Sun Destinations Blog - Page 20 of 117 - Sun Destinations Safari

Gorilla conservation: beyond the boundaries of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Mountain gorillas are one of the world’s rarest wildlife species. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are as few as 1000 individuals left on planet Earth.

The world’s population of mountain gorillas is split into two. Just over half live in the Virunga Mountains (a range of extinct volcanoes bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda). The balance can be found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. This mountain gorilla subspecies was first recognised in 1902 and since then, these animals have survived hunting, war, habitat destruction and disease.

Also read: Gorilla Portraits from Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Mountain gorillas do not survive in captivity. Braving the thick forests and misty mountains along the Uganda-Congo-Rwanda border is the only way to see these endangered animals.

How visiting gorillas contributes to conservation

When you visit mountain gorillas in the wild, you are contributing to their survival as creatures of the forest. In the 1970s, there were just 400 mountain gorillas in the whole world. Thanks to escalated interest in the conservation of gorillas in the 80s and 90s, there’s a direct correlation between tourism and protection.

Also read: Our foolproof, tried-and-tested list to use while packing for gorilla trekking.

In fact, in November last year, the Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature updated mountain gorillas’ status from “critically endangered” to “endangered” when population estimates reached 1000. However, these precious primates are not out of the woods yet.

To ensure sustainability and the full protection of these great apes, there are ways to help promote gorilla conservation after your trek.

Gorilla conservation and community

Conservation goes beyond the boundaries of a national park. For conservation to be effective, everyone (tourists and locals alike) needs to see value in having a thriving ecosystem.

Part of the revenue collected from your gorilla permit is used as salary payment for game and park rangers, guards and tour guides. Many of whom were poachers and hunters in a previous life, making a living from the land. By providing an alternative income, locals are deterred from engaging in anti-conservation activities.

Ecotourism provides environmentally-sensitive employment and promotes community development. Tourists mean money, jobs and a better standard of living for many in Uganda. Gorillas as such have become a vital resource with monetary value worth protecting. According to the WWF, local communities in Uganda earn about US$678000 each year from tourists who come to see mountain gorillas and their annual value to the Ugandan economy is US$1 million per gorilla.

A gorilla tracking trip benefits both wildlife and local communities. Every visitor can support the local economy. Stay in local lodges, hire local operators, participate in local activities, support souvenir-sellers and eat in local establishments. All of these elements better create healthy communities surrounding the national parks.

Hire a porter

It’s not part of the gorilla permit fee, but the porter system supplies extra employment to the surrounding Bwindi community. It works on a rotation system (it’s good and fair) but unemployment is rife, so often the porters only get to work once a month. It costs just $15 to hire a porter. Keep in mind, however, that this amount can sometimes be a porter’s full salary. Tip kindly if they have done a good job.

Drink coffee

Gorilla Conservation Coffee is a social enterprise, which pays a premium price to help coffee farmers who live beside the gorillas of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Supporting the local farmers helps to defend the critically endangered gorillas and their fragile forest habitat. Currently, the Gorilla Conservation Coffee supports 500 farmers through training in sustainable coffee farming and processing. $1.50 per kilo of coffee purchased is donated to help save mountain gorillas. Read more about mountain gorilla conservation on the Conservation Through Public Health website.

Honour the Batwa Tribe

In conjunction with your gorilla trekking safari to Uganda, get to know the story of the Batwa and contribute where you can. The Batwa are Uganda’s most marginalised community and were evicted from their forest home over two decades ago when Bwindi became a national park. Seek out an ethical tour that avoids exploitation of the Batwa. Try the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s Batwa Forest Experience, which was launched in Bwindi in April 2019.

There is express government support for this activity and if you want to undertake the Batwa Forest Experience on the day before or after the gorilla trek, park entry fees for tourists are waived. The trail takes place in the forest and includes demonstrations of various aspects of the Batwa culture, for example, honey collecting.

Also read: The History of Uganda’s Batwa Pygmy Tribe in Bwindi Region

Spread the word

After gorilla tracking, share the experience. Over the past 20 years, tourism has been the most successful tool for protecting gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. Tourism has created jobs and generates direct revenue from the sale of goods or provision of services such as guiding, transportation, and more. Spreading the word about gorilla tourism will help to attract tourists and generating further conservation funds.

