Sun Destinations Blog - Page 67 of 119 - Sun Destinations Safari

The Week in Pictures: A Spectacular Performance of Nature

Coming face to face with animals in their natural habitat is becoming more and more of a privilege, as various species become rare and endangered in the wild. Our role in the safari world is to offer a glimpse into the wild lives of animals where they live and behave naturally around us. We are observers, we do not interfere, we show respect, and we are greatly rewarded. This week, just like every other week, we have been treated to an array of spectacular performances of nature, and here we feature our favourites in the Week in Pictures!

Xobega Island Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana

This exclusive Delta island in the Moremi Game Reserve is an experience like no other. This World Heritage Site is one of the most recent areas to have received its prestigious title, and it is no wonder why when you consider the diversity of the ecosystems that have developed in the wetlands and waterways. Tall sausage trees, wild figs, jackalberry trees, and narrow papyrus-lined channels – the vegetation of the Delta houses the world’s largest mammals, such as elephants and hippos, while tiny insects and birds are even more abundant.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Greater Kruger Park

Morning and afternoon game drives take place at the most beautiful times of day, and these times just happen to coincide with when various animals are most active. In the mornings, diurnal species are bathed in the warm glow of the day’s first light as they feed from the dew-drop plantation; while afternoons bring the peachy sunsets and a drop in temperatures before darkness leads to the emergence nocturnal creatures. The Sabi Sand is one of South Africa’s most sought after safari destinations, and this week we chose a few iconic photos just to show off a little!

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

Africa on Foot’s best in show this week come in the form of a sun-drenched African wild dog, a curious, young hyena, an elephant showing its joy in the presence of water, and a quiet moment with a three-banded plover. Endless happiness can be found in the wild world of the Klaserie.

Ezulwini Game Lodges, Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

Inside the western border of the Greater Kruger National Park is the Balule Nature Reserve, where Ezulwini River Lodge and Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge offer an outstanding experience in the big game wilderness. The colours of the sunsets, the cries of the birdlife, and the unmistakable call of the king of the jungle.

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

The Big 5 is only the beginning of what nThambo Tree Camp guests have enjoyed this week, but the moments shared with these formidable species truly stand out as one would expect. Getting within reaching distance of Africa’s largest land mammal, the elephant, and locking eyes with the king of beasts: these are stand out moments enjoyed by guests this week.

WHAT? Two New Male Lions Mate with Ross Lionesses

Mabande moved in on Trilogy turf and mated with the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses. Two of the Trilogy returned to reclaim their land and their “women”. They fought with Mabande and he kept a low profile for a while. During his hiding out phase, the Trilogy mated with the Ross Pride Breakaway’s and conducted a successful buffalo kill which they dutifully shared with the lionesses. Mabande came back with a vengeance and mated with the Ross girls. So much for lying low. We knew Mabande would be back and try to claim a kingdom.

Over the past couple of days, since our last update, Mabande has been patrolling and scent marking around nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot. Like we’ve mentioned before, we’re watching the Trilogy, Mabande and Ross girls dynamics with intent. However, we could not predict what happened this morning. The events of this morning have thrown a spanner into the works. And a large spanner at that.

A-team rangers Mike and Greg phoned through with this information. We’ve edited a fair amount of their verbal feedback – the excitement is mounting and it’s evident in our ranger’s vocabulary.

Greg says, “Caro, ok, are you ready? We saw two young male lions, one had no mane but he was quite big. The other one had a beautiful golden mane and blonde locks. The younger one with no mane was really skittish and nervous, so he disappeared really quickly. The beautiful one stayed because the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses were there! At the same time we saw Mabande’s tracks everywhere and he’s definitely headed to where the new males and the Ross girls are at the moment…”

Mike interrupts and says, “They were mating! The one with the thick mane was mating with one of the Ross Pride lionesses. We managed to get a decent sighting of him and there was plenty of noise and aggression during the mating session. This new male was contact calling and announcing his presence. Overall, both newcomers were slightly anxious.”

At this stage, rangers haven’t ID’d the two new males to the Klaserie. The mating session is still happening at Swart Dam and rangers from nThambo and Africa on Foot will head down there on this evening’s game drive. Interestingly enough, there are also six lions on a buffalo kill slightly east of where the action is unfolding. Will Mabande approach the area tonight?

The stakes are high at the moment with plenty of fighting and lions moving in and out; which is creating a shift in dynamics. This could explain why the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses are mating with any male which crosses their path. Greg has a theory. He thinks, perhaps, that this is a tactical move from the Ross girls and isn’t just about them being “easy”. If the Ross girls mate with all the potential new kings, it means that their cubs will be safe because there’s no telling who the father might be. Remember, if a new dominant lion takes over an area he may kill the existing cubs so he can mate and continue his own bloodline.

