The African wild dog, also known as painted dogs, are an endangered species with a wild population that has plummeted to just 6,500.

They are found in sporadic and isolated patches across southern and east Africa, but by far their biggest concentration is in my backyard, the Okavango Delta, and watching a pack call and 'rally' before embarking on a hunt is one of the most enthralling safari experiences you can find anywhere in Africa.

Just like its domesticated relatives, the wild dog are extremely social and highly verbal: communicating with each other in clicks and whistles that sound more like birdsong than a dog growling or barking. This helps them achieve impressive feats of coordination as they take down impala, or sometimes even wildebeest. Trust me – you have to see a wildebeest up close to understand how daunting an undertaking this is!

You can see wild dogs throughout the Okavango Delta, but my recommended spot is around the Linyanti area in the north. Some camps are located close to resident packs of wild dogs and you can hear them crying, jostling and playing in the morning and evenings.

The wild dog's main threat is habitat encroachment by agriculture, and farmers who engage hunters to protect their livestock. Thus, well-managed tourism and conservation is an excellent bulwark to help conserve their habitats and this is an experience I'd recommend to anyone.