Where to stay when gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla Safari Lodge has 18 luxurious cottages set in lush, colourful gardens overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is a five-minute stroll away. Memorable touches include complimentary shoe-washing service (you’ll be grateful after all the mud!) and hot water bottles at turn down. Some units (all of them are named after gorilla families or individuals) have a bath and cosy indoor fireplace – ideal after a long day on foot.

Fantastico Sundowner Session at Walkers Bush Villa

The past few days at Walkers Bush Villa in the Timbavati have been a merry-go-round of safari activities, languid luncheons and sublime moments in wild settings. Safari in Swahili – loosely translated – means “journey”. From the culinary to the wildlife, the atmosphere and the service; there are many aspects that ensure an idyllic all round safari experience. In essence, it’s a journey on many levels. The experienced and passionate team at Walkers ensured that the safari experience at the villa lived up to its namesake. Shirell organised and set up everything, Charles was at the helm of the game drives explaining lion pride dynamics, and Christina made sure growling bellies were satisfied. Walkers is ideal for discerning guests, and certainly delivers on its promise of exclusivity and personalised service. Recently, two Italian families descended upon the Villa and most certainly had a fantastico time here in heart of safari kingdom.

A highlight of the stay was the rather enigmatic sundowner set-up. Walkers always brings a touch of elegance and class to their sundowner sessions ! Canvas chairs are neatly placed on the banks of the shimmering dam, perfectly set-up for entertaining waterhole viewing. A table laden with scrumptious snacks tailor-made to guests’ specific dietary requirements rest neatly upon crisp white linen. Bottles of wine, bubbly and drinks-of-choice accompany the snacks. Not much is needed in terms of decor because the wilderness beyond provides the perfect natural beauty. However, the team at Walkers is fond of stepping it up a notch and made sure that touches of luxury shone through with table decor. While the Italians were tucking into sliders and spring rolls, a territorial hippo put on quite a display in the waters of Sunset Dam. Food, drinks and entertainment – Africa style!

While we’re on the topic of food, let’s unpack the culinary delights courtesy of private chef and caterer, Christina Blunden. Food was a dance of modern flavours, with hints of traditional South African cuisine coupled with a few Italian touches. Christina says that she has one motto, which is : “One of my main priorities while on safari is to ensure that my guests leave an extra 5kgs heavier than when they arrived.” A few highlights included the homemade focaccia, chocolate ganache with blueberries, chocolate muffins for morning safari and crunchy spring rolls as part of the sundowner snacks. Buono !

Charles certainly proved his skill as a guide. En route to the spectacular sundowner set-up guests spotted ALL of the big five. Filling the gaps between the big five sightings, there were sightings of general game and a fluttering of bold birdlife. Leading up to this particular sighting, the Italian guests saw a leopard on a kill and a pride of lions on a kill. The hefty Black Dam male made an appearance for guests – it’s always nice to see one of the dominant lions of the area!

Yet another successful, private safari at Walkers Bush Villa!

That Umkumbe Life

It’s a common perception that the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve is an unreasonably expensive safari destination. Umkumbe Safari Lodge begs to differ.

Nestled on the banks of the seasonal and wildlife-rich Sand River, Umkumbe Safari Lodge offers guests a reasonably-priced yet luxurious retreat in one of the world’s most premier game viewing reserves, Sabi Sand. The fact that it’s managed and run by its owners means Umkumbe creates a seamless and bespoke experience for guests looking to ‘rewild’.

We’re often so swept up in our breathless schedules that, even when we go on holiday, we forget to look away from the screens that plague our pockets, dreading the next email or phone call, or constantly burning to scroll through our social media feeds. At Umkumbe, although there is optional WiFi at certain times of the day, one is encouraged to look up and enjoy what is in front of you. And, with the abundance and diversity of game right on your doorstep here, it’s hard not to.

Elephants are regularly seen splashing about in the waters of the Sand River which meanders past the lodge’s sprawling deck, while buffalo, wildebeest and an array of other antelope graze on its banks. One could survey this scene from the coolness of the sparkling pool, or from the comfort of the sun loungers surrounding it. Most suites also have river views, while a few look out on to a plains area with a waterhole that also attracts thirsty game.

