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Umkumbe Leopard News : Dashing and Daring, Courageous and Caring…

Kids of the nineties were enamoured with the mythical fluffy cartoon creatures called the “Gummi Bears”. Their theme song became synonymous with adventure and exploration. The opening lyrics detail their constant quest for the thrill-seeking life. The theme song begins with “Dashing and daring, courageous and caring, faithful and friendly with stories to share” and these are just a few of the attributes we can also assign to our aloof cat species. I understand it’s quite a leap, but the song certainly represents the qualities of the leopards of the Sabi Sand.

Dashing after their quarry, daring for being opportunistic hunters, courageous for fighting off hyenas from kills, the caring love between leopardess and cub, faithful to their territory, friendly (tolerant) towards new cubs exploring the periphery of a female’s territory and of course, there are plenty of stories to share!

These qualities owned by both the fictional Gummi Bears and one of Africa’s most elusive cat species were exhibited this week during Umkumbe’s leopard sightings, hence the correlation between the two.

The most recent sightings have included our resident stocky males, Bicycle Crossing and Mxabene. Slender leopardesses White Dam, the youthful Tatowa and Kigelia were also present for our game drives.

The Boys : Mxabene, Bicycle Crossing and Inyathini

Mxabene is often spotted on the confines of our traverse and having a history deeply entrenched in the Sabi Sand, he has quite the dominant presence. Not one to shy away from game viewers, we often enjoy close-up encounters with this lightly amber colour cat. In 2008, Mxabene was born as one of two twin males to the Mxabene female – a well known and revered leopardess in the area. She was incredibly relaxed around the presence of game viewers, which Max naturally and quickly became accustomed to the presence of vehicles.

Our dear Max oozes confidence and courage!

Bicycle Crossing occupies a different territory to Max and sightings of this broad male are somewhat more elusive. It’s always rewarding spotting this powerful machine of muscle swaggering through the drainage lines.

Male leopards are highly territorial and “homes” don’t often overlap. Males home range can overlap with that of several females – after all they select their turf based on availability of females and abundance of food sources.

Inyathini was spotted over the past few days and ranger Marius Zeilinga says that he has been spotted in close proximity to the lodge almost on a daily basis. He has been aggressively staking claim on new turf and scent marking excessively. Leopards mark territory by scent marking and emitting a series of low growls.

The Girls: White Dam, Tatowa and Kigelia

Our slender female leopards are slightly different from their male counterparts when it comes to territory and will seek out turf based on availability of prey and potential den sites. The territory they occupy is a lot smaller than the male. When their cubs come of age and are ready to leave their side, they will occupy the peripheries of their mother’s territory.

Females will even tolerate sub-adults coming over to their territory when they begin their solitary lifestyle. Because a female’s territory is smaller, we often see plenty of females on our traverse. This past week we’ve managed to observe Tatowa, Kigelia and White Dam. All in a day’s work really !

White Dam managed to take down an impala in front Marius’s guests but a fast-paced, sneaky hyena stole the kill within a few seconds of the kill being made.

Week in Pictures: Sunday Blues Pick-Me-Up

A delayed release of the Week in Pictures this week due to adventure, safari, and that blissful lack of connection we all enjoy out in the bush! Our media team has been on location over the weekend at a new and highly anticipated Sun Destinations Kruger camp soon to join the portfolio. Picture this: views of the Klaserie River, rocky outcrops perfect for sunset views, bush breakfasts complete with bubbles, sunrise photo shoots, and surprise sightings of African wild dogs. It has been a whirlwind weekend in the bush to finish off a week of unforgettable wildlife sightings and safari experiences.

From morning walking safaris at Africa on Foot, to monochrome moods at Ezulwini, Okavango boat cruises at Xobega Island, and artistic impressions at Umkumbe in the Sabi Sand; we have the highlights of the week’s safari sightings. Just as you might be contemplating the responsibilities of a Monday and mourning the loss of another weekend, we would like to offer a soothing gallery of wildlife moments captured on camera to serve as a Sunday Blues pick-me-up! Enjoy this edition of the Week in Pictures and escape to the blissful world of the wild…

Xobega Island Camp, Okavango Delta, Northern Botswana

Africa on Foot, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

Umkumbe Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Greater Kruger Park

Ezulwini Game Lodges, Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

nThambo Tree Camp, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

Umkumbe Safari Lodge : Understanding Our Emotional Grey Giants

With their deeply etched tusks, leathery hairless skin, paintbrush bristle eyelashes, muddy appearance, ears that flap like flags in the wind and soft feet resembling comfortable slippers; the African elephant has become one of the most sought after animals to spot while on safari.

