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Searching for the Solitary Serval at Motswiri Camp in Botswana

The serval is a slender wild cat with an appearance that could best be described as the missing link between the leopard and archetypal domestic cat. The leopard is an elusive and tricky cat to find in the wild, and it requires expert tracking skills and hawk-like eyes to locate these predators. Our small in stature serval certainly bears a striking resemblance to leopards in terms of behaviour – it is also a solitary and aloof species.

While the leopard has a fairly wide distribution, the serval remains is really only found in certain pockets of bushveld and tends to favour riparian zones, making the terrain around Motswiri favourable. The serval is seldom seen in the wild; and when spotted is often mistaken for the African wild cat.

Witness, a guide from RAW Botswana Motswiri Camp, knows his wildlife and easily identified the serval. He said there is a serval family that dwells in deep in the marshlands of Selinda terrain. The young serval he managed to photograph moves with grace and certainly made use of its inherent agility to dart up trees.

Here are a few facts about the serval :

Servals rely on their hearing when it comes to flushing out prey. Their large ears account for their acute hearing and are certainly a hallmark feature of this unusual looking cat. They will remain dead still when they hear a rustle, and then pounce on the quarry which meets its fate through shock or a swift bite to the neck. These quiet cats are notorious for devouring their meal at a rapid rate!
These crepuscular cats thrive on a diet of rodents, amphibians and birds. They rarely eat carrion and don’t really have a need to scavenge due to their highly efficient and successful hunting skills. Did you know that they are one of the most successful hunters in the Felidae family?
A serval has a variety of calls, grunts, yips, squeaks and purrs. These vocalizations express a range of emotions, but their most high pitched call is used to call out for other servals.
Much like the leopard, serval are solitary creatures – expect when accompanied by a mating partner or a female with her young.
Serval kittens are stashed in a lair and taken care of by their mother. The mother will move the litter at strategic intervals to avoid

We are very lucky that guide Witness managed to snap these photos of this delicate spotted carnivore. Not only is it elusive, but also notoriously shy.

Rangers Review Launch : Monthly Highlights and Happenings

This is the first instalment of our monthly Rangers Review, a blog that highlights a few major events and our rangers’ favourite sightings from the month. This is the kick-off edition and we hope to document each notable occasion with a portfolio of images and video where possible. Below are a few of our highlights and happenings for the month of Feb.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Witnessing an older male leopard killing a younger male; and then eating the lifeless body. A clear sign of territory control.
The sighting of a mega-pride of lions on the outskirts of our traverse on two occasions. Initially we believed them to be the Western Pride but have since confirmed it’s the River Pride. The youngsters were on a buffalo kill and were clearly displaying all the bravado that youth brings.
Seeing an increase in the presence of the two Mbiri males and the two Ross Pride lionesses.
Abundant leopard sightings, that have been on the increase from the end of last year. A few of the leopards spotted include Cleo marking her territory, the Sunset female and her cub; and an unknown male.
Death of the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses, and subsequent sightings of the hyenas ripping apart one of the carcasses.
Chade’s highlight of a sighting was a male leopard slowly moving into new territory, and clearly starting to scent mark and take over.
Increase in wild dog sightings with pack of 6, a pack of 14 and a pack of 25 dogs.

Observations : The rangers have said that the leopard sightings are definitely on the increase, but ranger Chade said it’s also because of their expert tracking skills that they’re able to locate the leopards. The Sunset cub and female are slowly moving into the turf around camps, and we expect to see plenty more of these two. The Mbiri males have been mating with the Ross Pride lionesses and we’re bound to see more of this happy foursome.

Chacma Bush Camp

Managed to watch a pride of lions and its youngsters prey on an innocent barn owl.
The bloats of hippo also started to make their presence known, and have been moving around a lot.
Increase in buffalo herds coming to the waterhole in front of camp – the elephant numbers drinking from the waterhole at camp remain the same.
Ranger Calvin mentioned that they’ve spotted the Maseke male lions (6 of them), a female with 3 cubs, 5 males with one female, and then another female with 4 cubs.

