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Honey Badger Conducts a Quick Kill

The notorious ratel species has the confidence of a lion, the personality the size of a giant pachyderm and the cuteness of a bunny rabbit. The honey badger is probably one of the most loved, misunderstood and revered little creature of the safari world. It’s built quite a name for itself online and videos of this small carnivore quickly go viral. As a matter of fact, honey badgers are pretty trendy at the moment. Ranger Michael Beard filmed this creature digging up a few edible treasures!

So, here’s what we know about honey badgers and our first hand experience of dealing with them at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp.

Get to know the real deal about honey badgers:

As the night settles in and guests have finished dining, it’s a tradition to retire to the boma area where stories are exchanged around the campfire. Often, a rough scuttling can be heard around the corner and in the vicinity of the kitchen. The honey badgers sense and smell when dinner is finished, so they often scurry down to see what they can destroy! They’re relentless and can even open steel doors with their raven like claws.
In this video we see the honey badger using its claws in a rather ferocious manner. They have a habit of eating bee larvae and honey (that thick skin of theirs is immune to bee stings!) but in this case the badger was probably digging up insects or spiders. Honey badgers will also eat an array of small animals, grubs and snakes.
If threatened, this ratel species will emit a foul smelling secretion from their anal glands which deters predators from approaching. Interestingly en0ugh, the colouring and coat of the honey badger can easily be mistaken for that of a skunk. It is thought that these markings warn predators that they possess a chemical weapon – which they’re not afraid to use!
Honey badgers are famous for their brazen, nonchalant attitude. They’re quite happy to walk through a pride of lions, attack a cobra (they simply sleep off the venom) and approach lodges at night – just out of curiosity.
Although cute looking, honey badgers are not afraid of attacking. They’ll scurry away at first but if under threat they will fight for survival and defend themselves against an entire army. Brave, fearless and not to be approached without caution!

Here’s the video – we hope you enjoy watching this fella in action!

Week in Pictures: Moments of Mad Beauty

This week in pictures we’ve been astounded by the breathtaking landscapes serving as backdrops to our hungry predators and innocent herbivores. There are moments of mad beauty and strange angles caught on camera by photographers Jochen, Em, Kevin and Chloe. This week in pictures certainly celebrates the exquisite natural beauty of the landscapes, surpassed only by the enchanting beauty of our wildlife. When both wildlife and landscape share a cohesive beauty, the results are dramatic. Eerie silhouettes, statuesque cats and bold moments present themselves in their entirety in these week’s collection of photos. Have a great weekend. We hope you hungrily devour and digest this wealth of camera action!

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

What a tumultuous and eventful week its been for these camps. Watching 8 endangered wild dog pups merrily enjoying their clan life out in the open woodlands has certainly kept everyone enthralled. Unfortunately, nature dealt a cruel hand when a ruthless eagle swooped down and killed one of the pups! Nature can be tough.

In other news, Ross Dam the graceful leopardess and her male cub were spotted on a kill! There have been plenty of leopard sightings of late, which proves again that the Klaserie is a big cat heaven. In sticking with the cat theme, the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses were seen licking their emotional wounds after a showdown with the bolshy Mapoza male lions. The Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses are a dominant and formidable force on the Klaserie turf, but they were certainly knocked down a few notches when the Mapoza’s fought with them and stole their kill.

With all the carnivore action of late and the timeous delivery of photos and videos of each event; we thought we’d showcase the other happenings in the Klaserie. These are the sightings that happen simultaneously while the big showdowns are happening in the foreground. All sightings need to be celebrated, so here are our favourite photos from the week.

Ezulwini River Lodge and Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge

An unknown leopardess was spotted in the reserve a couple of days ago. When young leopards begin to wander in search of potential den sites and new territories, rangers will often see unknown leopards on their traverse. Areas with a high density of prey are always a drawcard for big cat predators!

A ageing bull visited the confines of River Lodge and happily feasted on the abundance of vegetation surrounding camp. Young guests in camp experienced the viewing of a lifetime and eagerly watched the elephant drink from they crystal clear pool water.

An absolute highlight for Ezulwini has been the setting up of hidden camera traps in the Balule. The cameras are located in a high traffic wildlife area and the footage has been insightful and amusing. Hippo have investigated, elephant herds have bashed the trails cam and lions have simply sauntered past in the dead of night!