Their soulful eyes hide a sensitive, intelligent and curious nature, which is why they’ve become one of the most globally loved species. Why do us humans feel such a kinship with these pachyderms? The complexity of emotion, the tears, their respect for those who’ve passed makes us feel more connected to the wild. They possess human qualities and that’s why we feel so close to these emotional grey giants.

Unfortunately, despite our love of elephants there are those that still poach these gentle giants. It appears there is a high demand for ivory in the Far East, which is the primary reason why elephants are poached. Because of this, we now have a global movement towards protecting elephants. Numerous charitable organisations have started to raise funds in an effort to create awareness around the plight of of the pachyderm. According to the Tusk website “Up to 30,000 African elephants are killed each year for their tusks”. That’s an alarming number!

With that being said, Umkumbe Safari Lodge are very grateful for the abundance of elephant sightings. The elephants in the Sabi Sand roam free in the wild and their presence is greatly respected. They come in their huge herds down to the Sand River in front of the lodge to devour vegetation and soak up water. It’s always a delight for guests to observe their exchange and antics with one another.

While out on game drive, guests can enjoy up close and personal sightings of these much revered animals. There is nothing better than an elephant casually strolling past the stationary vehicle while guests remain still and seated. Knowledgeable and professional guides will most certainly never approach a bull in musth and will keep their distance from any scenarios that threaten a herd’s comfort zone. After all, we’re onlookers in their domain !

An elephant’s large and seemingly cumbersome body actually moves with ease and silence through the bushveld. This is largely due to the fact that the sole of an elephant’s foot comprises a tough, sponge like connective tissue that almost “moulds” over the obstacles when it walks. This is why, when on game drive, you may well see them before hearing them!

When together in their herds they can be noisy, gregarious and quite brash. You’ll often see this behaviour when they’re congregated at dams and waterholes – one of their favourite places to hang out. Elephants love soaking and swimming in water. Young bulls, who’ve not left the herd yet, will often play fight in the water to practice their fighting skills to establish dominance. When these bulls become of age they will leave their herd and seek out a more solitary life.

They normally form loose associations with other bachelors and return to the herd when it’s time to mate. Bulls have too much testosterone for the females to handle, which is why they leave the herd. However, all related family members do, from time to time, meet up for swimming and mud bathing sessions.

So, that means that all the females and young males live together in a matriarchal herd. The “aunts”, “cousins” and sub-adults females actually all take turns in helping the youngest calves to navigate obstacles. When on the move you’ll notice how the young calf is surrounded by elders – this is to ensure predators don’t have easy access to the calf.

There are two very important appendages that elephants use on a daily basis – their trunk and tusks. Their tusks act as sort-of external incisors and grow throughout the elephant’s life cycle. Tusks are utilised as tools for digging, foraging and ripping bark from trees. Interestingly enough, elephant’s are either left or right tusk dominant.

The trunk is an incredibly intricate part of the body and contains 40 000 muscles. There are finger-like protrusions at the base of the trunk which help to grip and rip stubborn twigs from trees. The trunk also acts as a natural snorkel, which is useful for when an elephant swims. Contrary to popular belief, elephants don’t actually drink through their trunks but they soak up water and squirt it into their mouth. The trunk and tusks are unique to this species and most certainly are a vital part of an elephant’s anatomy.

Apart from being a rather fascinating member of the big five, an elephant plays an important role in the ecology of a reserve. When they knock over trees and break off branches, it creates new habitats for smaller creatures and mammals. Coupled with that, during times of drought, these pachyderms will use their trunk and tusks to dig for water. This in turn creates natural mud pools which is useful for other animals. And an elephant’s dung contains undigested seeds which are dispersed when they move through a traverse, creating new growth in the bushveld.

There are plenty of facts about elephants which we could have mentioned, but hopefully we’ve peaked your interest with this bit of insight into the life of an elephant. These emotional giants are some of Africa’s most exceptional creatures. We hope that the next time you’re on safari in the Sabi Sand that you’ll stop and ask your guide more questions about this majestic herbivore.

Week in Pics : Celebrating World Wildlife Day

In 2013 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March World Wildlife Day in an effort to celebrate and raise global awareness of fauna and flora. On a daily basis, our team aims to educate, inspire and share photos/stories of animals thriving in the wild. We are their onlookers and consider ourselves lucky to observe them roaming free in the wild. Today’s “Week in Pictures” coincides with this much revered wildlife event and thus it seems fitting to dedicate the exceptional photographs and stories from our rangers to World Wildlife Day 2017.