Observations : With the increased sightings in terms of lion prides, there has been a clear shift in the dynamics in the reserve. It is now time to work together with the other lodges to begin the naming convention of these many lions.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Sighting of the Birmingham male coming close to the vehicle – this is not the first time we’ve enjoyed up close and personal sightings of this powerful lion.
Dudley Riverbank female’s cub and then Little Bush’s cub, Natumi providing plenty of viewings for guests.
Ranger Geoffrey Haslam said that his highlight has been spotting the “posing leopards”, with a particular focus being on Natumi and Mxabene.
An unusual sighting of an unknown leopard with its cub during the night game drive.
Ranger Jade Dobrowski’s highlight was that of a young elephant calf born without a tail. And a sighting of a cheetah on a kill was certainly a unique cat sighting for Jade given that the majority of Umkumbe’s cat sightings are dominated by lions and leopards!

Observations : There haven’t been any significant observations, but the sightings of leopard cubs appear to be on the increase. New leopards are making their mark and exploring territories. Always a good thing !

The Beastly Mbiri Male Lions Kill a Kudu Calf in the Klaserie

The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, home to Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp, has been rife with big cat activity. The leopards have risen to power and are taking centre stage in terms of cat sightings while on game drive. That’s not to say that we haven’t enjoyed generous viewings of our burly lions, it’s just a case of our leopards showing face. The lion pride dynamics have shifted at a rapid rate, and this is largely due to the natural passing of the long-int-the-tooth Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses. These two ladies made up a bulk of our lioness sightings, and with their passing it has opened up space and turf for new prides to occupy turf.

To date, it appears that two of the younger Ross Pride lionesses are making headway on our traverse. Sightings of these two ladies have increased, together with sightings of the easily identifiable Mbiri male lions. The eager and virile beastly boys tend to hover on Klaserie and Timbavati traverse, and clearly have expert craftsmanship when it comes to taking down quarry. The Mbiris, their ladies and another mega-pride of lions have been our most recent lion sightings. The mega-pride we initially thought the be the Western Pride, but we’ve since confirmed that they’re the River Pride of lions. This pride hovers on the outskirts, so sightings are pretty sporadic. The Mbiri and Ross sightings we can classify as consistent.

This Mbiri coalition are stirring up things in the Klaserie, and there have been numerous notable occasions of them copulating with the Ross females. The Ross girls haven’t quite made our traverse their domain just yet – they tend to occupy neighbouring reserves, but they do filter into the Klaserie quite often – especially when they hear the echoing contact calls of the Mbiris.

Ranger Chade Gelderman says, “We got the Mbiri males yesterday. Isaac and I tracked them all afternoon and eventually heard them in the distance, making a kill. We radioed through the commotion to Mike and Elmar, who came to fetch us in the vehicle. We then discovered the coalition on a baby kudu kill. Those Ross females weren’t far off, but they were being independent and doing their own thing”

Our team holds high hopes that the Mbiris will sire cubs with the Ross females, and that they won’t succumb to the cruel hand of the ruthless ways of the wild and the vociferous competitive predators that seek to thwart the development of newcomers. Whether it be through opportunistic elimination or infanticide, cubs unfortunately have a high mortality rate in the bushveld. The Ross Pride Breakaway females had many cubs spanning across the years but they bundles of fluff never saw maturity. We now have a potentially new lineage and so much possibility with these Ross lionesses.

The times they are a changin’!

The Bush Bar : Beat of the Bushveld

Hugged by crunchy thickets, overlooking a drainage line and protected by a canopy of trees rests the much-talked about Bush Bar. The location is hidden, and only our khaki-clad crew from nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot know how to find this magical bar that has seen plenty of gin tastings, clinking of glasses and hearty laughter since its inception. The Bush Bar experience is not a given while you’re on safari, but is rather an added value experience. If you’re part of the pot luck club that has been lucky enough to experience the Bush Bar, then we’re pretty sure you had a mighty fine time swirling your drinks and indulging in campfire chatter.

