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Highlights from an Overnight Safari at nDzuti

A 3 night safari allows ample time for guests to see a plethora of plains game, predators and nocturnal creatures. The wild is unpredictable and guests have often seen the big five within a space of a few hours of arriving at camp. The beauty of a safari is in the tracking of wildlife, the hide-and-seek you play with nature and the experience as a whole.

Jochen and Mira, our media crew, spent 1 night at nDzuti Safari Camp and were spoilt in terms of game viewing. Over a span of 2 days our team saw plains game such as zebra, impala, warthog and giraffe. There was a showdown between a side-striped jackal and civet. Seeing a civet in the wild is quite rare – they are nocturnal creatures and difficult to spot. Jochen and Mira were encapsulated by the presence of two lionesses from the River pride of lions and a large, rogue male lion. This big boy is normally only spotted with one lioness. Hopefully we’ll see this pride grow.

There is a hint of a waterhole in front of camp which attracts plenty of hyena activity. The deck is a great place to enjoy a few drinks while listening to the sounds of the Klaserie and watching the activity at the waterhole. The main dam, which is a short game drive away, is a thriving hub of animal activity. Here is where you will spot pods of hippo guarding their dam, elephant herds frolicking to their heart’s content and fish eagle’s dive-bombing to catch fish.

In just one night, there appeared to a smorgasbird of wildlife delivered for Jochen and Mira’s ogling eyes.

nDzuti Safari Camp is located in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and easily accessible via Hoedspruit airport. The terrain comprises thickets of vegetation, rocky outcrops and the Klaserie river which creates a diverse habitat for game viewing.

Week in Pictures – Northern Greater Kruger Private Reserves

This week, with Carolynne away on leave and Chloe in Botswana, we focus on the camps located in the northern Greater Kruger in the Klaserie & Balule Private Nature Reserves.

Enjoy the Week in Pictures!

Buffalo Mauled to Death by 6 Young Lions

The Balule Nature Reserve was the scene of an epic showdown between 6 sub-adult lions and a buffalo. The buffalo met an untimely fate, but these majestic panthera leo’s made sure starvation was kept at bay when they feasted on the kill. These 6 youngsters are endowed with the confidence of youth and the prowess of an adult lion. It’s the survival of the fittest out on the battlefield. And this time, the fearless kings of the food chain came out tops.

So who are these 6 youngsters? We speculate that they are a small group of lions who broke away from the Olifants West pride. It is undetermined as to how mnay youngsters there are but the numbers appear to be roughly 6. We have decided to refer to them as the “River pride” in the hopes that they reach adulthood and thus develop into a fully-functioning pride in their own right. They tend to traverse the area close to the river near Ezulwini’s River Lodge, so it’s logical to name the burgeoning pride after the area where they are often seen.

The Olifants West pride was a mega-pride comprising 24 members. As the sub-adults mature and the pride dynamics shift, we often notice groups which breakaway from the pride. The lion pride dynamics of the Balule is akin to watching “Days of our lives”. It’s complex, there’s drama and it’s constantly evolving!

We were lucky to see success with this buffalo kill and co-operative hunting taking place. A lion’s hunting tactics are interesting – they are masterful hunters. Initiated by one single lion looking at the prey, it signifies to the rest of the hunters to look in the same direction. It’s subliminal communication at its finest. Interestingly enough, young lions do have a sketchy set of tactics which are more finely tuned the older they get. Their skills are similar to positions on a football field, where stalking roles are divided into left, centre and right wing positions. They actually have a preferance for a particular role and when in that position it increases the groups success rate of a kill.

We’re not sure which one of these bolshie youngsters initiated the kill, and if they have finely tuned their craft of hunting or if this was pure luck. Hopefully this group of youngsters with their dappled-leg swag will see maturity, continue to hunt and become a strong pride.

Week in Pictures: The Kruger’s Secret Treasures

We sincerely hope that everyone is enjoying their Friday and looking forward to this week’s installment of “Week in Pictures”. Today we focus on the Kruger’s secret treasures. Let us celebrate the small things of the African bush – the magnificent sunsets forming breathtaking backdrops, the graceful snakes disguised as branches and the bounty of buffalo who spend their day relaxing in pools of water.

