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Singwe Pride Lions visits Ezulwini River Lodge

Ezulwini Game Lodges have come to know a number of lion prides that occupy parts of their traverse in the Balule Nature Reserve, but the Singwe Pride is not usually one of them. That changed just recently when one male lion and two lionesses were spotted on Ezulwini River Lodge access road, and speculation has it that this is part of the Singwe Pride very seldom seen in this neck of the woods!

Ezulwini has become quite accustomed to epic lion sightings. Being located in the Balule Nature Reserve, which shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, game drives are an experience of thrilling wildlife viewing and unpredictable and diverse big game sightings. Lions can be somewhat predictable (although that is a dangerous word to use in the wild world!) in the sense that once a pride has established its territory, it is likely that we will see them in that area. We’ve mapped out a general idea of where these territories lie and which lions are seen where, but we have certainly been surprised with unexpected lion sightings in the past, so when these unfamiliar lions rocked up at River Lodge, we were pleasantly surprised.

The Singwe Pride is known to be dominated by two adult males, and the pride consists of two lionesses, and two cubs – a small unit compared to the larger prides, such as Mohlabetsi Pride and Duma’s Pride, which are seen frequently on Ezulwini traverse. At this sighting, there was only one male alongside the two lionesses, and there were no cubs in sight. This is not altogether surprising because lions do not always move around as a pride, and it is often that lionesses leave their cubs stashed away in a safe place. One of the lionesses showed evidence that she was lactating, which is proof that she must have cubs somewhere not too far away.

It’s always fun to shake things up with a couple of unfamiliar lions seen on the traverse, and we can’t help but speculate reasons for their unusual movements. Why are we seeing this pride on our traverse? Will it result in conflict if they are discovered by one of the dominating prides in the area? As we’ve mentioned, lions are relatively easy to keep track of because they are territorial, so we hope to be able to follow up on these guys and confirm that they are indeed the Singwe Pride we’ve only seen once or twice before. On the other hand – this is wild Kruger, and it is possible that these visitors might slink off and not be seen again for a long time. Keep an eye out for our updates!

Week in Pictures: Colour By Nature

If there is anything constant or predictable about nature, it’s that it is spectacularly colourful. Every morning there is a sunrise to paint the dawn peachy tones of pink, and every evening there is a sunset that stains the sky all shades of salmon. Even if there is a build up of cloud in the wide open skies, rays of golden light peek through intermittently, illuminating the emerald leaves on summer trees. In winter, brilliant green is replaced by dusky purples and champagne beige, while tree trunks are crocodile skins of charcoal standing tall from the terracotta coloured soil. The bush is a celebration of colour, and the bush dwellers camouflage and contrast just as beautifully. When the artistic gift of our photographers combines with what is already provided in the wild world, we get the Week in Pictures: Colour By Nature!

Tuskers Bush Camp, Moremi, Botswana

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

nThambo Tree Camp, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger

Ezulwini River Lodge, Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

Umkumbe Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Greater Kruger Park

Wildlife Seen on Camera Trap Inside nThambo Tree Camp

After the last guests has retired to their luxurious treehouse cabin on stilts, ranger Bjorn and the rest of the nThambo Tree Camp family ensure the lodge is locked-up and everything is secure. Being located in an open camp means there’s all sorts of curious and unpredictable behaviour from wildlife. Certain species love to visit the camp and party when lights go out. They think they the nThambo Lounge is their chill out spot and often come for a quick sniff around. It’s almost as if these cheeky creatures are waiting in the wings for the humans to disappear.

The morning after the creatures of the night left evidence of their partying ways in the lounge and deck area, Bjorn decided to set up a secret camera trap to film the nocturnal antics. This is the first blog post with a quick video of the night and an introduction to our weekly “nThambo’s Camera Trap Secrets“. At this stage, we’ve only got one video to share but we’re building on this, and soon we’ll be delivering fantastic video footage. Bjorn will be setting up the camera tonight and we’re all hoping it captures something unique!

From time to time we’ll move the camera around the inside of the lodge to gain interesting perspectives. Last week we reported the daily diurnal visits from elephant herds and now it’s time to tackle the night time critters!

So, who came to visit? Well, last night saw the return of the honey badgers (obviously), hyena and a lone civet.

The fridges are locked tightly because of the honey badgers and everything is dead bolted. The thing with honey badgers is that they’re intelligent and industrious. They’ll sense an area which is rich with food and approach without any thought to possible danger. They’ve been known to come into the property while guests are lounging around. They disappear swiftly when they realise they’re not alone!