Guests are greeted with a handcrafted Bush Bar sign with a deeply etched font carved carefully into the wood. The structure of the bar counter has been built from fallen mopane and marula trees, which adds to the authenticity of the Bush Bar. Our rangers and trackers worked hard at clearing debris and ensuring an open area for seating was created. A wrought-iron fire pit is where the crackling campfire eagerly awaits its onlookers. If you prefer to be a bar fly, grab one of the bar chairs and chat to one of the camp managers or rangers guarding the bar!

There’s nothing better than watching that amber sun quietly sink in to the horizon while the darkness of night forces its way into play. While you’re listening to those ice-blocks in your craft gin and tonic jostling one another in that narrow glass of yours, don’t forget to listen out for the whooping of the hyena and the guttural contact calls of our many lions.

There’s no denying that the Bush Bar is the place to see – and be seen. If you were one of the lucky few from the recent group to have enjoyed this particular Bush Bar experience, then please share these photos and try spot yourself in the crowd! The Klaserie Bush Bar is the beat of the bushveld, and our wildlife the choir.

Massive Male Leopard Kills 6 Month Old Leopard Cub, Then Eats It

Warning : Sensitive content Up Ahead

There’s no easy way of delivering this heartbreaking message of a cruel and untimely death of a curious leopard cub. How this fluffy rosette patterned cat met its fate isn’t unusual, but was downright strange to witness. The event will certainly go down in the Klaserie’s history book of barbaric sightings. It was an event that made tracker Isaac say, “I’ve never seen something like this in my 35 years of guiding and tracking!”. This happened while on drive with Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp – a moment that broke our hearts, rocked us to the core, and unravelled both guides and guests. And yet, in the grand scheme of things, we understand why.

Last night, in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, a huge unknown male leopard spotted a 6 month old leopard cub exploring the confines of its territory. The powerful male was one side of the waterhole, and the curious cub on the other side. Leopards do tolerate others on the periphery of their turf – but not this beast of a male. The older Tom took chase, played and fought with the cub, then dragged it off and devoured it. A graphic moment in the wild that rattled even the most experienced of rangers and trackers. This was an absolute sign of sheer territorial dominance and with intent to wilfully inflict pain.

At first, guests from nThambo were excited to see a huge male leopard seemingly patrolling his territory on the outskirts of the waterhole. Out of the blue the large and burly male moved at the speed of lightning with the intent of pouncing on the youngster. He forcefully attacked the 6 month old cub that was exploring the opposite side of the dam, and with the greatest of strength delivered a few final blows to the unsuspecting cub. Tufts of fur were removed at a rapid rate, and dust clouds ensured guests and rangers were shielded from too much graphic violence, but the throaty barks and anguished cries could still be heard. It was showdown and one that left its onlookers speechless and yearning for meaning.

Lead guide Mauritz said that the large male even ate the paws of the cub, a visual which is pretty unbelievable. Leopards can be fussy eaters and often discard parts of their prey that aren’t favourable to their palate. This Tom was bloodthirsty. After inflicting death, he still did not walk away from the scene. Leopards can be opportunistic feeders, but to feast on one of your own seems like a scene from the movie Hannibal.

Ranger Elmar says, “First we spotted the big male leopard behind the termite mound, so I tried to position the vehicle correctly so that guests could get proper visual. Then I noticed the cub on the other side of the dam. The big male ran around the waterhole, chasing the cub deep into the bushes. The male pounced and the cub put up a brave fight for at least 10 – 15 minutes, before it finally slipped away.”

This moment is still being talked about at camp, and probably will be in years to come. Unfortunately, this is the wild. A place where we cannot – and do not – interfere in nature taking its course. It’s warfare out there and often we’re reminded at just how fragile the circle of life really is.

* We have two videos – one taken by a guest from the UK, Ali Degutis, and the second video is from Elmar – a ranger at nThambo Tree Camp.