As per usual, the Balule is alive with wildlife activity at the moment.

Botswana Safaris and Camps

Xobega Island Camp have spotted crocodile, hippo and a plethora of birdlife. This is pretty much the standard with Xobega. There’s a resident crocodile that hovers in the water close to camp and the pods of hippo cruise through the wide waterways surrounding the island.

John Chase Safaris sets up camp in remote areas, offering guests a world of wildlife wonder. Elephants and plains game are always in abundance in these areas.

The Delta you can drive to: Xobega Island Camp

Planning a self-drive trip through Botswana? Here’s why you should include a stop at Xobega Island Camp.

No visit to Botswana is complete without spending some time in that watery eden on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Sight and renowned bird and wildlife sanctuary.

For most travellers, this means catching a charter flight out of Maun to one of the Delta’s many camps and lodges, which is also possible if you plan to visit Xobega Island Camp. You can catch a light aircraft from Maun to Xakanaka airstrip, and get a transfer from there.

Xobega Island Camp, though, offers travellers the unparalleled opportunity to drive there themselves, at there own pace, through one of the real gems of Botswana’s wildlife areas: Moremi Game Reserve.

This journey offers unmatched independence and flexibility to the discerning traveller, and is ideal for those of us who’d prefer to experience the wilderness of the Delta region independently and in a manner that only a private or rented vehicle can guarantee.

The drive from Maun through Moremi Game Reserve is not merely a transit; it is an integral part of the experience. It entails four or more hours of driving through some of Northern Botswana’s finest and richest wildlife areas.

Dotted with pans and bisected by rivulets and tributaries of the Delta, sparsely forested and punctuated by patches of open grassland, wetland and swamp, this route offers bountiful game and bird-watching opportunities.

From predators like leopard, lion, cheetah and the famous painted wolf to lumbering herds of elephant, throngs of zebra, blue wildebeest, red lechwe and impala, visitors moving through Moremi are often awestruck at the sheer numbers of game they see along the way.

There are incomparable opportunities for bird-watchers too; the diversity of biomes and richness of the Moremi ecosystem mean that there are literally hundreds of species that could be encountered along the way. Perhaps you’ll see the kori bustard, the world’s heaviest flying bird, or the ground hornbill, or a Western banded snake eagle on the hunt – one thing is sure, though, you’ll see birds and a lot of them.

All of this means that the drive might take a little longer than expected. All that time spent peering through a pair of binoculars or viewfinder means that this journey can take an hour or two longer, which means that in order to make the most of it it’s often best to start early in the morning after a night in Maun.

From there you’ll drive out along the Thamalakane River, past picturesque villages set among the mopane woodland, complete with basket-sellers and groups of children making their way noisily to and from school.

Then you’ll make your way onto the bush highway connecting South Gate [S19 25 488 E23 38 743], the entrance to Moremi Game Reserve, where the veld starts to become distinctly wilder and you’ll start to see your first smatterings of wildlife.

Keep your eyes peeled! There are extraordinary sightings to be had even at this point in the trip. Lion range here and a large pack of wild dog, comprising at least seventeen individuals, has been spotted recently far south of the park entrance.

From South Gate, you’ll make your way North-west towards Mboma Island and Mboma Boat Camp [S19 11 678 E23 16 286], where you’ll board a boat that will take you through the Delta to your final destination, Xobega Island Camp and the little slice of Okavango paradise that will be your home for the next few nights.

If you need the kind of freedom you can only get by driving through Botswana yourself but you still want to spend some time in the Okavango Delta, then Xobega Island Camp might be what you’re looking for.

* Please note that the GPS co-ordinates we correct at the time this article was written. For further information about the park fees when entering Moremi South Gate, please click here.

Wild dog pups come out to play!

We’ve brought you the incredibly exciting news of the new wild dog den around town, and we’ve had brief glimpses of the young pups as they rush out of their hiding places to receive food from their adult pack members, but yesterday was the best of all! The 8 pups were seen gallivanting playfully and pouncing on one another out in the open for all to see. The three adult dogs relaxed in the last of the day’s sunlight and couldn’t be bothered with ‘the kids’, so it’s a good thing they can entertain themselves. The little painted wolves bounded around energetically and sniffed tentatively at suspicious looking balls of elephant dung, while Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp guests absorbed the awe-inspiring scene.