We’re looking forward to the feedback from tonight’s game drive in the Klaserie. Good luck out there, it’s a war zone of warriors and potential kings.

Follow the series here:

Episode 1: Unknown Male Lion in the Klaserie

Episode 2: The Introduction. New Male Lion in the Klaserie

Episode 3: Mabande Mates with Ross Pride Lionesses

Episode 4: Mabande Male Fights with Trilogy Males

Episode 5: Battle of the Klaserie Continues: Mabande vs Trilogy

Sabi Sand Leopard’s Stroll Past Umkumbe Property

Nicki Steenberg, a ranger from Umkumbe Safari Lodge, has kept us in the loop with the latest leopard stories straight from the Sabi Sand, a rich and diverse reserve teeming with leopard activity. A while ago we introduced you to a few new leopards on the Umkumbe traverse, which certainly added a different dimension to game drives. Each leopard exploring a potentially new turf brings with it its own skill set, personality and distinct markings; which always makes things interesting. When we receive leopard reports from our Umkumbe rangers, there is always one thing which seems to be a constant : the presence of Toothfairy, the notorious hyena adept at stealing kills from leopards! This week was no different. Mxabene, Tatowa, Ndzandzeni, Inyathini and Toothfairy were all seen during the course of the week.

Nicki Steenberg says, “Ndzandzeni strolled through our property on the lookout for something. We think it was Mxabene the male because he strolled through a few minutes before she did – in the exact same spot! Tatowa was moving through a few days before but she was chased away by Toothfairy and her clan. They had a bit of a stare down, but Tatowa eventually moved away from the scene. She was actually on a kill, which is why the hyenas were around. Inyathini has been spotted briefly over the past few weeks.”

Here’s a quick reminder of who’s who:

Tatowa: Game drives often deliver sightings of Tatowa. Tatowa is a slender and beautiful leopardess who crossed over from the northern boundary onto the Umkumbe traverse. She’s built a name for herself as quite a tough cat and is the only surviving leopard from a litter of 4. At this stage she appears to be after Mxabene; but then again, most of the leopardesses in this area enjoy chasing after Max!

Mxabene Male: Over the weekend, firm favourite, Mxabene was spotted out on patrol. Sightings of Mxabene are generally when he is marking his territory and patrolling his turf to prevent unwanted visitors. Rangers haven’t seen him in a while, but that’s because he covers huge ground with his patrolling tactics. Male leopards guard their territory against other males but their traverse overlaps with, on average, 3/4 females. Their scent marking activity normally happens in the dead of night and they spray urine and disperse droppings over vegetation.

Nzandzeni Female: Ndzandzeni appears to have moved from the north (born in 2012) of Umkumbe traverse. Marius sent through a report about the first sighting, which happened about a month ago.

Inyathini Male: This elusive but rugged male remains an enigma. Not much is known about him because he wasn’t born in the Sabi Sand. It’s speculated he wandered over from the Kruger National Park early to mid 2014.

Male leopards have a wide range and seek out areas rich with females. Female leopards are often on the move in search of new den sites and will seek out areas rich in food sources. A male’s territory can overlap with up to 4 females, which is why we might enjoy sightings of one male in many different areas. Females cover less ground and will remain in an area for quite sometime with their cub, which is why you often see two leopards on patrol together.

Thanks to Johan and Nicki for the update.

Week in Pics: Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak famously wrote and illustrated a children’s book called “Where the Wild Things Are”, which shot to fame in the early 1960’s. We’ve decided that his inspiration surely must have been Botswana and Kruger during the winter time. This week in pictures, we’ve received endless wildlife reports – it appears Botswana and Kruger are pumping with predator activity. This is most certainly where the wild things are…

The vegetation has become drier, the air is colder and our camps are enjoying phenomenal sightings. This is a clear indication that peak game viewing season (winter) is upon us. The Kruger bushveld is thinning out which means it’s easier to spot wildlife and the herds are now starting to congregate around the waterholes. The lush vegetation is wilting away, so we’re witnessing plenty of movement towards dams. May also sees the arrival of the African wild dog’s denning period. Botswana is also pumping with similar sightings and offering visitors the usual unparalleled game viewing opportunities.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

If you’ve kept up-to-date with our recent sightings on Facebook, you’ll understand the incredible things happening in the Klaserie at the moment. As it stands, rangers have seen leopard 6 days in a row! There was a huge leopard fight between two unknown leopards over a kill, with the hyena eventually walking away with the prize.

nThambo have recorded daily sightings of elephant herds drinking from the pool at lunch time. They’re constantly having to refill the splash pool !