#TalesFromTimbavati : Observing the Mbiri Male Lions Relaxing at a Waterhole

The two Mbiri male lions are a powerful coalition that traverse the rugged landscape of the both the Timbavati and Klaserie Private Nature Reserves. These are the two Mbiri males, often seen on our traverse. Guests were lucky enough to see these cats on the banks of a waterhole while out on morning game drive. The tawny cats were seemingly relaxed in the presence of the game viewer, and were quite sauvé in their mannerisms.

Lion pride dynamics are intricate, and understanding the movements of various individuals and prides can create much confusion. What we do know is the behaviour that is commonplace with this Panthera leo species. So, just why are we seeing two lone males?

Lionesses give birth to a litter of cubs, and the ones that have longevity stay within their natal pride until about 2 years old. Females will stay with the pride for life, while the young males will be ousted and encouraged to practice being a powerful kings. Not having the support of the pride can be brutal, so brothers of the same age or other solo travellers will generally form coalitions of 2 or more.

These coalitions patrol a wide range and often wander over into neighbouring reserves in order to establish new territories and find their own prides to take over. Coalitions come in search of females and territory. It’s vital that males continue their own bloodline and strong genetics. Heartbreaking is the fact that, the more burly and ruthless of males may even commit infanticide – which is the killing off of cubs in an established pride. This is so that they can dominate the females and procreate. Infanticide is one of the many reasons why lion cubs have such a high mortality rate in the wild.

In the wild, you will often see older lionesses with her growing cubs, lionesses with other females and then their male pride leaders with full manes and regal stature. A pride can be dominated by a coalition of two, or one male. If there are young males wanting to take over the pride they will attempt to dethrone the current kings. It’s a brutal and ruthless world out there in the lion kingdom!

Our Mbiri boys have been spotted hanging out with the Ross Pride lionesses on a number of occasions. A few cubs in the Timbavati would certainly be a welcome sight.

Walkers Bush Villa : Hire Out An Exclusive, Fully Catered Villa in Kruger

The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve forms part of the revered Greater Kruger region, and is one of the most sought after reserves for a private and exclusive safari experience. The reserve is famed for its wild white lions, abundance of big game and presence of the big five that thrive in this area. Sharing unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park and the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, the Timbavati certainly doesn’t lack for any wildlife activity.

It makes sense then, that with an exclusive private reserve experience, you’d seek an exclusive accommodation experience. That’s where Walkers Bush Villa comes in. Imagine traversing the endless landscape with your own private guide and vehicle. Imagine getting the private chef to tailor-make a menu suited specifically to your palate. Imagine taking the kids with on safari, and a host of children’s activities are arranged for their entertainment. There’s plenty on offer at Walkers – and it’s all catered to your personality and what you want from your safari experience.

This exclusive villa sleeps 8 people in 4 bedrooms. There is one master bedroom adjoining the main house, and three separate rooms dotted around the scenic courtyard area. There’s an expansive patio is the perfect place enjoy an al fresco dining experience, and the classic indoor dining hall is ideal for a more formal or celebratory dinner experience.

There are even two lounges – one for reading and chatting, and the other for watching a spot of television. Decor is eclectic, and modern art pieces adorn the walls while hints of Africa are carried throughout. Ingrid and Howard Walker own the property and have over two decades experience in the country villa and hotel industry in Dullstroom. The atmosphere of Walkers Bush Villa certainly reminds of fine country living evident in the previous lodges owned by the Walkers.

Daily game drives are a must, and a leading guide will ensure guests enjoy the ultimate safari in a sought after reserve. Although flexible in terms of guests’ needs, morning and evening game drives are recommended. Dawn and dusk are when the predators are most active – the air is cooler and provides the perfect conditions for cats to be on the move. It is customary to stop during the morning game drive for coffee and the evening game drive for a sundowner.