The highlight of our week was the discovery of lion cubs in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. They were discovered by the Africa on Foot team while out on game drive. The cubs are from the Hercules pride – a pride we don’t see often. We speculate that one of the Trilogy males is somehow involved in the procreation process!

On the topic of juveniles, nThambo guests were thrilled at the sighting of a kudu calf suckling its mother.

Elephant herds have been putting on quite a display for guests. They have, once again, visited the swimming pools at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp. The herds are loving the swimming pool water and guests love these types of sightings. nThambo game drives have been dominated by sightings of the Ross Pride breakaway female lions, who seem healthy and relaxed. Huge breeding herd of buffalo have been seen regularly at the dam. Winter is looming which means water becomes scarce and wildlife takes advantage of available water sources.

Birdlife has been fantastic, with Africa on Foot enjoying a rare sighting of a white-faced scops owl and a tawny eagle. Umkumbe saw a twittering of magpie shrikes, which made for fantastic photography. A spotted bush snake was seen slithering and swaying in one of the trees on the nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot traverse. This poor snake is often mistaken for the deadly boomslang, but is actually harmless.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge has had an abundance of leopard sightings. The infamous male, Maxabeni, made yet another kill. This time he took down a duiker. He was spotted on both the morning and evening game drive with the same kill. Nottens, the female leopard, is also spotted more regularly now. Lions from the Kruger have also made an appearance, highlighting the fact that Umkumbe really is a big cat paradise.

nDzuti’s main dam is always like a train station for a variety of wild animals. A pod of hippo with a calf were seen in “their” territory on the banks of the dam. The dam at nDzuti Safari Camp is always brimming with hippo. In terms of predator sightings, the male lion who took down the old River Pride male, was seen with two females lionesses. He is normally only seen with one lioness. What on earth is happening with the lions of nDzuti? Only time will tell. A huge clan of hyena posed nicely for photographs before disappearing into the distance.

And that’s a wrap for today !

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Lezel & Marius Chat About the Leopards of Umkumbe

You’ve heard the big cat stories about White Dam, Nottens female and Maxabeni. By now you know these are the dominant leopards of the Umkumbe traverse. The heavy-set, strong male leopard Maxabeni is seen strolling on our traverse quite often. Nottens and White Dam are the regular females who frequent the area. We speculate that Maxabeni fathered cubs with White Dam at one stage.

We’ve decided to put a different spin on things and interview two rangers who come face-to-face with these leopards on a regular basis.

Lezel Labuschagne and Marius Zeilinga are game rangers who take guests on daily game drives. They watch the leopard activity carefully and monitor what is happening with the leopards of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. They have their own opinions about each of the leopards that regularly visit Umkumbe and have shared their thoughts with us.

Both rangers are also enthusiastic photographers and have managed to capture their magical leopard moments on camera.

Without further ado, here is the interview:

Do the leopards Maxabeni, White Dam and Nottens female have distinct personalities?

Lezel: Yes they do. Max has a “I don’t care if you are in my way” attitude. He often just walks around the vehicle and if he wants to brush the vehicle, he will. He’s a very proud leopard who looks after his territory.

White Dam is always found deep in the bush. Over time she has become more relaxed with the vehicles. I have never seen her in a fight, but she boasts some serious scars. She had a deep scar and open wound on her right side for quite sometime.

Nottens is the oldest leopard. She has a torn ear but doesn’t have as many scars as White Dam. We believe Nottens is roughly 14 years of age. To me she is a very, very relaxed leopard. She is really not agressive.

Marius: Yes, every individual leopard has his/her own distinct personality. Through my experience I have noticed that each of them move differently, which is fascinating. Maxabeni likes to walk a few steps and then sniff around. He then repeats this process. White Dam prefers to remain hidden in the thicket of the bush. She will move from one bushy area to another and we seldom see her walking on the road. When Nottens has made up her mind of where she wants to be, nothing will stand in her way. She will climb over obstacles to get to her destination. I have noticed that she loves strolling through open areas.

What has been the most memorable leopard moment you have experienced while working at Umkumbe?

Lezel: Most memorable moment was when I found two leopards mating. We followed them for about an hour until both crouched down and EACH took down an impala. A huge clan of hyenas came out of nowhere and the male leopard escaped up a Marula tree with his kill. The female leopard didn’t manage to kill her impala. As the hyenas ran towards her she abandoned the impala and jumped in the tree with the male. The desperate and bloodied impala stood up and came straight towards my vehicle. The hyenas then pounced and killed the impala – against my vehicle!