The endearing thing about African wild dogs, or painted wolves, as they are also known, is that they all look after one another. Every member of the pack will support the breeding effort, which is only performed by the alpha male and female. The dogs hunt together to take down prey, while the den might be guarded by one of the dogs that remains behind as the ‘den guard’. The alpha pair will mate and produce pups, and those pups will eventually leave their natal group in same-sex groups. All the sisters will move off in one group, and all the brothers will go in another direction. Each group will look for a same-sex group of the opposite gender, and then an alpha pair will form and the breeding cycle starts all over again.

The theory goes that this co-operative breeding – whereby all pack members work to take care of the pups – is in the name of ‘kin selection’, meaning that the pack is working for the survival of their own genes. One group of females will all be related, therefore, the pups born to the alpha will also be their kin. There is a beta pair in a pack, too, which is there to take over breeding responsibilities should something happen to either the male or the female alpha pair. If the alpha female dies, the beta female will her place and mate with the alpha male, and same if the alpha male dies. Sometimes, the beta pair might breed and produce their own pups, in which case the alpha female might kill the beta pups, or take them as her own.

This pack of wild dogs is particularly small at only 3 adult dogs, so with 8 pups running around, there is a lot of feeding work to be done! Usually there are between 12 and 30 dogs in a pack, and they rely on their numbers to take down big prey species and sustain a litter of pups, but in this small pack the adults have got their work cut out for them! It’s an absolute pleasure to witness these precious, endangered predators thriving in the Klaserie… especially now that the pups are brave enough to come out and play!

Ezulwini’s Hidden Trail Camera Films Curious Wildlife

The Balule Nature Reserve is home to Africa’s big five and an abundance of species you’ve probably never heard about. On a daily basis, gentle herbivores and powerful predators grace us with their presence. Wildlife often exhibit a set of behaviours which are carefully studied by rangers and trackers. While one can never predict what happens in the wild, we can speculate based on previous behaviour.

When the game viewer is bumping along during the night game drive, it’s quite hard to see what’s happening a few metres away from you. The stars are the only source of natural light. Finding that elusive leopard while you’re listening to the distant rumbling of elephants and roaring of lions can be a tricky task.

But, when we’re out of sight, out of mind, it appears the wild comes alive. We miss so much with our less than perfect senses. The Ezulwini team set up a camera trap to capture the moments we don’t get to see. The camera was set up in a high traffic wildlife area and the results have been astounding. The next idea is to set up the camera at the lodge so we find out what happens while we’re fast asleep.

Here’s what we’ve seen on our hidden camera in the Balule…

Curious hippo inspects camera

During the cooler times of the year, you’ll see hippo basking in the sun on the banks of a river or waterhole. Due to their colossal size, they actually conserve a huge amount of energy while in the water, which is where you’ll most likely spot them.

What we’re seeing in this video is a hippo emerging from its dam at night, when they’re most likely to emerge from their comfort zone. It’s cooler during the night and they use this time to feed and forage on land. Pods normally split up and follow well constructed paths that weave through areas rich in nutrients. Clearly this hippo found the trail cam during its foraging session!

Lions, mongoose and more

The predators, both large and small, stole the limelight with this camera trap session. The carnivorous banded mongoose, which is normally a diurnal species, was spotted hunting for insects. Genet cats, a lone civet and curious porcupine approached the camera during their scavenging session.

A huge breeding herd of elephants were making their way down to the waterhole to drink, to get their daily quota of water, which can be up to 200 litres a day. They seemed oblivious to the secret hidden camera and went about their daily herbivore business.

A hippo and its calf return to safety of the dam after spending time foraging in the dark. In the same scene, a small pride of lions traverse across the thickets in search of potential prey. These nocturnal cats use the cool, dark hours to hunt and we suspect they were traversing far and wide in search of plains game.

Angry elephant dislodges camera

On a separate occasion, a weary bull elephant decided to take it upon himself to dislodge the camera. Perhaps this intelligent pachyderm knocked the camera over while dislodging a tree. After all, an elephant most certainly needs a scratching post! The African elephant is the largest and heaviest mammal, so we’re lucky there wasn’t significant damage done to the camera.