The reserve is rich with birdlife and activity from plains game, pachyderms and small mammals. There are high concentrations of game in the Timbavati and spotting various species congregated around the numerous waterholes in the area is not uncommon.

Walkers offers safari exclusivity from start to finish.
For bookings, click here : reservations@sundestinations.co.za
For images, videos and more info click here : www.walkersbushvilla.co.za

Leopard Lookbook : Umkumbe’s Finest Models

A lookbook is a collection of visual masterpieces designed to showcase the exquisite and smouldering looks of a particular subject. Historically, a lookbook is something photographers use as a portfolio for their work. We’ve decided to use the concept of a lookbook to highlight our ranger’s recent leopard photos, each of which brings something unique to the table. Ranger Geoffrey and Zanelle have taken advantage of perfect lighting to create exceptional compositions that capture the essence of our mysterious Sabi Sand leopards. These photos have all been taken over the past month while out on game drive, which means it’s fresh batch of images from our wealth of leopard sightings.

Here’s a quick intro into the leaps of leopards we’ve spotted while cruising the crunchy roads and bounding through lush vegetation:

Little Bush’s Cub (Natumi)

The slender Natumi female is Little Bush’s cub, and is in the region of 12 – 18 months, which means she’s on the border of being tied to her mother’s apron strings and leading a solitary lifestyle. She prowls the periphery of her mother’s territory and leopards of this age will occasionally meet up with their mother’s to conduct hunts. Natumi was seen devouring her own kill in the safety of a tree, and,when spotted on other occasions without without a kill in her jowls, she seemed completely relaxed and comfortable in our presence.

Little Bush

Little Bush is the mother of older leopardess called Kigelia and another youngster called Natumi. Little Bush is a firm favourite on our traverse, and is spotted regularly. She’s a graceful cat shrouded with the mystery of typical leopard behaviour, but does remain quite shy in her demeanour.

Inyathini the Male Leopard

Inyathini is quite an enigma and is quite a vigorous cat with a brazen attitude. Inyathini wandered over onto sacred ground. He does seem to have firmly established boundaries in the eastern region of the Sand River, which is good news. We believe that Inyathini wandered over from the Kruger National Park and has since settled into the Sabi Sand. Sightings of him are quite rare and he is seemingly more relaxed nowadays than when initially spotted!

Dudley Riverbank Female’s Cub

The Dudley Riverbank leopardess was, understandably, quite a neurotic leopard. During the course of her lifetime she gave birth to a number of cubs that never saw adulthood. The cubs were lost due to natural causes and the cruel twist of the food chain. Because of the prolific presence of big cats in the area, there are also numerous scavengers and other predators which pose a threat for vulnerable newborns.

The cub is somewhat more relaxed around game viewers and comfortable in its territory deep within the thickets. The cub allowed us to photograph him clawing his way up a tree – the perfect elevated place for a leopard to survey its landscape.

Maseke’s Chacma Bush Camp : Videos and Images of the Refurb

Chacma Bush Camp, the latest camp to emerge from the Sun Destinations portfolio, is our very own elephant paradise located in the lesser-explored and rugged Maseke Game Reserve. You’ve probably become quite familiar with the camp, and no doubt have seen the wealth wildlife and landscape images. Towards the end of last year we planned a soft refurbishment and did a quick reshuffle of decor and furniture. You’ve waited in anticipation for this day, and it has finally arrived.

The refurb was finished and we’re happy with how the camp is looking. A fresh lick of paint, muted hues in terms of decor, unique pieces and outdoor furniture have been perfectly positioned to take advantage of the views. It is her where you will see buffalo drinking and grazing camp, elephants soaking up water and dust bathing; and kingfisher’s dive-bombing their prey.

Below are all of the videos and images from our recent shoot of the Chacma Bedrooms (there are 3) and the main areas.

For rates please consult : https://www.chacmabushcamp.co.za/rates.html
For camp details, location and other info please click here to consult the Chacma Bush Camp Fact Sheet

Chacma Bush Camp : Camp Area

The main area of camp includes an outdoor dining area (covered), a swimming pool and a boma area. These areas form a strip in front of small waterhole /section of water that is a hub of activity for wildlife. Next to the dining area is the Steenbok Chalet which is next door to the indoor reception area.