This year the day will be celebrated under the theme “Listen to the Young Voices”. A large percentage of the world’s human population is placed within the age bracket of 10 – 24, which means the youth of today carries a huge responsibility to make informed decisions and engage in vigorous efforts to protect our wildlife. They’re at the prime phase of life to be educated about taking action against wildlife crime and take responsibility for conserving our planet.

It’s time to act locally and globally ! Click here to find out how you can get involved in contributing to the plight of our wildlife.

In the meantime, as per World Wildlife Day instructions, we will be posting a few of our week in pictures images to social media websites using the suggested hashtags, which are: #DoOneThingToday, #youth4wildlife , #YoungVoices , #WorldWildlifeDay and #EndWildlifeTrafficking. We encourage you to follow suit!

Here’s a quick update from our camps.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Cocooned in pristine bushveld and located on the banks of the Sand River, Umkumbe Safari Lodge is the perfect place to enjoy exquisite game viewing. The Sabi Sand Wildtuin is a reserve where leopard species thrive and elephants are in abundance. This week saw the normal sightings of pachyderms, buffalo bulls and the elusive leopard.

Ezulwini Game Lodges

The Balule Nature Reserve is an uncrowded private reserve home to the big five and mega prides of lion. Both of the Ezulwini Game Lodges have a skywalk that extends over the bushveld below. This means guests almost always get to observe elephant herds shredding vegetation and wandering underneath the walkway. The waterhole and river is a huge attraction for these giant herbivores!

On World Wildlife Day, Ezulwini is celebrating the high concentration of plains game darting about between the shrubs and woodlands. The presence of plains game also means easy access to food for the large lion prides in the area. The food chain can be cruel !

Xobega Island Camp and Tuskers Bush Camp

The Kwatale Concession is an undiscovered piece of acacia scrub woodland paradise mixed in with a woodland paradise. The vegetation shifts with the landscape, which covers a huge traverse. African wild dogs, elephants, buffalo, lion and leopard all patrol and weave their way through the thickets. Birdlife in Botswana is exceptional and Tuskers Bush Camp is no stranger to epic bird sightings. Xobega Island Camp, being the water wonderland that is, always offers abundant sightings of hippos, crocs and an array of water dwelling birds.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

There have been an unusually high number of leopard sightings on the traverse surrounding Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp. Ross Dam and her cub seem to be dominating sightings at the moment and during the week one of them took down a prickly porcupine. Last night, lions were seen – a welcome break from all of the leopard sightings !

The elite safari life continues in the Klaserie’s bushveld.

The Sensory Experience of a Walking Safari at Tuskers

Guest travel blogger Mike McCaffrey (Nomadic by Nature) visited Tuskers Bush Camp and documented his journey with words and images.

Many people come on safari with a suitcase full of outdoor and active gear, expecting to get deep into the bush, but then quickly realize that most safaris are much more like a series of short, bumpy road trips than a physical activity. Some people only manage to get out of their car to get back into their lodge at night.

There is nothing wrong with this, and really for wildlife enthusiasts, it can be quite rewarding as it enables you to get close to very large and dangerous animals like lions, buffalos and elephants. However, the car still remains a very tangible barrier between you and the wild bush you came to experience.

For this reason, many avid safari goers choose to complement their game drives with a walking safari, which allows you to head out into the bush on your own two feet. While game drives rely almost totally on your sight, walking safaris provide a fuller sensory experience.

Without the dust of the vehicles, you can smell the mopane trees as they are about to blossom. You can hear the snouts rustling in the bushes, and the warning calls of the francolins as you approach. It is a more meditative way to explore the bush, where you can take your time to stop and investigate an antlion trap.

However, there is nothing more exciting than when you have a sighting on foot. You use a series of hand signals with your guide to hatch a plan of advance or retreat, and then slowly move together in lock step trying not to crunch twigs on the ground, while keeping your focus on the animal you have come across. Sighting a giraffe from the car is a magical experience, but feeling the vibrations of its hooves on the ground as it runs through the bush is a visceral experience you are not likely to forget.

So after you seek out the big five from your car, spend some time on the ground feeling, smelling and listening to the bush. Taking a walking safari at Tuskers Bush Camp will leave you with a richer more unique experience you are not soon to forget.

Please Vote for Us in the Tusker’s Safari Awards 2017

We are pleased to announce that two of the Sun Destinations’ lodges have been nominated in the Tuskers Ultimate Safari Experience Awards 2017. Tuskers offer a unique set of awards showcasing a variety of safari experiences in various categories. The Safari Index’s panel of judges have carefully selected lodges and camps offering a high quality, all round safari experience.