I had my camera in my hands but I was stunned and amazed – at that moment my hands didn’t work. They ripped the impala apart leaving nothing behind. The male leopard then dropped his kill out of the tree and the female jumped out of the tree to retrieve it, but the hyenas took it ! The next day we drove past the spot where the action happened and there was nothing but a blood stain on the grass. If you weren’t there to witness what happened that night you would never have known what happens under the cover of darkness.

Marius: I would have to say that when Nottens and her cub (when he was still alive) made a reedbuck kill. They took the antelope up the tree and four hyenas were waiting at the bottom. At one point Nottens was sleeping on the ground whilst the little one was still in the tree. The hyenas came and chased her up into the tree again.

What do you predict for the future of the leopards of Umkumbe Safari Lodge?

Lezel: I don’t think Nottens will have another cub. She is really getting old and has become more secretive since she lost her cub to the hyenas. White Dam is pushing into her territory more and more. Max is trying to expand his territory but if he is not careful, he will run into a stronger male and there will be a leopard showdown.

Marius: At this point of time Maxabeni will be the father of many more cubs to come and I think we will be seeing a lot more of Mahlatini.

Who is your favourite leopard ?

Lezel: Nottens is my favourite female leopard because of her relaxed attitude. Max is my favourite male because he has a rebellious attitude !

Marius: Nottens, because nothing seems to bother her and she is super chilled with vehicles. She ignores game vehicles.

Thanks to Marius and Lezel for sharing their thoughts about the leopards of the Umkumbe traverse.

Buffalo bulls get frisky with one another… ?

Initially, it looked like we had stumbled upon a buffalo bull and his missus in the throes of passion, but as we got a closer look it turned out that there wasn’t a missus in sight! One big bull was mounting a less mature bull while the rest of the herd went about their buffalo business, grazing and lazing around… Until a second bull joined the unusual display and began connecting his horns with the submissive bull.

This is behaviour seen more often in elephant bulls looking to assert their dominance, but nature is endlessly surprising, and one can never assume to know all its secrets. Here, Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp guests got to witness something different.

The well known behaviour in buffalo dominance contests involves two similarly matched bulls taking a run at each other, heads raised and then bowed in the last second, ready to receive the impact of a collision. It is brutal to watch, but bulls are equipped with extremely solid helmets where the base of their horns have fused on their heads. These are designed to receive the impact of a full charge, which has been compared to a 60km/h collision with a brick wall! This full charge is an ultimate show of dominance, but usually the contest is settled after much more passive behaviour between the 2 bulls, involving head tossing, circling each other to display their size, and submissive bulls lowering their heads under the dominant bull’s belly.

Herds have an internal hierarchy system, which is constantly changing especially in large herds. When food is plentiful, herds split into subunits which are made up of related family members. When food is more sparse, big herds stick together, and form separate dominance hierarchies among the males and females, while bulls always dominate cows. Females move up in rank when they have a calf, which brings the privilege of moving to the front of the herd and feeding on the best grass. Males determine hierarchy given their age and size, and therefore, their fighting ability.

The Klaserie and its numerous dams and waterholes get frequent visits from many buffalo herds, and the lions in the reserve have adapted to feeding primarily on these big bovines. This sighting, however, has moved to the top of the list of ‘most unusual safari sightings‘!

4 Lion Cubs for Hercules Lioness and Trilogy Male

Africa on Foot guests got more than they bargained for when they headed out on game drive yesterday. A journey to where guides suspected a Trilogy male would be lying in his gluttonous glory after devouring a warthog, turned into an unexpected and unforgettable experience for both guests and rangers when a total of 4 fluffy lion cubs emerged from the bushes.

If you’ve been paying attention to our (slightly obsessive) lion updates, you would have read about how one of the Trilogy male lions had stolen a warthog kill from 2 Ross pride lionesses yesterday. Since then, camp owner Courteney Blunden, has confirmed that 2 different lionesses are on the scene, and these lionesses belong to the Hercules Pride. A while back we posted that we had seen a very skittish lioness and 4 cubs from the Hercules pride, and now it seems she is back and her little ones are still in tow!

