To Intervene or Not

One morning, one of our co-owners, guided by Actor, stumbled upon two wild dogs on an impala kill. Sadly, one had a nasty chest injury—fresh and deep, with exposed flesh. Management was notified at once, but by the time we arrived, the dogs had disappeared into the bush. Research manager Botilo tells the story:

“Several days passed before we could locate them again. Luckily, the injured dog wore a satellite collar, allowing us to track it every hour. We called in experienced vet Dr. Wave Kashweka, who drove down from Maun to assess the wound.

The next day, we baited the dogs with an impala carcass, which they eagerly accepted. As the injured dog fed, the vet darted it. The wound, already in the healing process, was too old to stitch. Instead, it was cleaned, treated with antibiotics, and the dog was given pain relief before being released to rest and recover. The pair soon moved off toward the Mogorosi River, seemingly undeterred.

We’re often faced with the question: should we intervene? Injuries are a natural part of life for both predator and prey. But when it comes to endangered species like African wild dogs or rhinos, the urge to help sometimes outweighs our instinct to let nature take its course. That line is never easy to draw.”

In fact, this wasn’t the only time our wild dogs needed help. Twice more, individuals were injured by wire or snares—one with a snare around his neck that we had successfully removed, and another with wire on his leg, who evaded capture but seems to be healing on his own, sustained by his pack.

It’s a delicate balance, but in these moments, compassion and conservation go hand in hand.

If you would like to support our conservation efforts, have a look on our website: https://limpopo-lipadi.org/donate/. For discreet information on share sales, contact generalmanager@limpopo-lipadi.org. To book a safari, request our rates via reservations@limpopo-lipadi.org or via WhatsApp: (+267) 76770191.