The lodge sleeps 20 guests. Families generally opt for the Superior Suites as they are larger, and can accommodate children on sleeper couches. The Superior Suites also have outdoor showers, which are an absolute treat on those balmy bush evenings, and little verandahs perfect for reading while keeping an eye on the goings-on at the river, or for sighting birds. Some of the rooms are inter-leading, perfect for bigger families.

A day at Umkumbe is what you choose to make of it. Game drives first thing in the morning generally serve up any and sometimes all of the big five – this is considered leopard heaven, so you’d be unlucky not to see at least one during your stay.
After a delicious breakfast in the lounge or on the deck, you’re welcome to join one of the experienced guides on a bush walk, which tend to be highly educational and rewarding, particularly regarding the smaller things of the bush that an untrained eye will never pick up. Or you could spend your day lazing around the pool, playing some snooker in the lounge, or identifying the multitude of bird species that flit about the lodge.

In the evening, a second game drive is on the cards with sundowners at a carefully selected scenic spot with ample opportunities for epic sunset photography. After sundowners, guests get to enjoy some night driving, where guides literally shine some light on rare nocturnal critters that you won’t see during the day, such as serval, genet, African wild cat, owls and nightjars.

Hungry, guests return to a quintessential bush dinner in the traditional boma, with a roaring fire around which to swap tales of all the sightings enjoyed during the day, or alternatively in the indoor dining area. Umkumbe is rustic, yet real, and guests want for nothing.

Electricity, air-conditioning, comfortably appointed accommodation, and superb service ensure that you’re never without your creature comforts, but the no-frills and even-less-fuss vibe, plus the extreme proximity to raw nature mean you get the full and absolute South African bush experience. Most importantly, your electronics and social media cravings are instantly forgotten in this edenic setting, and instead it becomes about enjoying one another in a wild, wild place.

Camp Savuti : The Marsh Pride Lionesses Get Rough and Rowdy

The Savuti region of Chobe National Park is a sought after pocket of wildlife paradise. This enchanting predator-rich region is well-documented for its fierce lion populations, one of which is the dominant Marsh Pride. Breakaway females and splintered groups from the powerful Marsh Pride are often spotted while out on drive with the team from Camp Savuti. When the young males within the pride reach maturity they eventually breakaway; and small groups of females tend to form their own mini-prides. Camp Savuti enjoys ample sightings of various offshoots from the resident Marsh Pride, a turbulent pride steeped in history. The 30 strong Marsh Pride is a product of their environment, hence their brutish ways.

Why do we refer to the lion prides of the Savuti region as foreboding and fierce? Let’s unpack this a bit. It’s no secret that the Savuti Channel is an unforgiving and desolate landscape with a fascinating geography. The channel is often bone-dry for decades, and then suddenly begins to flow again; a phenomenon that is down to tectonic plate movement affecting the flow of water in Linyanti, Chobe, Zambezi and even the Angola highlands. There’s speculation abound about the root cause of the slow ebb and flow of the Savuti, but it does seem to have many contributing factors.

Of course, when the Savuti does flow – like it did in 2014 – it completely changes the biome. The region moves rapidly from dry grassy savannah to a swampy marshland that draws in the water-loving giants such as hippos, wading birds and even lechwe. At this stage the Savuti is completely arid – and we don’t know when it will flow again. Despite the current dry conditions, Savuti is a year-round game viewing destination and is most certainly a place where you’ll get your fill of big cat sightings.

This brings us to where we are today. The lions of the area have quite the history, one that is actually tied into the geography of the area. When the channel stopped flowing the general game populations migrated or died off; which meant the lion prides were starved of prey. The resourceful and opportunistic cats decided that their only option was to hunt what was readily available : elephants. They became accustomed to taking down giant prey and quickly earned themselves a reputation of being ferocious, unforgiving cats. Their behaviour defied textbooks and fascinated lion fanatics from around the globe. The antics of the savage Lions of the Savuti became well-documented, and to this day the prides still capture interest.

The current Marsh Pride have a genetic lineage tied into the fierce elephant killers of years gone by, and their robust bloodline is evident – even in play.

Photographer Em Gatland visited Camp Savuti in July this year, and managed to photograph moments with big cats which led to top notch images. Not only did she photograph leopard cubs, but she also managed to spend time with the Marsh Pride on a giraffe kill.

In conjunction with this sighting, Em spotted a couple of the females chasing, tumbling and tackling each other. Even when the Marsh females engage in play, it’s still rough and rowdy ! In this series of images, we see how the females practice their ambush techniques and rough house with each other.