Hyenas are notorious scavengers and successful hunters. They cover a wide range and area constantly on the move in search of carcasses and “free” meals. Hyenas often come to investigate the area outside nThambo.

Civets will pretty much eat anything from mice to frogs and fruit. They are opportunistic scavengers and you’ll often find them outside lodges trying to find food.

Stay tuned for our next instalment of nThambo’s Camera Trap Secrets to find out what happens when you go to bed at night…

The Happy Faces of Africa on Foot

What’s there not to smile about when the Klaserie is your back garden? These toothy smiles belong to some of Africa on Foot‘s most valued staff members, and when photographer, Em Gatland, visited recently she captured their best sides in an impromptu photo shoot on the lodge grounds. Sure, we are missing some key members of the Africa on Foot team, but we couldn’t not share these with you!

Part of the housekeeping team – Ellie, Pretty, and Portia – can be seen very infrequently as they flit around the lodge once guests have left for game drive. Generally chatting away in their musical voices, arms laden with clean towels and linen, these ladies sweep through guest rooms, neaten up, replenish any empties, and let in the light so that when guests return from a morning walking safari, they are welcomed by a newly preened safari chalet!

Yvonne is one of Africa on Foot’s home-style chefs, and her wide smile is permanently worn across her face. From sizzling, seared beef fillet, to crumbly spinach and feta quiches, and heart-stopping cheesecake desserts, Yvonne knows how to please every palate. The menu at Africa on Foot is tasty and diverse, offering something different for every meal, every day of a guest’s stay. Fussy eater? Not to worry, because Yvonne has a line-up of gluten-free, dairy-free, meat-free, or banting-friendly recipes up her sleeve!

“Magic Mike”, as he has become known around camp and among friends, has become a real character at Africa on Foot. The initiator of the #TIAOF Instagram hashtag (stands for This Is Africa On Foot), and one half of the “A Team” made famous on #livebushfeed, Mike is one of the enthusiastic, nature-loving, smooth-talking safari guides our guests meet and love. Guided walking safaris with Mike are always a learning and enlightening experience, while his humour and friendliness make him the perfect dinner host and bush barman after hours!

Ryan arrived at Africa on Foot as a Bushwise student and has certainly grafted his way to the top. Eager to dive right in to the safari life, Ryan was eager to help wherever it was needed, and there is always something that needs to be done at the lodge! After months of hard work and all the guiding practice he could need, Ryan is now a fully-fledged guide and relief manager for both Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp.

Enoch is an Africa on Foot legend. Tracker extraordinaire and the king of dry humour, Enoch has been with Africa on Foot for many years and we wouldn’t dare imagine life without him! When Enoch is guiding a walking safari, best pay attention because he is not scared to test you afterwards. His innate knowledge and 50-something years spent in the Lowveld, make this man is one authentic asset to the Africa on Foot team! Here he is testing his hand at photography… Maybe old dogs can learn new tricks!

Sabi Sand Lion Cubs Put on a Show for Umkumbe Rangers

We think it’s time for another lion pride update from the Sabi Sand. This time we’re not delivering the guts and glory tales of gory kills and blushing moments of lions mating. Today we bring you photos of tawny bundles of lion cubs, specifically the new Sabi Sand lion cubs that have breathed new life into the reserve. They’re so young and fluffy that you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re just big bunches of fleecy yarn rolling about in the wilderness. So, just which pride of lions has given birth to two potential leaders?

The cubs belong to the Charleston males and one of the Southern Pride lionesses. Recently, rangers have spotted the Charleston’s, the cubs, the lioness with cubs and the full Southern Pride, all engaging in different activities. All in a day’s work here in the Sabi Sand! Marius and Nadia, rangers from Umkumbe Safari Lodge, sent us their images to showcase rather memorable moments with these lions.

Here’s the breakdown of Umkumbe’s recent lion pride sightings:

The Downtime

Marius Zeilinga showed his guests a once in a lifetime lion pride sighting. They came across the Southern Pride together with their cubs and the protective Charleston males. They were doing what lions do best – lazing around. Lions sleep for up to 20 hours a day and conduct their more energetic activities, such as patrolling and hunting, during the cooler hours of the night. They were spotted during the day and later in the evening.

The Feast

Nadia and her guests spotted the full Southern Pride feasting off a buffalo kill. The Charleston males and cubs were all enjoying their dinner experience. There’s a definite hierarchy involved when lions sit down to eat. The dominant males eat first, then lionesses and cubs.