Coupled with the normal plains game sightings, there have also been wild dog sightings. It’s the end of the impala rutting season which means the endangered wild dogs have returned to den in the area. Rams are tired, which means it’s an easy meal for the wild dogs and their pups.

The biggest drama of all is the presence of a relatively new male lion called Mabande. He has been patrolling and covering huge ground around both camps and is clearly on a quest to take over the Klaserie kingdom. Of course, this is Trilogy turf, so you can only imagine the chaos that has ensued.

There was a huge fight between Mabande and two of the Trilogy males – luckily both lions came away unscathed from the event. Mabande disappeared for a couple of days but then reappeared with a vengeance. We’re watching the lion dynamics of the Klaserie closely.

Ezulwini River Lodge and Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge

Both Ezulwini Game Lodges are enjoying a record number of leopard sightings in the Balule Nature Reserve. Just the other night, blue-eyed boy Chavaluthu and the Van Wijk’s leopardess were seen together with a clan of hyenas. An incredible sighting! The Balule has also treated its guests to breathtaking lion sightings. Duma’s pride (10 lions strong) was spotted during our LiveBushFeed session. Then one of the many active lion prides in the prestigious Kruger territory, the Balule Nature Reserve, is the Mohlabetsi Pride and they were spotted snacking on a buffalo carcass.

The vultures and hyenas are out in full force – so much free food around! Plenty of predator activity for the Balule, but that’s not say our elephant and buffalo herds haven’t been spotted. At the moment, all wildlife seems to be out and about.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Elephants, Dagga boys and big game are occupying the sightings while out on game drive with the Umkumbe rangers. The Sand River, which runs in front of the lodge always draws predators and other big game to its shores. With winter looming, the sunsets and sunrises seem to be more colourful and all-encompassing. The nocturnal birds of prey, the scavengers and the small things are all coming out to play.

John Chase Safaris in Botswana

The beauty of a tailor-made safari is that the journey follows a map you’ve designed. Picking the places you want to visit and maximising your time spent in the country make for some of the most memorable expeditions of your life. Being a luxury mobile safari unit affords plenty of opportunity to traverse areas rich in game. If one area is only producing plains game sightings, the next area may produce an array of big cat sightings. Boat cruises on the Chobe will certainly bring about prolific bird, hippo and crocodile sightings.

Battle of the Klaserie Continues: Mabande vs Trilogy

Yesterday we flew in with reports and updates about the Mabande male lion. You remember him? He’s the nomadic male who has spent the past few weeks patrolling and marking new territory. During the course of last week, he had a huge showdown with the Trilogy lions, the dominant males of the area.

So, what’s the latest in the Mabande vs Trilogy saga? Well, Mabande was relaxing close to Buffelsdam and managed to give guests a brief sighting. He even engaged in a bit of rolling back and forth to entertain his onlookers. After his fight with the Trilogy, he went scurrying away but now it appears his confidence his back up. Clearly last week didn’t deter this potential king, who wants the Klaserie and the Ross girls for himself.

Although Mabande lay low for a while, he certainly didn’t go running for the hills. He spends plenty of time patrolling turf, scent marking and covering huge ground. Guests from nThambo Tree Camp have actually spotted him casually strolling past camp. He was also seen just outside the ranger’s block at Africa on Foot.

Is this not a dangerous situation for Mabande? Returning to Trilogy traverse? The absolute brazen attitude of Mabande surely is a sign of a burgeoning and brave leader!

So, after being spotted at Buffelsdam, Mabande subsequently left the area because one of the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses was contact calling. He moved off in the general direction of the calls. The next sighting was of one of the Trilogy males mating with Ross girls!

The following day, the nThambo team spotted one of the Trilogy males just relaxing by himself. Believe it or not, while nThambo were with the handsome Trilogy male, the Africa on Foot team were observing the Mabande male mating with one of the Ross girls.

It’s getting very risky out there in the Klaserie. The competition for females is strong and you can slice the tension in the air with a knife. Thus far, two males, one turf. Things are inching closer to a battle of the Klaserie – Mabande vs Trilogy.

Part 1: Ezulwini’s Favourite Leopard Makes a Kill

Chavaluthu is the blue-eyed leopard boy of the Balule and is often spotted on the Ezulwini traverse. Leopards are notoriously elusive creatures, choosing to hide in drainage lines during the day and conducting highly-specialised kills at night. Chavaluthu occasionally keeps a low profile, hiding out in the thickets and avoiding the limelight. But when he decides to come out and play, he does so with vengeance and always puts on a show! His name means of “afraid of nothing”, which would explain his often inexplicable behaviour.

