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Hornbill Chick Flees the Nest

This time last year, we reported that we had witnessed red-billed hornbills leaving the nest at Africa on Foot, and now, a year later, the same thing has been recorded, except that this time it was a yellow-billed hornbill chick! Catching this sort of intimate act of nature in action is very special, and we are lucky to have this repeatedly used nest in the tree between the kitchen and dining room to monitor.

Hornbills are known to reuse suitable nests year after year, and they seem to quite like this particular hole in a tree, giving us the pleasure of watching the nesting process year after year. Curiously, last year we had to wait until the chick finally left the nest to tell whether it was a red-billed or yellow-billed hornbill, because the parent birds of both subspecies were seen maintaining the nest and feeding the chick inside. It turned out to be red-billed then, and yellow-billed now! Interesting that the two different families utilise the same nest.

Africa on Foot camp manager, Jen, managed to capture the moment the young chick fled the recently, offering this incredible look into the bird’s first moments in the big, wide world. First, the mother exits a small hole made in the otherwise sealed nest, and she will continue to fly back and forth with the male parent feeding the chick for its last short while in the nest. Eventually, the baby bird, fully feathered, is finally ready to leave the nest. Take a look at this incredible photo sequence of the once-a-year event:

Elephants from above in the Sabi Sand

The Sand River flows and dries up with the change in seasons in South Africa’s Kruger Lowveld. As the summer heat creeps in, the epic thunderstorms roll in on through great, purple clouds, and the rains nourish the land after a long, dry winter, and rivers such as the Sand fill up and bring life to its banks once again. Umkumbe Safari Lodge is ideally located on a rise overlooking this river in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve – a private section of the Kruger Park with a reputation for predator interaction, particularly leopards. When the Sand River comes to life, it’s not leopards that draw the eye, but elephants. In this superb piece of aerial footage taken over Umkumbe, watch elephants from above as they can be seen crossing the water from one bank to the other.

The current drought punishing South Africa has withheld rain during the months it is needed the most. A tragedy for people, wildlife, vegetation, and agriculture, as the lack of water begins to take effect; however, the Sand River has received enough of a push from what rain has fallen, and is coursing beautifully through the Sabi Sand, decorating its surroundings in colour and offering much-needed water to the wilderness surrounding it.

Elephants are entirely reliant on water, and as a result, they have famous migration routes carved through the plains of Africa to lead them to water wherever it is located during different times of the year. It is a miracle of nature that there are elephants that survive in the desert of Namibia, where water is virtually unheard of. This footage of a herd of elephants enjoying the water in the Sand River is a refreshing visual during a time of concerning drought in the rest of the country. What a view from the perfectly positioned Umkumbe Safari Lodge!

Sabi Sand : The Eccentricity of Nature

Nature is an eccentric place where wildlife often breaks free from the documented textbook behaviour and leaves us feeling somewhat bewildered. Just when we think we understand a species, its physical markings and behaviour; you stumble across an anomaly.

Marius Zeilinga, a game ranger from Umkumbe Safari Lodge, stumbled across a zebra with unusual markings on its forehead. Zebras have unique markings, akin to that of a human fingerprint. Their markings generally have a similar pattern but Marius discovered a zebra with distinct concentric circles on its forehead.

A baboon established his throne on a decaying tree and made guests question whether lions truly are the kings of the jungle. This baboon certainly wanted the title of king!

The ravenous raptors of the Sabi Sand were caught in the midst of their feasting. A Wahlberg’s eagle, with its delightful rufous colouring, was seen dining on a snake. The Wahlberg’s eagle is often near water and preys on snakes, reptiles and small mammals. A bateleur eagle was spotted smashing a terrapin and enjoying the meaty delights hiding beneath its shell. Seeing it devour a terrapin was quite unusual as it normally targets snakes, small birds and mammals.

While guests were enjoying a sundowner session a clan of hyena strolled past. They were probably on the move in search of a kill to steal. This is definitely not behaviour that deviates from the norm, but it made for an exciting sighting !

The rule of the wild is – never tried to figure it out !

Elephants digging for water at Ezulwini

It is well known that elephants are some of the most intelligent members of the wild population of African inhabitants. Emotional beings with a mysterious reputation for good memory, elephants have been known to carve out age old migration routes that lead to reliable sources of water, and to remember where herd members have laid down to eternal rest. They develop along a similar chronological scale to humans, making them particularly relatable animals. Elephants also possess the incredible ability to sense water underground, and are known to dig to access it during times of drought.