The next time you join the Trails of Botswana or stay at Camp Savuti, at least you’ll have a wealth of knowledge about the Marsh Pride of lions. To know their history, is to understand them !

Click here to find out more about the Savage lions of the Savuti.

Nsala Private Game Reserve : Into the wild

Nsala Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger is wilder than most. No fences, very few camps and almost no traffic mean game and birds flourish here and, if you’re as lucky as we were, you might even see a spectacular kill or two…

I’m sitting on Nsala Safari Camp’s beautiful deck having a coffee and a chat with proprietor Andrew De Luca when a commotion of squeals and chirrups breaks loose. Countless banded mongoose are haring down the dry river bank in front of the lodge, squirming to get to the food first. Every afternoon, like clockwork, this cute yet feisty mob of banded bandits storm the lodge in anticipation of the previous evening’s food waste being put outside, proceed to wolf it down in a show of teeth and growls, and then disappear into the undergrowth as suddenly as they appeared.

We’re waiting for the mercury to drop a little before we head out on our afternoon game drive. The little splash infinity pool right in front of my room is heaven in this searing heat, and I use it liberally. From the pool, I keep an eye on the surrounding foliage to see how many birds I can identify. So far, my tally is composed of a blue waxbill, a big bateleur, several shrikes including a beautiful bokmakierie, a few yellow-billed hornbills, and a far off thermal-surfing jackal buzzard. The abundance of birds flitting about the lodge is incredible, but our game drive would prove even more fruitful…

With Andrew behind the wheel, the bush comes alive to the untrained eye. He’s a font of bush knowledge and he takes visible pleasure in pointing out and expounding on intricacies and peculiarities of the veld and various wildlife. We’ve barely left the lodge when a lone hyena slinks across the road, clearly in a hurry, perhaps having caught wind of a snack. And it’s not long before we also see signs of a potential nearby kill… Several hooded vultures are circling an area not far ahead, taking turns to land on branches, perching patiently like angels of death.

We hear them before we see them. Crunching bones and territorial growls betray what we expect to be a grizzly scene – and we’re not disappointed. We round a mopane thicket and find the Western Pride, a well-known and ferocious pride of lions in the area, feasting on a massive Cape buffalo carcass. Having missed the hunt by probably a few minutes, we stare in grim fascination as the lions tear ribbons of scarlet meat from the hapless buffalo, while the gantry of vultures look on hungrily.

It’s a feast that will continue well into the night and, before long, the lions will probably be tested by a few brave hyenas and jackals. But our own dinner back at the lodge is getting cold and we leave the gorging pride well after sunset, returning to camp exhilarated by the riveting sighting. On the way back Andrew’s spotlight illuminates the skulking figure of the ever elusive civet – another treat to round off a truly spectacular drive.

I can’t wait to see what this wildest of wildernesses will serve up on tomorrow’s dawn drive…

The Week in Pictures : Girl Power on National Women’s Day

Today is National Women’s Day in South Africa, a day set aside to commemorate the 1956 march to parliament to abolish one of the many Draconian laws implemented in South Africa at the time. Today, National Women’s Day is designed to draw attention to the many hurdles and issues that women still face. On Women’s Day we encourage all woman to strive for equality, find strength and forge the way forward for future generations. Collectively, we have many beautiful, strong-minded women working at our lodges and camps; and within the Sun Destinations team. As an ode to women, today we are going to share a couple of recent images taken by a few of our talented female photographers ! Here’s to GIRL POWER on Women’s Day!

Em Gatland : Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Gemma Thomas, Cherie Bredenkamp and Em Gatland : Chacma Bush Camp

Angele Rouillard : Ezulwini Game Lodges

Jade Dobrowski and Tanya Salomon : Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Shirell Lynch : Walkers Bush Villa

Recent Balule Big Cat Sightings from Enchanting Ezulwini

Angele Rouillard is a passionate photographer, guide and lodge manager of Ezulwini River Lodge in the Balule Nature Reserve. She’s always on the ball when it comes to letting the digital team know about recent big cat sightings in the Balule Nature Reserve. When I hear that ping from Angele, I’m overcome with a sense of excitement and mild panic (she doubles my work load with her influx of images). Ezulwini game drives are consistently successful in terms of big cat sightings, and Angele always makes an effort to capture the rare moments in the wild through her lens. It’s not uncommon for Angele to say, “Hi…guests saw cheetah on a kill, the Kudyela lion cubs and the Machaton male lions on a kill”. Truth is, the Balule pumps with wildlife sightings, which aren’t limited to big cats.”