A couple of days ago, Chavaluthu made a successful impala kill. After making a kill leopards will normally drag the carcass up the closest tree for safekeeping. Leopards are at risk of losing their kill to thieving hyenas and even other leopards. Chavaluthu, being brave and non-plussed about potential threats, stashed his kill in the thickets behind where he was resting. Not quite textbook leopard behaviour, but then again, leopards don’t read textbooks!

Jochen happened to be guiding the night when Chavaluthu was seen guarding his kill. After leaving the sighting word came through that our favourite leopard had lost his kill to a hyena!

But there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s part 2 of our Balule leopard update, where all will be revealed. In the meantime, here are images from the start of the event.

Meet Linki Mdlovu: Umkumbe’s Head of Housekeeping

When you arrive at a safari lodge and think twice before jumping on the bed for fear of destroying the beautiful flower display, you know that care and thought have been put into your arrival. Linki Mdlovu is Umkumbe Safari Lodge’s Head of Housekeeping, and she is certainly one of those quietly celebrating the gorgeousness of bougainvillaea as she arranges delicate floral patterns on your bed.

Shiny rows of pearly whites greet you as Linki beams with friendliness. Her face is kind and happy and when she talks about her job at Umkumbe Safari Lodge, it’s no wonder why. It’s the wildlife, she says, that makes this place her home. Just like anyone who lays eyes on the view from Umkumbe and takes a breath of fresh Sabi Sand air, Linki loves the location of her daily life. We thought we would introduce you to the creative hands behind those flower-hearts on your bed linen, and the workforce keeping Umkumbe’s suites looking spick n span!

Linki, thank you for dedication to Umkumbe’s housekeeping team, for your contagious smile, and the personal effort you put into everything that you do.

An Elephant at Xobega Island Camp

It’s not every day your afternoon nap is disturbed by the thudding sounds of Africa’s favourite marula fruit hitting the ground around your tent, followed by the gentle padding of a leathery trunk feeling for the fallen fruit on the ground. Once you’ve come to and opened your eyes, you are reminded that you are on an Okavango Delta island and the sounds you are hearing are those of an elephant tucking into the fruit born of the marula tree above your tent! Don’t act so surprised, this is Africa after all…

Slowly, the largest terrestrial mammal on Earth ambles passed your flyscreen window, stretching its trunk out to grasp the marulas dangling on another branch of the tree. The sheer enormity of this animal has been described in books and documentaries, and you may have even witnessed them yourself while enjoying your boat cruise to this island – Xobega – however; only once the animal extends itself above your canvas tent, and takes huge strides passed your ‘doorway’, do you realise just how much of a mammoth this creature is.

Gentle, yet incredibly powerful, at the same time, the African elephant is an alluring animal we have the privilege of knowing today. In the Okavango Delta, these great beasts thrive in the wetland terrain, and their sense of ownership is evident. At Xobega Island Camp, elephants and hippos make the rules, and when their is a marula tree in full fruit, there is no hiding it from the long nose of an elephant! That is what leads you to this moment.

The hungry elephant is in heaven, where the succulent green and yellow delights are littered all over the sandy floor and hanging tightly onto their stems in the trees. As you watch from your tent in awe, the elephant – oblivious to your presence – moves a few metres away to the next tent, also showered in marulas, and you are given an opportunity to sneak onto your tent ‘verandah’ and enjoy taking a few photographs to mark this unforgettable African moment.

Every summer when the marula trees on Xobega Island begin to fruit, this elephant comes to take his share. Over time he has come to know the presence of people on the island, and his demeanour is ever so courteous. He welcomes quiet onlookers who keep their distance and allow him to keep feeding in peace, as they gaze up at him in wonder. This was one of those moments at Xobega Island Camp that we will never forget.

Watching Clumsy Hippos Mate While on a Xobega Boat Cruise

The intricate papyrus-lined waterways of the Okavango Delta provide the ideal habitat for water dwelling creatures. You’ll notice colossal hippos wading gently through the crystal Delta waters or basking in the sun on the banks of the channels. They emerge at night and forage on land under the dark pristine night skies. Seeing hippos in the Delta is one of the highlights of being based in the area. To get to Xobega Island camp you have to navigate the waterways, which means there’s no shortage of hippo sightings en route.