One of the lionesses was very relaxed, while the second wasn’t as friendly towards the vehicle, but the cubs seemed unperturbed by the presence of the game viewer. We can safely assume these cubs have been sired by the Trilogy male that was with them in this sighting. He and his warthog carcass lay nearby, completing the scene of this happy family quietly hidden away on a property Africa on Foot has exclusive access to. Tracker Enoch reckons the Ross pride lionesses were chased off by the presence of the Hercules lionesses and their young.

It is a tough life for lion cubs, so we are ecstatic to see that these 4 babies have survived the first few months of their lives, and that the lions they belong to are acting more relaxed in their territory. The Hercules pride formed as a split off from the old Ross Mega Pride and originally they come from the Africa on Foot area, so it is natural that the lioness came back to this area to have her cubs.

Watch this space!

Trilogy Lion Steals Kill from Lionesses

There’s bullying going on in the playground of the Klaserie. Our two Ross Pride lionesses have come off second best when one male lion from the Trilogy coalition chased them off their freshly killed warthog and took the prize for himself.

This is very typical in male lions, who, although pride leaders who are there to serve and protect, will frequently steal prey from the rest of the pride or, in this case, his 2 lioness companions. Lions are opportunistic feeders, meaning that if they see an easy meal and have the energy to spare, they will most likely take advantage even if they are not particularly hungry. Often, this is seen merely to eliminate prey for competitors, but in essence, it is to keep themselves at their strongest.

Africa on Foot guests opted for a morning game drive to replace their usual walking safari, and it’s lucky they did, because they bore witness to the whole event. Tracker, Enoch, saw the 2 lionesses after they had just caught this big, male warthog (a decent meal for the 2 of them), and before long, a lone Trilogy male lion came storming in threateningly and scared the lionesses off their meal. Not ones to give up easily, the lionesses stayed close by and remained there with their eyes on the culprit, waiting for an opportunity to take back what is rightfully theirs. Just to rub salt in the wound, this big bully did not even begin to eat what he had taken and just lay in the shade guarding the kill.

A few days ago, guests at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp saw 2 of the Trilogy brothers together. One, which is identified by a scar on his nose, and the warthog-thief, who also has a history of mating with the white lions of the Giraffe pride. Photographer, Kevin MacLaughlin, who has spent a lot of time filming and photographing these lions, took a few images of the sighting.

Week in Pictures: Our Incredible Kruger

This is a celebration of Kruger. Our safari lodges and bush camps dotted around the Greater Kruger are situated in areas where wildlife splendour surrounds them, and where you’re faced with the decision of whether to watch something wonderful unfold, or to stare through a camera lens and capture the whole thing on camera. Memories made on safari are there to last a lifetime, and most of the time, they are the reason visitors come back, again and again. This week, to share the magic of the South African bush with you, we’ve selected a handful of photographs from Africa on Foot, nThambo Tree Camp, and nDzuti Safari Camp all in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve; plus, Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. Enjoy the Week in Pictures!

Elephants are a vision. They can make your superior seat on a game viewer feel like a chair at the children’s table in a matter of seconds as they sidle up to the familiar form of the Land Rover packed with khaki-clad guests all torn between awe and terror. It is quite intimidating to have the giant, leathery bulk of Africa’s largest land mammal come and investigate the day’s variety of guests, but at Umkumbe Safari Lodge you can watch herds of elephants from the very comfortable position of your poolside lounger! These elephants were photographed as they were hurtling across the Sand River bed in front of Umkumbe, while photographer, Shannon Benson, captured a tender glimpse of a young elephant between the autumn leaves.

On the big cat front in the Sabi Sand, reports of an unknown trio of lions were circulating around the reserve. Umkumbe’s ranger, Marius, captured a couple of images of the new lions when lucky guests got a sighting on game drive. It is very risky to enter other lions’ territory, and males will often fight to the death to defend or take over a territory. This handsome black-maned male was joined by another adult male and a lioness… let’s see where their adventures take them! The leopards that were seen this last week also included a new face – a male known as Mahlatini. Umkumbe rangers tracked and discovered the exceptional Maxabeni, who was seen rolling in buffalo dung in order to hide his scent and keep a low profile. Also seen this week was the Notten’s female leopard, who was admired in the spotlight.

