Persistent in his call, a Bearded Scrub Robin breaks the morning’s stillness. It’s 04h30. I rub the sleep from my eyes and instinctively pull back the curtains to welcome the morning breeze.

It’s cool out. The clouds, holding in their grip any light desperate to emerge. A good day for wild dogs I think to myself.

My feet meet the ground with a deep appreciation for the day that lies ahead. This is home. It's just me and the African bush. The lights on the dash signal the start of my day, as the engine roars to life.

The route to Selati Camp has become second nature to me. My mind is not focused on the road but rather on the sounds and sights of my early morning drive.

A familiar alarm call pierces through the grassland bringing my attention to an impala who has stopped in his tracks. His posture is upright. Body stiff with... fear of the unknown. My own interests have been piqued. I stop the vehicle to examine my surroundings.

As guides our senses are one of our key tools when out on safari, just like animals, we want to use our hearing, sense of smell as well as sight. All cylinders are firing as I search the bush for answers. Many of these answers can be found by simply reading the behaviour of the animals too.

My curiosity was drawn back to the impala standing at attention in front of my vehicle. Ears forward, chest upright as he stood dead still sniffing the air. A feeling of anxiety fills not only the body of this ram but mine too. The ram shoots off in the opposite direction!

In my periphery, I catch sight of a flash of white that dashes through the bushes at lightning speed. His slender build and dappled coat are a dead giveaway; the large unmistakable ears dance through the long grass and wild dogs are on the move.

Coming around the corner, I'm brought to a stop at the sight of a large group of pups, huddled close together, waiting, watching.

My excitement builds as the pieces of the story fall into place.

One dog, two dogs, five dogs dash across. The hunt is on!

Wild dogs are proficient hunters, although brutal in their perusal and take down, it's a special sight to witness these magnificent predators in action. Making use of the cooler weather to avoid overheating, they set the pace for the morning’s sighting.

I marvel at how disciplined the pups are, guarded by a “nanny” of sorts they patiently wait for the adults to finish the hunt so they too can partake in a meal.

The eerie call of a hyena echoes through the drainage line. Attracted by the commotion of the hunt, they race past my vehicle. I continue driving behind them to not miss any action. The dogs have most certainly made a kill!

A female impala lay strewn across the veld; dogs fighting over the last remains; hyenas biting at any opportunity to steal scrapes, putting their bodies on the line just to secure a small piece of this prize. The barks and screeching calls, of hyenas and wild dogs, fill the air, it’s deafening. The impala is devoured in minutes. The flashing of the group of white-tipped tails feathers out as dogs settle in the open area. The war between the two arch nemeses has come to a standstill and the bush became still once again.

It’s 05h15... Wake-up calls need to be done! I quickly start my engine; pause, thankful for the experience I just shared with these amazing creatures, excited to relay the story to my guests.