While guests were enjoying a leisurely boat cruise, weaving in and out of the maze of waterways, two hippos decided to put on a show. They began to mate, creating quite ripple while in the water. Watching hippos mate is pure entertainment. Bulls don’t possess the charming skills and courtship antics of other wildlife, but literally go straight in for the “kill”. They cruise through the pod, locate a female in oestrus and chase her into the water to begin the mating process. There’s plenty of snapping from his side she should not comply directly to his over enthusiastic commands.

Guests on the boat were delighted to see the bull mounting the female, despite it being a rather arduous affair. It’s quite tricky to differentiate between sexes, but males are normally larger than their female counterparts. Males practice a harem system, which means the dominant bull protects the territory housing pods of females and their young. Generally obstinate and moody, bulls don’t tolerate one another because there is too much testosterone and competition for females.

When a cow produces a calf, they are born into shallow water. This means that the calf won’t have to struggle to wade/swim in deeper waters and breathing is easier. Calves will suckle underwater by blocking their nostrils and ears, which prevents them from drowning.

Both mother and calf will estrange themselves for a while in order to create lifelong bonds. Here’s hoping this female will become pregnant and continue to populate the delicate Delta waters with hippo.

Astounded by Our Daily Leopard Sightings at Klaserie Camps

First-time safari goers generally come to the Kruger to see our big cats in their natural habitat, which comprises a mix of marula trees, leadwood trees and belts of unforgiving mopane bush. Plenty goes on in the bushveld, unseen by the human eye. Our master stalkers and ambush predators hide deep within the bushveld and generally come out when we least expect it. Welcome to Africa, where life can be unpredictable and entertaining at the same time.

The big five is an obvious drawcard to visitors, but there is something about the powerfully built lions and lithe leopards which excites guests. Of the two, the majestic leopard is the most elusive. Given that lions spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping, they’re often easier to spot. Our rippling leopards tend to spend time hiding in drainage lines, seeking shelter under aggressive acacia scrub and patrolling their turf while calculatingly avoiding the limelight.

Can you imagine our luck when the team at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp spotted leopards 4 days in a row? Three different leopards exhibiting an array of behaviours over 4 consecutive days = game viewing success!

Day 1: While out on evening game drive, A-team rangers Mike and Greg looked over at the horizon and decided it was time to celebrate the golden hour. Sunsets in the Klaserie are a highly celebrated event. Just as the drinks were poured, rangers excitedly asked guests to drop everything and jump in the vehicle. Word came through of a possible leopard sighting. These elusive wanderers don’t hang around for long, which means you need to move to quickly to the location of the sighting. The team arrived just in time!

Guests from Africa on Foot enjoyed a glimpse of an unknown leopardess carrying a dead side-striped jackal. She’d stashed the kill under the tree and swiftly returned to the area to snatch it up and head to the nearest tree. Casually strolling in front of the game viewer, she quickly looked up at the occupants and continued walking with determination.

Day 2: After day 1’s enthralling sighting, things escalated. That evening, an unknown leopardess was spotted relaxing under a tree. She had an impala carcass intertwined up in the highest branches, safely stashed away from thieving predators. Both nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot enjoyed lengthy sightings of the female, who was quite happy to spend a bit of time in front of the camera.

Day 3: After day 2’s incredible sighting, things escalated even further. A real if-you-blink-you’ll-miss-it moment. Over the crackling heartbeats of the walkie talkie, a feint voice alerted the nThambo team of yet another leopard sighting. As the game viewer pulled into the sighting, the female from the night before was dining on her delectable meal in the fork of the tree. A lone, loping hyena was frantically circling the trunk of the tree, hoping for a morsel. Out of the bush emerged a large male leopard, growling and agitated.

The female growled back, guarding her meal with fervour. The male scaled the tree and, quite literally, smashed the female out of the tree! He grabbed the carcass and came down from the tree and the head of the impala fell into the jaws of the hyena. While the male leopard was mid-jump, he dropped the impala head, leaving it for the hyena to devour.

All that drama and the hyena still walks away with the prize.

Day 4: Day 4 creeped up quietly and there were whispers of leopards. Lo and behold, Cleo the leopardess appeared. She’s a firm favourite on the traverse and easily recognizable by the small notch in her ear. Africa on Foot rangers responded to the sighting first. A guest noticed her in a fully relaxed state draped over the branches of a tree.

Cleo spotted a steenbok (small antelope) below and darted down in stealth mode. After proving unsuccessful in her stalking, she hopped back into the tree. Another steenbok foolishly approached the vicinity and Cleo reverted back to her quick stealth mode. Then promptly jumped back into the tree! nThambo rangers moved into the sighting and were also treated to a game of Cleo antics.

Quite a successful string of sightings on the traverse. Right now we’re certainly doting on our daily leopard sightings within the Klaserie!