This blog post is designed to showcase a few of Angele’s images from recent game drives in the Balule Nature Reserve, a private reserve in the Greater Kruger offering unsurpassed game viewing opportunities.

General Game in the Balule Nature Reserve

We often focus on sharing the big moments in our biome, but that doesn’t mean we disregard the smaller moments. The Balule is heaving with general game – a broad category used to describe the herbivores and small creatures of the bushveld. The wooded areas and riverine vegetation provide a haven for a wealth of birds, so coupled with sightings of general game, birding in the Balule is exceptional. During the summer you’ll see plenty of migrants fluttering to the emerald landscapes of the Kruger, and during the winter the firm favourites always provide a few reliable sightings.

The southern yellow-billed hornbills are found just about everywhere and make for great photographic subjects. Angele actually managed to capture a moment with a hornbill grappling a crunchy snack. The rest of her general game images depict a placid life in the Balule bushveld. We have stunning images of curious giraffe slowly ambling from one nutritious acacia to the next, herds of waterbuck hovering on the banks of the river outside the lodge, little steenbok gracing guests with their presence

The Ezulwini Big Cats in the Balule Nature Reserve

The Balule really steals the show with its sightings of the local mega-pride of lions, the Kudyelas. It’s come to the stage where we’ve lost track of the number of cubs. And just when we got a handle on the numbers, Angele reported that another female had given birth to more cubs. Currently, the Kudyelas have quite a cross section of young cubs that – in time – will break away from the pride when the males are old enough. In the coming years, the lion prides and population will increase. The cubs born to the Kudyelas were sired by the Machaton males, their fierce protectors. Just recently, Angele photographed the new batch of lion cubs belonging to the Kudyelas – and we’re super impressed with her results !

Leopards are always present, and Chavaluthu still appears to be the blue-eyed boy and local guardian of the area. The team managed to spot him at sunrise, which made for the perfect ambient setting. Of course, the exquisite feline Faka Nchovela often provides her fair share of sightings. There are always the sightings of unknown leopards that push boundaries and cross over into new territories for a quick exploration.

Cheetah

How to pack like a pro for gorilla trekking

Uganda is one of the last places on earth to see endangered mountain gorillas in their natural forest habitat. You’ve booked the bucket-list wildlife experience of a lifetime, but a visit to these iconic creature requires a walk on the wild side – into the African jungle. It’s named the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for a good reason, and it’s best to be prepared.

Here’s a foolproof, tried-and-tested list to use while packing for gorilla trekking.

Also read: Gorilla Portraits from Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Waterproof clothing

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a rain forest, and the lush region often experiences showers. You can trek in anything, but keep in mind that once wet, walking in sopping clothing can really dampen the mood. Consider waterproof trousers, or even gym tights, as long as they are lightweight and quick-drying. Like any safari, try to keep clothing colours as neutral as possible (dark green, khaki, greys and black all blend into the environment). Definitely pack a raincoat too. Ensure it has a roomy hood to adequately cover your head plus elasticated wrists and waist hem so that no water seeps into your dry layers below. Find one that’s lightweight and can fold up into a small bundle, it’ll be easy to stash it in your backpack until needed.

Waterproof boots

On arrival at the briefing point for gorilla trekking, you’ll notice that all guides and porters wear a trusty pair of gumboots. Take a leaf out of their book and bring a pair of waterproof hiking boots. Ensure they are worn in and comfortable because tracking the gorillas can take anything from half an hour (if you’re lucky) to six hard hours of hiking. The experience of a lifetime can be easily ruined by having to slosh around in wet shoes and socks. Which brings us to the next point.

Long, thick socks

Fire ants. They may be tiny, but they can be torturous. Keep them out by wearing a pair of hiking socks that are long enough to put over the hem of your trousers.

Gaiters

Over your long socks, strap on a pair of waterproof gaiters. Socks should be enough to keep out the ants, these guys are more to ensure that rainwater doesn’t slide as easily into your shoes. Think of it as blister prevention.