At Ezulwini Game Lodges in the Balule, Greater Kruger, guests came across a herd of elephants digging in a sandy drainage line to get to underground water, which was an incredible sight to witness. The elephants dig using their feet to carve out bowls in the sand, which, when deep enough to reach the water table, become temporary watering holes providing much needed water. Adult elephants plunge their trunks into the sandy pits and pour litres of water down their throats, while the babies kneel or lie on the ground and bury their heads in the waterhole in order to reach the water at the bottom.

Other animals rely on this aspect of elephant behaviour, and rush to drink from the dug waterholes once the elephants have had their fill and left. Droughts can be devastating, particularly in areas where rainfall is frequent and expected, as the animals dwelling here are not equipped to deal with the drastic change in the climate. Elephants possess the ability to create a water source for themselves and other animals during times of such need.

Week in Pictures: 2016 Begins with a Bang!

A week into the new year, and things are looking promising! Despite the almost unbearable heat waves sweeping South Africa, 2016 has kicked off with a bang. The Olifants River at Ezulwini is an offer the elephants can’t refuse, and they have been seen enjoying the sweet riverside reeds, alongside buffalo and waterbuck, which are also avid water-lovers. The presence of buffalo in the Balule means the lions are out and about (so that’s 3 of the Big 5, if you’re counting). Take a look at the Week in Pictures.

The neighbouring Klaserie was overrun (in the best possible way) by African wild dogs this week! An unexpected and rare opportunity to study some of the most endangered predators in Africa was bestowed upon guests at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp when the pack of 7 dogs were the highlight of their game drives, day after day. A beautiful glimpse of the Ross Dam leopardess was a stroke of luck too this week, and to top it off, the Ross Breakaway lionesses were seen this morning!

Our Sabi Sand jewel – Umkumbe Safari Lodge – has had elephants crossing the Sand River in full view of sun bathing guests, while a whopping total of 4 different leopards have been sighted in the first week of the new year. Kigelia, Tatowa, White Dam, and Mxabene are famous faces in the Sabi Sand, and guests were thrilled to be introduced to them. An enormous bull elephant almost trod on a camera trap, and a small flap neck chameleon was spotted clinging to the end of a twig.

As for Botswana, Afrika Ecco Safaris enjoyed getting up close to some of the commonly seen species in the top safari locations of this wild country. Cruising through the Kalahari, we almost bumped right into a very relaxed springbok; a hornbill allowed us to get up close and personal with his foraging process; an elephant in Moremi kicked up dust; and our guide in the Okavango Delta presented our freshly caught dinner for inspection.

All in a Morning Spent on Safari in Klaserie!

The Klaserie is desperate for rain, as is the rest of South Africa. During this time of unusual drought, the creatures of Kruger gravitate towards reliable sources of water, so it’s no surprise that Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp found this lone bull elephant drinking from Jason’s Dam. He was accompanied by a hippo, a family of Egyptian geese, and a marabou stork. Guests watched as this giant mammal loped down the dam wall and headed, excitedly, for the water. He moved around the dam, took a few long gulps and continued on his journey through the Mopane block and into the distance. No matter, there was more safari magic awaiting the guests not too far away…

The famous Ross Breakaway lionesses were found lazing about just above a drainage line, and we couldn’t have been happier to see them! The two ex-Ross Pride sisters have kept a low profile this week, allowing us the privilege of having African wild dogs and leopards around. The wild dogs spent a good amount of time in the area, but have now moved off, and the Ross Breakaway lionesses arrived, conveniently, to replace them! One of the lionesses (the one who lost her 2 cubs not long ago) raised her head briefly and watched a couple of vultures circling above, but other than that the two ladies slept quite uneventfully.

On the way out of the sighting, a rarely-seen-during-the-day nightjar was spotted by Kevin MacLaughlin’s sharp photographer’s eye. These birds are extremely well camouflaged, and are usually seen at night nestled on an open path or road, and during the day the settle down to sleep, which is exactly what this one was doing. What a lucky find to finish off a Friday morning game drive in the Klaserie.

Lady Leopards, Tatowa and White Dam

It’s no secret that the Sabi Sand is leopard territory. There are various big cat stories that have come out of this prestigious Kruger Park reserve over the years, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Umkumbe Safari Lodge, enviously located overlooking the Sand River and the population of elephants, buffalo, and waterbuck that constantly roam its banks, boasts such frequent leopard sightings that we are genuinely surprised when days go passed without one.

There are a couple of famous faces in the territory, and just last night big male Mxabene showed himself after dark. The last week has also seen the presence of two well known lady leopards, namely White Dam, and Tatowa. In Marius Zeilinga’s most recent report, both leopardesses had been seen on game drive; Tatowa was relaxed and in the mood for a photoshoot; and White Dam was seen in stealth mode yet again.

