat distressing, to watch as the dog opened the belly of the impala with almost surgical precision and remove the now well developed fetus.

Our thanks go to Neil Steedman, both friend and neighbor, for this wonderful series of graphic photographs.

The moment of contact. This dog moves straight in for a classic throat hold.

At this point in the hunt, it is assumed that the impala is "overcome" - the result of an overload of adrenalin which facilitates the onset of anaphylactic shock.