The Roaring

The Southern Pride of lions and the Charleston males were very vocal the other night. They were heard contact calling in the dead of night. Lions call to advertise territory and to make contact with other members of the pride. At night, sound travels further because the air is still and things are deadly calm. Luckily, Nadia filmed one of the Charlestons roaring! The true sound of the African bushveld.

Two Leopards and Only One Steenbok at Ezulwini

When there is more than enough to go around, there is no reason to poach another predator’s prey, right? Well, not entirely. These two leopards were only doing what’s natural when we caught them in the act at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge recently. One leopardess we know as Van Wijk’s female was chasing another leopardess called Manana who had just landed herself a steenbok kill! Leopards are solitary animals, and they compete with one another for territory and prey, so Van Wijk’s saw the opportunity to get an easy meal by intimidating a rival leopard and stealing her kill.

Ezulwini guests had set out on game drive, and after admiring a gregarious group of giraffe and zebra, and a couple of bold baby elephants, the radio called in the sighting of Manana with a steenbok kill. Immediately, excitement filled the air, as the elusive leopard is right at the top of everybody’s safari sightings list! Josh drove his guests to the sighting, as soon enough, he clapped eyes on a second leopard sneaking around in the shadows.

No one could have banked on this lucky sighting, but in the Balule, which is a privately reserve open to Kruger, anything is possible. The second female was soon identified as Van Wijk’s female, which is a regularly seen territorial leopardess. She had picked up on Manana’s scent and was hot on her trail. The cameras came out and guests snapped away as this very lucky sighting unfolded in front of their eyes.

Manana stayed hidden, and as soon as she made a break for it, carrying the steenbok in her jaws, Van Wijk’s female trotted closely behind her. It was fantastic to watch both leopards in the same frame – both desperate to eat, but only one fully deserving of the meal. Manana won out in the end, and settled to feed on most of her kill before deserting the remains of the carcass. Van Wijk’s female gave up the chase and soon slinked off into the thicket, but hopefully we will catch up with her soon!

Klaserie Safari Time Lapse Video

A whirlwind safari recorded on Greg’s ‘dash cam’ as he guides a game drive at Africa on Foot in the Klaserie. A chilly winter’s morning with a bit too much wind last week meant that a game drive was opted for over a walking safari, and Greg mounted his camera to record the bushveld cruise that led his guests to various sightings, including the Ross Breakaway lionesses having a lazy start to the day.

The clouds were rolling in with the icy wind, and the bare winter trees swayed in double time as the time lapse captured the scene from Greg’s point of view. Enoch, Africa on Foot’s tracker, is positioned in the tracker’s seat at the front of the vehicle, bundled up in warm clothes to fight the wind chill as he scans the ground and surroundings for signs of animal movement. After a visit with the Ross Breakaway females, Greg moves on to enjoy some warming coffee and rusks at a spot in the Klaserie bush.

Enoch and Greg pull out the picnic table and attempt to lay the table cloth despite the wind. Flasks of hot water, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate are set out alongside a selection of rusks, which, in South Africa, are a staple accompaniment to your hot beverage! Guests stretch their legs and enjoy a warming cuppa while admiring the unfenced Kruger surroundings before its time to hop back into the game viewer and continue on safari.

Once the stomachs start to rumble, it’s time to return to the lodge for breakfast, followed by a day of leisure in Africa on Foot’s unfenced bush camp and eventually a second game drive – this time, including your choice of sundowner beverages to sip on while enjoying the picturesque sunset!

Umkumbe Leopards: Toms Dominate Recent Sightings

The past couple of weeks on the Umkumbe traverse we’ve certainly not had any reason to shout “girl power”. We normally enjoy a varied mix of both female and male leopard sightings, but recently the toms have dominated the leopard sightings. Males tend to cover a wide range and spend much of their time defending territories and seeking out female companionship. Females tend to cover a smaller range and are drawn to an area because of the potential den sites and density of prey. Both leopards defend territories that are same-sex exclusive, but at the moment the spotlight is on the toms of the Sabi Sand.

Mxabene and Bicycle Crossing have been spotted out on patrol. The toms are aggressively scent marking territories and seeking out females. Ranger Marius and the eagle-eyed tracking team from Umkumbe spotted Mxabene sniffing and scent marking the low-lying scrub. He seemed to be on the move. Luckily the sighting happened in the first light of the morning, making photography somewhat more successful than in the black of night when leopards are the most active.

There were female leopard tracks in the area Max was patrolling, which means he probably picked up the scent and decided to seek out one of our graceful leopardesses. Females leave behind a complex chemical clue in their urine when marking and males will pick up in this and follow the trail.