An array of diurnal species visit the dam

Waterbuck, birds, kudu and all the browsers came to inspect the camera. While some of the plains game were just filtering down to drink, the others were a bit more inquisitive. Yet again, the elephants can be seen trundling past the trails cam en route to their “swimming pool”.

Then of course, you spot the highly sociable and cheeky baboon troops darting between trees. After the suspicious bird pecked at the camera, one of the baboons clambered over it. And then of course, the vervet monkeys couldn’t possibly miss out on this spectacle, so they also joined the party.

Stay tuned for our next big reveal from Ezulwini’s hidden camera trap! What will wildlife get up to in the depths of the dark night? Only time will tell….

Leopard and Her 2 Cubs on a Kill in Klaserie

The weekend brought about some excellent safari experiences for guests at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp in the Klaserie, especially when it comes to the elusive leopard! One of the territorial females in the area, known as Ross Dam, was spotted with both of her cubs by guides Mike and Greg (aka. The A-Team!) after they tracked her cub’s spoor on foot. As soon as he was located, the guys gathered their guests for afternoon game drive and took them right to the young male leopard. The group enjoyed watching the 8 month old leopard relaxing in the riverbed, swatting flies, and generally lazing about like all good cats do!

After dark, Greg and Mike moved in a little closer to get a better look at the youngster and followed him into the thicket, as he ambled casually in between the trees. When the youngster finally came to rest, Africa on Foot guests were (very) pleasantly surprised to find him beside his mother, Ross Dam! This was an exceptional sight to have both leopards together and so happy with our presence near their kill. After a little while, a suspicious crunching sound coming from the darkness only a few metres to the right of the game viewer was revealed to be Ross Dam’s second cub! Unbelievably, while guests were watching mother and son, the female cub was getting stuck into the impala carcass only 15m away.

A magnificent visual of this young leopard gnawing and tearing at the carcass became the star of the show once Mike lay the spotlight on her for all to see. She continued to feast away, offering us something quite spectacular to watch and remember. These two cubs were first spotted on 1 January this year when Greg was out on a walking safari, and a little mottled fur ball was spotted in a drainage line. They have been seen a few times since then – a few months back both were seen with their mother feeding on a kill – and we are thrilled to know they are both going strong! Looking forward to hearing what today’s game drive brings!

The Klaserie’s Starlit Skies Are No Constellation Prize!

When darkness falls, the bush comes alive. Nocturnal predators can be heard rustling in the thickets and plains game become skittish. This is the time when the big cats hunt and the rest of the animal kingdom seeks refuge. The black canvas above is thick and heavy; only to to be broken by the millions of bright stars which illuminate the land below. With zero interference from street lamps and man-made light, the galaxies above appear to hover close to the ground. The nights in the Klaserie are wild, uncontrolled and mesmerising. After all, there’s beauty in chaos and the unknown…

Photographer Em Gatland took her finest lens out on game drive with Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp. She captured the mysterious chasm between day and night. From the minute the sun said a quick and angry farewell to the day, the night charged in with its bold black paintbrush. The forthright stars appeared, pushing their way through the blackness above. A black palette littered with specks of gold. Welcome to the beauty that is the Kruger sky.

The Southern Cross asterism and the Milky Way galaxy are the two most recognisable patterns in the night sky of the southern hemisphere. The rest of the constellations lie huddled around the phase of the moon, worshipping its royal like status. While trackers and rangers searched low for wildlife, Em and her camera pointed high to photograph the action of the night sky.

Wildlife and stars are actually in sync with one another. Have you ever seen an animal use a map? Most certainly not! Did you know that certain birds, seals and even the dung beetle use the stars to navigate? The dung beetle uses the Milky Way to navigate. Most animals, however, use a combination of the sun, the earth’s magnetic field, the polarisation pattern of the blue sky, vision, scent marking and navigational cues to find their way.

The most famous asterism in the southern hemisphere is the Southern Cross, which points due south. The northern hemisphere constellations have many Greek and Roman myths and legends surrounding the naming of stars. But the Southern Cross has no roots in the northern hemisphere, and thus no myth surrounding its formation.

Did you know? There are 88 official constellations and 48 of them are original, which means they were discovered by ancient civilisations. All stars have two names, the first is Latin and the second the “recorded” name. The Latin is descriptive and gives an indication of the constellation and how brightly the star shines.

To all the avid Astronomers out there, here are a few things to spot while star gazing in the Klaserie.

