MEET THE AUTHOR
“Highly informative, inspirational, beautifully illustrated and critically important.” This is how author and conservationist Mark Carwardine aptly describes Painted Wolves – A Wild Dog’s Life, by Nicholas Dyer and Peter Blinston. Featuring a gripping narrative and more than 220 amazing images, the book took five years to produce. Nicholas Dyer tells us more.
Why are painted wolves such enigmatic creatures? There’s so much about them that makes them special that I struggled to fit it all into a 300-page book that weighs four kilos! I suppose the main thing is the social cohesion and the bond of the pack. They’re led by an alpha female, who is the only one who breeds, while the rest of the pack members adopt roles that focus on bringing up the pups. They are gentle creatures that compete by submission rather than aggression, despite the fact that they’re Africa’s most successful predator with 80 % of hunts resulting in kills. They also love to play. This is what makes them so much fun to watch and photograph.
Why do you call them painted wolves, instead of wild dogs? They are usually called African wild dogs or painted dogs, and their scientific name is Lycaon pictus. The term painted wolf, however, is actually a closer translation of the scientific name, and it’s the label we prefer.
What has caused the staggering 99 % decline in their numbers over the past century? Sadly, they were considered vermin and there was an active programme to eliminate them because of their over-exaggerated threat to livestock. In what was then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) a reward was given to anyone who handed in a tail. Farming journals were full of inventive ways to kill them. In the Kruger they were shot on sight. Painted wolves are protected today, but they are still persecuted by some farmers and they fall victim to snares. They’re also killed by vehicles on roads, and they contract diseases like distemper and rabies from domestic dogs.
In a century, their numbers have fallen from an estimated 500 000 to 6 500. Like all wildlife, loss of habitat is a serious issue. We have set up the Painted Wolf Foundation to help them get onto the top table of conservation, where they belong.
You followed three packs at Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. What are the most valuable things you learnt? How to stay alive is an obvious one, since all my photography is done on foot! More important, however, is the outlook for all African wildlife – recognising how fragile the ecosystem is. Wildlife is under huge and growing pressure, and I believe that anyone who enjoys or says they care about it, needs to do something to contribute to conservation. Lions, rhinos, cheetahs and painted wolves won’t be here for long if we don’t.
What has been your most worrying moments while photographing on foot? While a pack was feeding on an impala, they were attacked by three lions. This happened barely 10 m ahead of me and my car was 2 km away… The wolves gapped it to safety and I was left to deal with the lions, who were very surprised to see me there. I have learnt not to run in such situations. I shouted at them to establish authority and they stopped advancing on me. Then I talked to them calmly and it seemed to work. After a terrifying eightminute stand-off, I felt it was safe to back away slowly. I describe the ordeal in detail in the book, together with a beautiful photo of the lioness that I couldn’t resist taking when I got a safe distance away – somehow avoiding camera shake!
Tell us about other photos in the book that have special meaning for you. “On the Prowl” is the photo used on the cover. It’s the stance the wolves go into when stalking their prey. A little secret is that they were not actually after a meal in this photo, but rather sneaking up on their pups to wake them up to play.
“Ahead in the Game” is also very special – it shows evidence of the wolves hunting baboon (a practice never seen before), plus the endless ability of the pups to have fun together, and the brutality of life in the wild. It was Highly
Commended in the 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Lastly is “Wolf School”, which shows an adult wolf playing headmaster to the pups. It always reminds me of the poem “The Law of the Jungle” by Rudyard Kipling.
How do you fill the hours while waiting for action in the wild? Painted wolves sleep for long periods, punctuated by sudden and extreme moments of joy and activity when they are hunting and playing. In the quiet times, I simply enjoy being in the bush, listening to the sounds of the birds, being alone and soaking up the atmosphere.
What three tips can you give to aspiring wildlife photographers? First, get to know your camera so that it’s familiar. Second, study wildlife so you understand the behaviour of different animals so that you can better anticipate photo opportunities. Most important is to respect the wildlife. I see too many egocentric photographers more interested in the photographs they might get than the wellbeing of their subjects. We are privileged to be in their territory and must always maintain a deep sensitivity towards their boundaries and their welfare.
What is your next project? I’m still working hard for the Painted Wolf Foundation, giving talks around the world, writing articles and looking for innovative ways to raise funds. I’m also exploring new experiences with painted wolves – guiding specialist photographic safaris where people not only get to see these incredible creatures but also meet and support the conservationists in the field. – Erns Grundling
Painted Wolves – A Wild Dog’s Life is published by Lycaon Ventures Ltd. R995 at bookstores and hphpublishing.co.za. All profits are donated to the Painted Wolf Foundation paintedwolf.org