Layers

Like your feet, it’s best to dress the rest of your body in layers too. The high altitude means you’re likely to set off in the cool of the morning, but it’ll heat up rapidly as the muddy slopes begin to kick up the heart rate. Long sleeves and trousers also protect against prickly vegetation and save your limbs from scratches and bugs.

Gardening gloves

You’re likely to scoff at this one, but they really do come in, er, handy. Some paths and trails wind through Bwindi, but the gorillas seldom stick to these. You’ll have to follow the gorilla family as they chew their way through the forest to the very best foliage. Guides slash a course using machetes, but due to slippery mud, you’ll often need to grab onto trees, vines and thorny ferns for support. Doing so, using a pair of gardening gloves makes this so much more manageable.

Small, comfortable backpack

Plan for the worst-case scenario. You might be out in the forest and walking for a full day. Take water, a packed lunch, sunscreen and your camera. A Camelbak water pouch will allow you to sip while you stroll (be sure to keep hydrated at altitude). If you’re carrying a lot of photographic gear, consider taking a fully waterproof dry bag to stash the critical stuff and a ziplock bag for your smartphone.

Where to stay when gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla Safari Lodge has 18 luxurious cottages set in lush, colourful gardens overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is a five-minute stroll away. Memorable touches include complimentary shoe-washing service (you’ll be grateful after all the mud!) and hot water bottles at turn down. Some units (all of them are named after gorilla families or individuals) have a bath and cosy indoor fireplace – ideal after a long day on foot.

Everything you need to know about Gorilla trekking in Uganda

You need to arrange your wildlife permits to trek with gorillas before arriving in Uganda. Sun Destinations can arrange these permits for you and suggest the best dates and itinerary to work around this availability. Before booking, you need to decide which experience you’re after.

There are two ways to see Uganda’s mountain gorillas. Tracking gorillas ($600 per person, half the price of those in Rwanda) can take anything from three hours to a full day and allows a full hour observing a gorilla family.

There is also the gorilla habituation experience ($1500 per person), which is a full-day excursion and enables four hours alongside a gorilla family. It’s currently only available in the Rushaga district, which is precisely where Gorilla Safari Lodge is. Fitness is plus as the excursion requires a full day of walking through the rainforest, but your efforts will be rewarded. This experience allows four hours with a gorilla family and provides an intimate opportunity to observe wild gorillas with a team of researchers, trackers, rangers and leading conservationists.

Tips for travelling to Bwindi

Apply for your Uganda visa online. It takes roughly five working days and costs $50. visas.immigration.go.ug

Gorilla Safari Lodge is located in a misty valley and often experiences cool to cold temperatures. Pack warm jackets, especially for mornings and evenings.

Hire a porter. The porter system supplies employment to the surrounding Bwindi community. It works on a rotation system (it’s good and fair) but unemployment is rife so often the porters only get to work once a month. It costs just $15, which is sometimes a porters full salalry. Tip kindly if they have done a good job.

Take both Visa and Mastercard options because drawing cash from ATMs can be problematic. Bring US dollars in small denominations. Tipping is widely expected, and there are no cash facilities close to the lodge.

The Week in Pictures : Forget Flora, Winter is the (Feline) Fauna Season!

Friday flew past faster than a Peregrine falcon swooping in on its prey, which meant that we didn’t have the chance to release our much loved weekly edition of the “Week in Pictures” – we owe you a bumper edition of pictures. The Lowveld is buzzing with predator activity at the moment. When the bright colours of the bushveld die during the winter months, the life beneath the thickets comes alive. In summer the flora booms and in winter the fauna booms. There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for this – the thinning of the bushveld just means that we are capable of viewing more during the winter months. During the lush summer season when the land is laden with velvet greens, the magic happens out of sight. Winter gives us more scope to spot the predator activity.

Let’s do a quick recap of the sightings from our Kruger camps. This week, Ezulwini Game Lodges and Umkumbe Safari Lodge have delivered the most noteworthy sightings across the board.

Our media team spent a few days at Umkumbe Safari Lodge during the course of the week, and were rewarded with a few interesting predator sightings. The cat sightings for Umkumbe proved to be more lion orientated than leopard. Rogem took delight in the 3 different lion sightings enjoyed on the traverse. One of the prides spotted was the Styx Pride – a pride that is looking quite battered and scruffy from their various confrontations with other local prides. The Styx Pride made a kill, but it seems one of the ever powerful Birmingham males stole it from them.