Bicycle Crossing provided an exquisite, yet somewhat inactive sighting. He seemed to merely pass by and settled into a pattern of sleeping. When he tired of his position he got up and disappeared into the dead of night. Marius lost visual as Bicycle swaggered his way into the vegetation.

Let’s hope we see a bit of female Sabi Sand leopard activity this week – just to keep our leopard sightings in balance!

Week in Pictures : Lions, Leopards and Everything in Between

Welcome to the “Week in Pictures”, a time to celebrate the events of the week. This week, across the board, we’ve seen a marked increase in big cat sightings. That’s not to say we haven’t enjoyed a wealth of other sightings such as plains game, pachyderms and rare creatures. Here’s the update and photos from the week!

Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and Ezulwini River Lodge

The lazy lions and elusive leopards of the Balule have been spotted on numerous occasions during game drives. Part of the River Pride of lions were spotted in search of their next meal and the Mohlabetsi pride were also seen fighting their way through the scrub. The somewhat elusive leopards provided a fair bit of action in the Balule on Wednesday night. The Van Wijk’s leopardess and another unknown female were spotted. The unknown female was quietly enjoying her steenbok meal when the Van Wijk’s female decided to launch an attack and take the meal for herself! While the large pachyderms, gentle herbivores and poised plains game have been seen regularly; this week in the Balule has been more about big cats than anything else!

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

There’s plenty of action in the Sabi Sand at the moment. Huge herds of elephant have been spotted on the banks of the Sand River, the plains game are nervously running around and the big cats have been quite vocal. Guests and rangers have enjoyed two rare sightings of a serval and pangolin, which is most certainly a highlight of the week. On the leopard front, both the Bicycle Crossing male and White Dam female have been spotted. Bicycle Crossing was enjoying a leisurely break from patrolling and having a quick lie down when a hyena sauntered past for a quick sniff and inspection. White Dam walked alongside the game viewer and posed quite nicely for photographs! Rangers also managed to locate the Charleston male lions relaxing with five females and two cubs.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Guests at nThambo Tree Camp have been enjoying watching the breeding herds of elephants drinking from the splash pool. This is now a daily occurrence at camp. They march past the wooden chalets and head straight to the pool where plenty of chaos and mayhem ensues! When darkness falls and the main area of the lodge says goodbye to its last human guests, the nocturnal creatures come to visit. Ranger Bjorn set up a camera trap which took videos and stills of rare civets and honey badgers enjoying a sniff around the bar and lounge area!

Both Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have been rewarded with plenty of African wild dog sightings. It is their denning period so during this time they will remain sedentary and their nomadic ways will cease while they rear their pups. Hopefully guests and rangers will get to see pups soon! Big cats sightings include the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses drinking at the waterhole, the Marula Mafasi leopardess resting in the shade and contact calling from lions further afield.

Plains game, pachyderms, buffalo and birds are always roaming the Klaserie. The Klaserie has spotted plenty of the small creatures and herbivore giants over the past week.

Xobega Island Camp and Tuskers Bush Camp

Our Botswana camps located in the waterways of the Okavango Delta and the arid scrub areas of northern Botswana make for incredible game viewing opportunities. Here are a few of the finest moments shared with predators, herbivores and breathtaking landscapes.

Another Wild Dog Den on the Radar!

If you’ve been following our wildlife updates for long enough, you’ll remember the excitement that surrounded the discovery of a wild dog den near Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp almost a year ago. This is some sensational news, as we know these super predators are an endangered species, and we are lucky enough to see them as adults, never mind when they are little balls of puppy fluff! Well, once again our traverse has proved the optimal location for a small pack of African wild dogs to den. Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp guides captured some photos of the 3 dogs they have seen almost everyday for the last little while.

There has been no sight of pups yet, and as Ranger Greg says, they are keeping their distance from the den, so as not to interfere with their sensitive denning period. If the dogs feel threatened or in any way unsafe they will leave the den and relocate their pups to an undisturbed area. The fact that wild dogs are repeatedly using the area goes to show that the ethical conduct on game drive creates a hospitable environment for these precious predators to breed.

High pitched squealing sounds have been reported near the den, indicating that there might be pups hidden inside. There is also one female dog that appears to be lactating – another good indicator of pups!

We hope to continue seeing the dogs on morning and evening game drives – chosen hunting times for the dogs – and to habituate them to the vehicles, so that they may feel comfortable to eventually bring their pups out of the den. We will certainly keep this space updated!

Take a look back at almost a year ago when we saw a pack of dogs and their pups at a den site nearby:

“Wild dog pups seen in the Klaserie”

“Video: Wild dog pups get a meaty breakfast