Further north in the Klaserie Reserve, Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have been showing their guests a smorgasbord of wildlife delights. From the epic event of a cheetah kill on nThambo’s doorstep (literally – rooms 3 and 4 watch out!), to the resounding roar of a Trilogy male lion at night, the presence of animals around the camps has been breath-taking. Something very interesting to watch was the aggressive domination display put on by a number of buffalo bulls in a herd recently. Photographer, Jochen, captured the strange act of mounting and head-butting on camera, and our rangers informed us that it was a show of dominance which is also seen in male elephants. The legendary lionesses were also seen behaving affectionately on the main tar road that divides the Timbavati and the Klaserie Nature Reserves, which proved an absolutely beautiful sight for guides and guests alike.

Also in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve lies nDzuti Safari Camp, which has also had a week dominated by exciting lion activity. One male lion we suspect to be the big boy who killed the local River Pride male, and has been consistently mating with one of the River Pride lionesses, has been really asserting his territory. On game drive this week, guests were watching when the relaxed lion and lioness suddenly stirred and got up, ears pricked. They listened carefully and gazed into the bushes where they could hear the approach of other lions. Is it possible that there are new lions in the territory?

Cheetah Mauls an Impala at nThambo Tree Camp

The sparse Kruger wilderness is a wild and unpredictable place where anything is possible. It’s a place where birth, death and violence merge to make up the circle of life in the animal kingdom. A place where emotions are neglected in the fight for survival, and a place in the food chain.

When we witness a highly charged life-changing moment while on safari it leaves an imprint forever etched on our hearts and minds. When these torrid or endearing moments happen right outside your room at camp, it makes you realise how insignificant we are and just how wonderful, yet cruel nature can be. On Sunday evening at nThambo Tree Camp in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, we witnessed a most remarkable and memorable wildlife moment.

In the early hours of the evening, while it was still light, a lone cheetah made a kill right ouside camp. An impala, small in size and stature, met its cruel fate that evening but left one of our graceful big cats sufficiently full and healthy. The images we took show that it was still quite light when the kill happened. Cheetah are diurnal hunters, which means they hunt while it is still light – they have poor eyesight. They opt for early mornings and evenings because the temperature is cooler and they cannot afford to spend excess energy hunting during the harsh heat of the midday sun. They reach speeds of up to 70km per hour and expend plenty of energy during a kill. Their big cat counterparts are nocturnal and hunt at night. Being a diurnal hunter also means they can eliminate competition for prey.

Look closely at the video and images, you will notice the light begin to fade. It’s clear that this kill happened as the temperature cooled down.

You will also notice there is only one cheetah on a kill. This is perfectly texbook behaviour. Cheetah are often seen singly or in pairs. They identify their target, stalk for a short period of time and then sprint for the kill. They remain stealthy and focused; and don’t need the darkness as camouflage to ambush prey. Their speed is their surprise attack.

What is quite unusual here is that this cheetah has killed an impala. Larger antelope are normally only killed when there are two cats hunting together. A lone cheetah will normally prey on smaller antelope like steenbok. However, if you look closely, you will notice that the impala is rather small.

When a cheetah has subdued and immobilized its prey, they may choose to begin the feast before the prey is dead. This is to reduce the chances of an opportunistic scavenger or large cat stealing the kill.

nThambo Tree Camp is an open camp which means animals are able to roam freely throughout. With wooden cabins raised on stilts, it’s quite a unique place to stay. Because the rooms are elevated, it makes for exceptional views of the surrounding landscape. Hyenas, jackals and other small mammals can often be heard scurrying around under the wooden cabins, making for interesting midnight noises. The grumbling of an elephant’s stomach can also be heard as it grazes on the trees adjacent to the rooms. nThambo is the ideal place to cocoon yourself while listening to the sounds of nature. With all the animal activity and reports of playful behaviour from the animal kingdom, we have yet to report on a cheetah kill happening in front of the rooms. Until Sunday. What an end of a fantastic week of sightings at camp!

Not even the Shangaan trackers with their innate sense of animal behaviour could predict the events that unfolded on Sunday evening. We cannot interefere nor argue with the food chain, but instead marvel at the highs and lows of emotionally charged moments. Let’s hope next week we witness a birth