Sambar chasing dhole

[Sabyasachi Patra]

It was great watching a fine natural history moment. A pack of ten dholes (Cuon alpinus) were attacking a pack of sambars (Cervus unicolor). There was one fawn as well. The sambars had got into water. One sambar got out of the water and tried to chase the dholes. It happened several times. Light was low as the evening was fast approaching.

Canon EOS 1D Mark II, Canon EF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM, EF 2xII, ISO 800, f5.6, 1/100th of second. Full frame.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Wow! this is amazing stuff, was this in Bandipur last weekend? Did the dhole make the kill? Do share other images from this series...

Last month when I was in Bandipur similar action took place where dhole were trying to attack sambars in a water hole, but did not manage to make the kill, there was counter attack by sambars same like the was one you watched. I missed on this scene that time as I was after the male tiger "Agastya":)

Sightings at Bandipur has been really good for past 3-4 months, almost every day Tigers & Leopards are sighted. Dholes I have sighted almost every trip that I make to Bandipur each month.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Praveen,
This was last weekend. Unfortunately, the light was fading and I had to leave. At the end I was clicking at 400mm at f2.8 and got 1/6 second at ISO 1600. :D Those were more of record shots. The dholes could not kill the fawn. Next day morning, saw the mother and fawn still in the water. Other sambars had left these two and had moved ahead.

I will post more shots later.

[Mrudul Godbole]

That is quite a rare moment captured. The alert pose of the sambar with the raised tail and low neck, tells the situation. Nice composition. You are lucky to witness and photograph this rare natural history moment.

Look forward to more..

[Bibhav Behera]

Lovely rare moment. the raised tail and the dhole in the BG tells the story. thanks for sharing.