Scorpius is one of the most distinct constellations in the evening sky. Look for Antares, the glowing heart of the scorpion. Scorpius is clearly visible in the southern hemisphere and from most places in the northern hemisphere.

The Southern Cross asterism comprises five stars which are pointer stars. The stars look like the formation of a cross and it’s only viewable within the southern hemisphere. The two brightest stars point the way to the Southern Celestial Pole.

In African mythology, the Milky Way is said to have derived from a young girl who threw her ashes from a fire into the sky to construct a visible path through the complex playground of stars.

The morning stars are located in the east.

We love our big five and wildlife, but let’s not forget the starlit skies and undiscovered wonder of the night sky. Astronomy and the starlit skies of the Klaserie are certainly no consolation prize!

Week in Pictures: A Week to Remember

This week, we’ve celebrated elephants, been awed by lions, laughed at hyenas, and ogled leopards in all their glory. It’s been a week of big game encounters, breath-taking sunsets, stellar skies, and experiences to last a lifetime; and now we get to play back our favourite moments to you in the form of our Week in Pictures photoblog! Enjoy these shots capturing the details, the movements, the moments, and the sheer beauty of the world that surrounds us. From a hyena’s toothy grin in the Sabi Sand, to a Klaserie giraffe licking its lips at twilight, watercolour butterflies and rock-climbing elephants in Balule, to bloated little lion cubs in Botswana – it’s been a week to remember!

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

Highlights: Lions fight over a kudu; What to expect on a walking safari

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

Highlights: Celebrating elephants; Wild dog pups emerge from the den

Umkumbe Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Greater Kruger Park

Highlights: Leopard update with Ranger Marius

Ezulwini Game Lodges, Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger

Highlights: Balule lion fights & Singwe Pride mating

Tuskers Bush Camp, Private NG43 Concession, Botswana

Highlights: All in a game drive at Tuskers

Mapoza Males & Breakaway Lionesses on Kudu Kill

Lion tension continues in the Klaserie! The arrival of the Mapoza male lions sent things into a tailspin in the kingdom of the Trilogy males. Since this pair of unknown lions, now known as the Mapozas, arrived on the block we’ve seen them mating with the Ross Breakaway lionesses, Mabande lying low and then emerging with healing wounds on his flank, and the Trilogy males fighting with the Ross males in the Timbavati. Now, last night during #livebushfeed it was reported from the Africa on Foot vehicle that the Mapoza males were seen picking a fight with the Ross Breakaways!

Yesterday morning, the guides at Africa on Foot and nThambo found the tracks for both the Mapoza male lions, while at the same time the Ross Breakaway lionesses were spotted by student guide, Rey. Well, lions in the flesh are a better sighting than tracks in the sand, so Mike and Bjorn took their guests through to see the lionesses we know and love. We couldn’t have betted on what happened next! As we were enjoying the sighting of the lionesses, the Mapoza males came in in a storm of dust and a ‘cat fight’ broke out between the males and the females. After some serious snarling and squabbling, it dissipated and the lions moved off, but this was not to be the end of the morning’s lion action! The Ross Breakaway lionesses were spotted soon after the fight stalking a kudu bull, and soon enough, it was reported that they succeeded in taking the animal down.

Unusually, the lionesses were very uneasy. One female was found on her own, keeping her distance from the vehicles, but there was evidence of having made the kill on her face. The second lioness was found feeding hungrily, although she was also highly alert. The guides gave them space and took their guests back to camp for breakfast, while photographer and cinematographer, Kevin MacLaughlin, returned to the scene to investigate the strange behaviour.

Lo and behold, the two Mapoza males had arrived and taken over the kudu carcass, chasing the lionesses away from their hard-earned meal. The larger of the two males was feasting, while the smaller, shy one hid in the bushes. Last night on game drive, Mike returned to the scene with his Africa on Foot guests, and they witnessed the same feisty tension between the Mapoza males and the Ross Breakaway females. They stared lethally at one another, and the big Mapoza stood and guarded the kill from the two lionesses.