This year, Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand and Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve are officially Tuskers again ! Umkumbe Safari Lodge has been nominated in the Ultimate Value category and Africa on Foot in the Ultimate Adventure category. We are very proud to have been nominated, but in order to win we need your help and support. We’d really appreciate your vote. If you’ve visited the lodge previously or voted in the Tuskers awards previously, then please use the relevant coupon code (your vote counts for double!).

Vote Here for Umkumbe – Ultimate Value: http://safari-index.com/awards/best-affordable-budget-safari-awards/
Coupon code : Umkumbe434

Vote Here for Africa on Foot – Ultimate Adventure : http://safari-index.com/awards/best-adventure-safari-africa-awards/
Coupon code : AOF434

How to Vote?

Click here ( http://safari-index.com/safari-awards/ )
Select your category – remember you can only vote for one safari experience in each category
Click “Vote Now” for the safari experience you feel best deserves the Big Tusker accolade.
Remember to check your email to confirm your vote
Remember if you have visited a Tusker finalist lodge or camp, your vote score can count twice. You just need to add the coupon code which you can get from the relevant lodge or camp or from Safari Index.

Africa on Foot specialises in big five walking safaris and morning’s start with a 3 hour walk through the bushveld. Evenings are spent on a late afternoon game drive that heads into the night. Another unique adventure aspect of Africa on Foot is the treehouse – an open wooden structure set a few metres away from the property.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge is located in a premier reserve and offers guests a wealth of leopard sightings. The lodge overlooks the Sand River and is one of the most affordable lodges in the immediate area.

Hyenas Hijack Leopards’ Kill in Klaserie

This morning’s safari held some exciting predator activity in the Klaserie, with a hijacking that happens all too often in the world of the wild: A pair of conniving hyena cronies stole an impala kill from leopards Ross Dam and Bundu. This mother-son duo was seen in the first moments of light this morning, apparently quite relaxed and right on the road side when guests from Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp cruised passed in their game viewers. The leopards were actively slinking through the golden beams of light spilling through the trees and soon it became obvious they were watching something in the near distance… When we got a better look we saw a pair of hyenas feasting on a carcass about 50m away.

Both leopards have full bellies, which made it likely that the hyenas had actually stolen the carcass from the leopards in an instance of playground bullying, which has a big part in the safari world. Leopards are often reported to lose their kills to these scavengers, as they would rather not engage in a fight and risk injury, so hyenas have come to know them as soft targets. The good news is that Ross Dam and her boy, Bundu, had already enjoyed a good portion of their impala kill, but were nevertheless disappointed to let the rest go.

The leopards followed the hyenas for a little while, looking immaculate in the early morning surroundings, and were soon close enough to the sneaky hyenas to express their dissatisfaction with some vocalised growling and hissing. The hyenas were unperturbed and continued to feast on their stolen kill, and guests watched in awe at the unravelling scene. The leopards gave a half hearted attempt at claiming back their meal, but were unsuccessful – the famous scavengers had won over the carcass and would be willing to draw blood before giving it up!

This remarkable predator interaction was thoroughly enjoyed by all. What began as an incredible signing of not only 1, but 2 leopards, turned into an incident involving leopards, hyenas, and a stolen kill! All in a morning game drive in the Klaserie…

An Ode to Rhinos in the Greater Kruger Park

Gusts of breath released through the leathery nostrils of a white rhino send swirls of dust into the air, as her head hangs low to the ground. She is designed to graze, to shear the grass with her tough lips and flat, textured molars. The weight of her head is supported by her mighty neck and a prehistoric-looking hump at the top of her spine, and her face is armed with 2 menacing horns capable of impaling anything that might threaten the safety of herself or her calf. Anything but the most dangerous predator of all: Man.

The rhino’s ancestors, dating back 50 million years, stood at 5m tall with a skull a whopping 1 metre in length. They ruled the land as giant herbivores, and have survived through eras and epochs that eradicated less adaptable species. Today, white rhinos stand at over 1.5m tall, and can weigh in excess of 2 tonnes – a far more fathomable size than their dinosaur cousins, but no less intimidating. Now, for the first time in the history of their existence, the almighty rhinoceros is facing extinction – not at the brutal force of nature, but the hands of humans. They are being gunned down not in defense or out of fear, but to feed a human greed.

