African Wild Dogs (Painted Wolves) Swimming Hunt for Lechwe. Video from a Botswana Safari.

This video filmed by Bill Given of The Wild Source is believed to be the first to fully document a pack of wild dogs specializing in swimming to pursue red lechwe. This inspired the BBC Natural History unit to engage our assistance in planning and guiding to film this behavior for the Planet Earth 3 Freshwater episode. This video was filmed on a Botswana Safari in the Okavango Delta, we witnessed exceptional action behavior as the Lechwe Pack (African Wild Dogs) swims into a deep Okavango Delta channel in pursuit of a remarkable red lechwe. The Wild Dogs (aka painted wolves or painted dogs) show amazing coordination, effectively hemming the lechwe into the deep part of the channel while occupying banks on multiple sides.
Ultimately, the lechwe's superior skills in the deeper water succeeded and the pack returns empty to their hungry pups but in the afternoon they have success (see video on our channel). Filmed under the outstanding guiding of Diesel Tshosa and Dicks Tsima - specialist private guides for The Wild Source who operate out of Okavango Origins mobile camp.
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⌚⌚⌚ Time Stamps in the video: ⌚⌚⌚
00:00 Lechwe enters the water to escape
01:00 African Wild Dogs take up positions on the shore surrounding the Lechwe
02:05 African Wild Dogs begin traversing across the shallow water
02:57 African Wild Dogs begin swimming towards the lechwe
04:27 Dog swims within feet of the lechwe
05:00 The Wild Dogs back off and the lechwe makes his escape at an open bank
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The Wild Source is a mission-driven safari operator. We specialize in wildlife biologist-planned safaris, using travel as a conservation tool to empower local people and conserve wildlife and wild places. We are known for our remarkable guiding team, serious wildlife viewing, and creating camp ownership opportunities for local people.
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[@Hemiauchenia]

Lechwe antelopes deserve a lot of credit. They are water specialists and they have evolved to swim fast & use the water to avoid predators. It's amazing to see this interaction between this antelope & these amazing wild dogs who almost always catch their prey.

[@jayhouse3149]

My family and I appreciate that y'all didn't drown out the natural sounds with ridiculous music! These extraordinary and incredibly beautiful dogs are our favorite wild dogs!

[@richardbarton6146]

They are cautious of crocodiles maybe in the water, I hope the antelope got away to safety..

[@mixedtraveler3585]

They are not painted wolves ..they african wild dogs. Wake up and learn about Africa

[@TheWildSource]

You didn't say that in a very nice way but fact is the Latin scientific name is Lycaon pictus meaning painted wolf. Quite a few conservationists and biologists prefer the actual scientific name and have started calling them painted wolves or painted dogs as wild dog indicates a feral dog to many which undercuts people's interest in learning about and conserving them. Unfortunately over the years Cape Hunting Dog (got them persecuted for their natural hunting success) and African wild dog haven't been the best fit for this amazing species.

[@mixedtraveler3585]

@@TheWildSource AFRICAN wild dogs it is AFRICAN😀✊🌍

[@hadullo]

​@@TheWildSource . Even though, they're the most successful of all predators, wild dogs aren't good swimmers and far more than not, they're cautious about getting into the river.
But anyway, great video.