Klaserie Walking Safari : What to Expect

There are parts of Africa best explored by foot. Discovering the continent with nothing between your feet and the earth, transports you back to the beginning of time. However, it’s not always safe and possible to explore the spoils of this land by foot; unless you join Africa on Foot for a walking safari that will take you back to your roots. In the words of Thabo Mbeki, “I am a child of Africa, Her mountains, open veld, grass and rugged bush remain a big part of who I am. The continent has shaped me and left me believing that there is a little bit of Africa in all of us.”

Africa on Foot is the home of the big five walking safari. An uncrowded reserve peppered with medicinal shrubs and low-lying grasses makes it ideal terrain for walking. The thick mopane woodlands, marula trees and leadwoods provide the perfect scratching posts, edible vegetation and hideaways for herbivores and carnivores alike. Deep within the thickets dwell the big five, who often make an appearance for visitors to the reserve.

The Africa on Foot walks are led by gregarious, friendly and professional guides; who put your safety needs first. They don’t call themselves the A-team for nothing. And yes, they labelled themselves the A-team – and they certainly live up to their namesake!

Em Gatland, one of our wildlife photographers spent time exploring the Klaesrie on foot with the rangers. She produced a series of images that capture the essence and atmosphere of a walking safari.

In the early hours of the morning, at 5:30, a compos mentis ranger will knock on your door for a wake-up call. After coffee and rusks, you’ll head out into the wild bush. Before you set out, make sure you have a few bottles of water with you, as it can get quite warm as the mid-morning sun beats down. It’s not a strenuous walk and although it’s 3 hours, it’s mainly walking through flat, sandy areas dotted with scrub.

The walking routes are well-known and they weave through low-lying thickets and occasional trees. Guides don’t generally take you into heavily wooded mopane areas because you cannot see what’s in front of you. And nobody wants to come face to face with a buffalo bull or pride of lions.

You learn as you go when you’re on a walk. As you stroll past the medicinal plants your ranger will stop to chat to you about the many uses of that particular plant. He may even get you to sample the leaves! You’ll also be quizzed about various tracks and how to distinguish between cats, dogs and ungulates.

So what happens you come across wildlife? Before your walk commences your ranger will explain the rules of walking in the bush. There are a few key elements which should be adhered to – just to ensure everybody’s safety. Key rules are: silence is golden, single file is a must, there should be no sudden movements and you must only communicate via hand signals. This ensures you know what to do when wildlife is approached. For example, rhino have a keen sense of smell and poor vision. You can get up close but cannot move and must remain hidden. Movement, together with the blowing wind, can cause your smell to be detected.

Occasionally you’ll stop when your ranger hears a rustling sound. With excited hand signals he’ll tell you to get down (we hope you can do squats!) and move to an area of safety. Plains game and predators all have different ways of surviving in the wild and your ranger is fully aware of how to cope with confrontations.

Here are five useful things about the wild Em Gatland and others have learnt while out on foot:

Use of Faeces: Interestingly enough, the most useful faeces in the animal kingdom is that of the elephant. An will digest a variety of useful fruit and vegetation during the day and their faeces doesn’t smell! Did you know that lighting elephant dung and inhaling the smoke is said to rid one of a headache? It is also used to repel mosquitos! Because elephants are drawn to the medicinal qualities in plants, the dung can be used for many purposes.

How to Brush Your Teeth: The magic ghwarrie tree is an interesting species. The minute an animal begins to browse on its leaves it will release tannins, making it unpalatable. However, the branches of the tree, if broken off have a delightfully soft end at the tip, which feels just like a toothbrush!

Cure Stomach Disorders: The leaves of the red bushwillow are used for stomach disorders. Browsers such as impala, giraffe and elephant love this valuable fodder. Another plant that cures ailments is the silver cluster leaf, which has a low nutritional value for browsers but the roots are believed to cure diarrhoea and the bark cures poisoning.

How to Avoid Poisoning Yourself: The dreaded Tamboti tree! While not an unattractive tree, it certainly knows how to emit its fair share of poison. Normally something poisonous looks dangerous. The Tamboti doesn’t! The sap from the tree is used in fishing to stun fish – it makes them easier to catch. Don’t use the wood when making a fire, the smoke is toxic and can cause dysentery. You’ll suffer from severe stomach pain if you mistake this tree for something else. Learn to identify it early on in your safari!

Anyway, we certainly hope we haven’t given away too much information. The animal facts we’ll save for the rangers. Join us for a walking safari in the Klaserie and let our rangers teach you how to survive in the wild.