The Kruger National Park is the last remaining stronghold for the rhino, but its borders have succumbed to the force of the poaching war, as the promise of dirty money trickles down from top stakeholders to the most desperate poverty-stricken hands on the ground in rural South Africa. A toxic superstition fuels the fire, growing an industry leading to the brutal slaughter of Africa’s rhinos, and the impending doom of a millions-of-years-old species. But we fight back…

When poaching statistics reached an all time high in 2014 (1215 rhinos killed), a worldwide rage rose to meet the wrecking ball obliterating Africa’s rhinos, and anti-poaching organisations surged in strength, gaining momentum in the form of fund raising, volunteer soldiers, relocation projects, and other initiatives. From anti-poaching teams using military training, risking their lives, choosing the fight as their path in life; to veterinary teams racing to the scene of the crime to try and administer medical help to mutilated rhinos, or to rescue an orphaned calf in distress – determined individuals put their resources together to fight for the life of rhinos.

After a record number of rhinos were poached in 2014, there were less rhinos poached in 2015, and even less in 2016, hinting at a possibility of a future with these creatures. But still, the exponential growth of poached rhinos since 2008 has brought rhino lives into the spotlight, and sadly we see more images of them butchered and beaten than living wild and free.

Today, our safari experiences are likely to include visions of military-clad men and women on patrol in the bush, armed with rifles, and stern expressions on their faces. These soldiers are trained to expect confrontation, to follow unfamiliar tracks, and get to the culprits before they get to the rhino, and more often than not, a confrontation involves violence, gun fire, and possible loss of life.

We are a world divided – divided between those who put their lives on the line to defend a species, and those who risk their lives to leave them maimed, or murdered. Amid the chaos, the desperation, the horror, and the helplessness, we are privileged to see them at peace. Every glimpse we get of a rhino cow and her calf, or a great bull caked in mud from a recent wallow, is a precious moment in time. As the war on poaching continues, we strive to remember the rhinos of the Greater Kruger Park, and cherish the lives of these ancient animals.

Week in Pictures: Seize Every Moment

Anyone who has spent days, months, or years traversing the arid landscapes and swamp-like wetlands of Africa will tell you that it all comes down to luck of the draw. Astonishing wildlife moments occur unpredictably and without warning. You might be in the right place at the right time to see a leopard leaping metres into the air to catch a bird in flight, or to watch an elephant tend to its newborn calf, or to witness something as rarely seen as an aardvark. You are the lucky ones! For the rest of us, we learn to seize every moment, to recognise the beauty in the ordinary; because if we spend our lives waiting for that epic shot, we might miss everything in between. This week, for our Friday edition of the Week in Pictures, we are celebrating every moment beautifully captured by our photographers who are out and about capturing the ordinary and making it extraordinary!

Umkumbe Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Greater Kruger Park

Ezulwini Game Lodges, Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

nThambo Tree Camp, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

Africa on Foot, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

Tuskers Bush Camp & Xobega Island Camp, Botswana

LIVE Leopard Kill at Umkumbe : Mxabene Goes Wild

Leopards are slick killing machines that have mastered the art of the ambush. Death comes to their unlucky victims quickly and suddenly. A leopard’s quarry doesn’t suffer like many of its counterparts that have fallen victim to other predator kills. Swift, graceful and powerful – that is how the panthera pardus conducts their kills. Rangers at Umkumbe Safari Lodge were taken by surprise when local legend, Mxabene, executed an attack on an impala….

Nadia Bester took guests out on morning game drive and had zero idea of what lay ahead in terms of sightings. While the game viewer was trundling along the road, navigating its way over the fresh spears of grass and crunching through fallen branches, guests spotted Mxabene. There he was, just casually strolling down the road, marking his territory.

Max wasn’t out on an intentional hunt but leopards, being the ultimate opportunists, will grab any occasion to take down prey. In this case, the impala herd started moving into Max’s personal space and then his killer instinct kicked into play.

What happened next was remarkable. While the cameras were snapping away Mxabene crouched down into stealth mode. He’d sensed the presence of potential prey and wasn’t about to let his meal escape.

Almost immediately, Max dropped down into sort of a squat like position and started crawling along the road with his eye on the prize. In an instant, Max pounced and with a swift smash of the paw and pierce of the jugular, Max took down the impala.

Umkumbe has plenty of hyena clans crawling in the long grass and waiting in the wings for a free meal ticket. Mxabene is very much an institution in these parts and certainly knows how to avoid the theft of his prey. Let’s hope that he hoisted his impala kill into a tree for safekeeping.

The beauty about this Sabi Sand leopard kill sighting? It was all out in the open! This marks another sighting that is “one for the books”.