Rogem reported an absolute abundance of elephant herd sightings and avid shutterbug, Gem, managed to take incredible photos of the vehicles surrounded by these grey giants. When Gem and Rogan left Umkumbe, guide Shaun sent in reports of more lion sightings. And this time it was the 2 Talamati males and a Southern Pride male.

Like clockwork, one of the elusive leopards appeared out of nowhere. Ntsumi decided that the leopards needed a bit of airtime, so she made a guest appearance for Shaun.

Ezulwini Game Lodges big cat sightings rivalled Umkumbe’s predator sightings this week. Guests were introduced to the might Machaton male lions swaggering through the bushveld, and managed to see a herd of burly buffs engaging in a dusty scuffle with the tawny kings. The Machatons eventually took down one of the more frail buffs, which meant that the boys were kept well fed for quite sometime. In true Balule game drive style, the Kudyela lionesses and cubs were spotted – also enjoying a kill ! To throw into the lion mix, another lioness and 2 cubs also took down a buffalo. At this stage, Angele speculates that these lions were the Singwe females.

During the course of the week there were also African wild dog sightings, sightings of Chavaluthu the dominant male leopard and his 4 – 5 year old daughter Faka Nochvela. Oh…And 3 cheetah were also spotted.

Nsala Safari Camp, cocooned between the Klaserie, Umbabat and Timbavati reserves, continues to tick along with their sightings. The team have enjoyed a spate of sightings of the Western Pride of lions together with their cubs. Walkers Bush Villa have enjoyed a spate of sightings of leopards hovering around the outskirts of the villa. There was also a unique event on the Walkers traverse, where the Giraffe Pride took down a hippo! A unusual choice of prey for lions. Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp managed to enjoy a sighting of the elusive Nyeleti the leopardess, a skittish and injured male leopard chased off by hyenas, abundant elephant calves asserting dominance and a pride of 4 female lions that came to drink at the waterhole.

Chacma Bush Camp delivered a unique sighting of an African fish eagle hunting prey, and have enjoyed a ton of other general game sightings.

Chapter 2 : The Little Klaserie Hyena Cubs Emerge from Margaret’s Khaya

About a week ago we released the first 3 videos (Chapter 1) of the discovery of Margaret’s Khaya, a hyena den on the Klaserie traverse. Before we discuss the next 3 videos (Chapter 2) it’s vital that we furnish you with a quick recap. Chapter 1 discussed the discovery of a buzzing hyena den deep in the thickets of the Klaserie. Rogem learned of the active den and headed straight to the area in the hopes of finding the youngsters. They weren’t disappointed with their bushveld mission. When they approached they area, they came across a couple of juvenile hyenas nursing. Team Rogem spent time observing the alphas taking care of their young. At a later stage they returned to the den and discovered an even younger set of cubs ! It became clear that this massive active burrow currently houses a number of cubs varying in age.

Cue chapter 2’s videos. This series of videos showcases the behaviour of the young cubs exploring their new world. The tiny brutes cheekily emerge from the entrance of the den site, and tentatively sussed out their surrounds while constantly checking in with mom. They stumbled back and forth from the entrance, seemingly wanting to explore the unpredictable world beyond the den. In the first video we see the cubs testing the waters. The other 2 videos show the cubs becoming a bit more confident in their environment. Notice how the alpha females are very quick to usher the youngsters back into the safety of the den with a quick intimidating shove.

These tiny hyena cubs are displaying textbook behaviour. Naturally curious and confident, the cubs love nothing better than to clamber over older cubs, pick up vegetation and engage in playful behaviour with older cubs. These entertaining antics are actually vital for increasing bonds within the clan, building strength and asserting dominance. Hyena cubs are born ready. These scavenging carnivores are born with their eyes open and also have an aggressive attitude, which serves them well in the wild. Cubs stay in the den like structure for up to 18 months where they enjoy the safety of their community. It’s within this intricate burrow system in disused aardvark dens that hyenas learn how to handle themselves in the wild.

Currently, the cubs are still in the den area and guides from both camps have enjoyed prolific sightings of these successful scavengers.

We still have the final chapter to release – stay tuned.

Click here to read Chapter 1, the discovery of the hyena den site.