Steenbok Chalet

This chalet joins the main part of camp and is adjacent to the indoor lounge and reception area. It has its own patio which is practically on the water’s edge at camp. It sleeps 2 adults and 2 children, or 3 adults. There is one double bed and a sleeper couch. It’s ideal for a honeymoon couple due to its location, but also great for a small family. Space wise it’s smaller than the other two rooms but does have an idyllic view and a spacious bathroom.

Grysbok Chalet

Grysbok Chalet is a 2 bedroom chalet with an en suite bathroom. It has a view of the swimming pool and looks downwards towards the main area of camp. This is ideal for 2 adults and 2 children. The main room has a double bed and the second bedroom has bunk-beds. The bathroom is expansive and there is also a large patio area for relaxation.

Klipspringer Chalet

Klipspringer chalet has a double bed, an L-shaped couch that can be turned into a 2 sleeper, and space for 2 extra beds. This is ideal for a family of 6. It is the only room with an outdoor shower which leads into the separate toilet area. There is a small patio and this is the furthest chalet from the main area, offering families a sense of privacy.

Chacma Bush Camp Videos

Chacma Lion Cubs Play with Barn Owl and No One Gives a Hoot

It’s not uncommon to witness our youngsters pushing boundaries and engaging in playful antics that, more often than not, ends in tears. The foolish behaviour of our species is no different to the array of wildlife that makes up our animal kingdom. Playtime is healthy for development and is more than just fun – even if it ends in floods of tears. Our boisterous lion cubs expend plenty of energy when they play, a time which is paramount to their development and success in the wild. Playing allows them to gain the necessary skills to survive out there in the unforgiving battlefield of the bushveld. It is during play that they establish dominance, hierarchy and practice their hunting tactics. Their clumsy tumbling, attempts at formulating attacks and ripping apart surrounding flora is all solid prep work for the tumultuous world out there.

Whether they practice and play with a fallen stick from an acacia tree, or an owl, it’s all fair game. A lion cub’s toy might be decaying flora …Or it might be living. Much like that owl we’ve just mentioned.

In the Maseke Game Reserve we’ve spotted the burly Maseke Male lions patrolling their home ground on numerous occasions, but mainly under the canvas of darkness. That’s when lions are generally on the move – in the cooler hours of the day. We’ve also seen a lone lioness together with her sub-adult cubs on a couple of occasions, but our recent sighting comes out tops and really is worth flapping our proverbial wings about.The inquisitive cubs made a callous decision to use a barn owl as their toy. Who needs Fisher-Price plastic animal sets when you have the real deal?

The sequence of events was chaotic and led to plenty of feathers, fluff and fury. It was like watching nature’s own action movie, the one where you hope that the unsuspecting target flees and survives its traumatic ordeal before the cruel hand of death whisks them away.

Lions have been known to clock 100 metres in 6 seconds during the final 100 m in 6 seconds in the final chase. Their agility and sheer ambushing power meant that this unsuspecting barn owl was too slow to take to the skies. While they were nosediving and tumbling in the muddy region surrounding the waterhole, they came across the barn owl that was hunting for prey (mice and shrews). And then the rough smacking and pawing from our Maseke cubs began. Playtime.

Was this a practice round for bigger things, or simply an opportunity to play with zero intent to kill? This young pride are still keeping company with their mother, which indicates that they’re not quite ready to leave the natal pride. Females will stay within the pride for life and males will lead a more nomadic lifestyle in coalitions with 2 or more males. Young lions are considered fully grown when they reach 7, an age at which they will cross over into territories offering high concentration of food sources and availability of females.

This snippet of photos from the wild really is based on true life events! Sometimes nature is kind, and other times cruel. This was an unusual sighting, and one that ultimately ended in tragedy.