White Dam has 2 cubs we know of – a male and a female, but she has been seen solo these days as her cubs are semi-grown. The last few times Umkumbe guests have sighted her, she has been attempting to hunt, but has not been successful. This is no indication of her leopard’s skill or strength, but it is a reminder that even a cat as powerful and stealthy as a leopard has a highly unsuccessful kill rate, and only manages to kill 25% of the medium-size prey animals they stalk.

Africa on Foot Maintenance Man: Alfred Cuambe

There’s no denying that a lot goes on behind the scenes to make any safari lodge run like a well-oiled machine. Africa on Foot is sewn together delicately by a team of people who do their jobs well. One of those people is Alfred Cuambe; a Mozambican firecracker whose role as Head of Maintenance includes fighting a losing battle against elephants and honey badgers, while his daily routine keeps the lodge grounds looking polished, and the eco-friendly solar system in check.

Alfred is energetic and helpful, beyond what his job requires. He is unendingly happy, and it’s generally considered that he smiles even when he sleeps! Friendly and multi-talented, packing a good sense of humour and plenty of conversation topics, Alfred is a pleasure to have around camp. Although his cheerful demeanour indicates that he is happy delving into any aspect of his job, we suspect that Alfie may be happiest hitting the road in the bakkie and towing the tyres to grade the dirt. During this time he takes it upon himself to check out the wildlife activity and call in the rangers at camp to let them know where various animals have been seen. There’s no doubt we will hear all about his wild encounters when he returns to camp!

It is with dedication and eagerness that Alfie keeps camp running smoothly. Always willing to lend a hand, and to dive into discussion with his perfectly unique accent, Alfred is someone we are lucky to have. Not even the elephants that plunge their muddy trunks into the just-vaccuumed pool can upset him. Neither do the honey badgers that chew the power cables or break the kitchen cupboards! Alfred, thank you for your hard work, good humour, and the help you provide to anyone who may ask!

Elephants on the ‘Elephants River’

The Olifants River translated from Afrikaans, means Elephants River. It is the Kruger National Park’s water courses, and flows through the South African province of Mpumalanga, through the famous Drakensberg Mountains, and into Mozambique where it enters the Indian Ocean at a village called Xai-Xai. Ezulwini River Lodge is in the prestigious position of having an uninterrupted view of this magnificent river, as it is located right on its banks. Unsurprisingly, elephants are drawn to its waters, and are known to celebrate in its cool contents – something Ezulwini guests have come to look forward to.

Throughout winter and summer, the Olifants River courses at a significant volume through the Balule Reserve and plays host to a variety of water-loving species, other than the elephants. Hippo, crocodile, waterbuck, baboons, birds, buffalo, the list goes on. From the ideally placed viewing deck at River Lodge, beneath a canopy of trees, guests sit back and check off birds on their bird lists (if you didn’t have one when you arrived, you’re guaranteed to have one when you leave!), and observe the activity of the large mammals along the banks and in the water.

Game drives include routes along the Olifants River, which demonstrate the various areas of shallow sand banks, and the deeper waters loved by hippos. On a recent game drive, a breeding herd of elephants graced us with their presence and reminded us all why this great river is indeed called, Olifants River.

New Lions Seen on Game Drive in Klaserie

We know the Trilogy males, we know the Ross Pride, and we know the Ross split-off prides, being the Ross Breakaway females and the Hercules Pride. We can count on any and all of these prides to make an appearance on our immediate traverse regularly as all of their territories criss cross the area, while the formidable Trilogy coalition dominates all. On a game drive recently, both Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp ventured to an area on our traverse located a distance away from these lion territories, and unsurprisingly, came across 4 unfamiliar lions feeding on a buffalo carcass. We’ve been told they could be lions known as the East Block Pride.

The small group lay panting in the shade after enjoying a good meal, and Ranger Greg managed to take these photographs of them for our records. One adult lioness and 3 subadults – 2 females and 1 male – made up the sighting, but due to limited knowledge of this pride, we are not sure if this is the extent of the pride or if there are other members that weren’t present. Also located in the eastern region of the Klaserie at nDzuti Safari Camp we know the River Pride of lions, which has grown with the addition of 5 cubs.

Our local lions around Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have been seen feasting on various carcasses and circulating the extent of their territories. The Trilogy male with a damaged hip is a constant source of concern given his deteriorating condition, but he is hanging in there and is still managing to get the ‘lion’s share’ at kill sites. Resilient big cats they are!

Other big cats seen regularly in our immediate traverse are Zero the male leopard, and the Ross Dam female leopard. With the addition of African wild dogs just about every day – it is clear the more elusive predators are making the most it while the lions are occupied with a feast in a neighbouring property!