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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

Bonkers About Birds

It’s true, we are cat-crazy. Lion photos make us drool, leopard sightings get the pulse racing, and cheetahs are enough to send us over the edge; but when all is quiet and the sun spreads its lava-like warmth over the silent bushveld, the first thing you hear is the chiming, twittering melody of birds announcing that morning has broken. As much as we are mad about the Ross pride and the Trilogy boys, we are also bonkers about birds.

These 3 colourful birds are rollers. Named for their flight pattern, which involves a daredevil-like tumble through the air from a height, all in the name of showing off for courtship or territory. The powder-blue roller with cinnamon-dusted wings is the European roller, who breeds in Europe and migrates to Africa for the summer. Beautiful posers, these birds are confident enough to stay put on its perch even as a vehicle approaches.

Our multi-colourful lilac-breasted roller is a favourite among many. Incredibly striking, yet ever so common, these birds can be observed swooping down from their exposed perches and snatching up tasty insects. The purple roller is a sophisticated mauve colour, flecked with white darts on its breast plumage. Not the most magnificent of the roller family, but there is no room for bird discrimination in this blog!

Three species of vulture spotted at 3 of our camps in the Klaserie: Africa on Foot, nThambo Tree Camp and nDzuti Safari Camp. One of the smallest of this bird-carnivore family is the hooded vulture. Their faces are hairless and vary from white to pink in colour, and they are usually seen hanging back from a carcass when bigger scavengers are around and snatch up the scraps that are flung astray in the feeding frenzy.

The white-backed vulture is frequently seen at kill sites, on the ground and looming in trees; however, this is not a representation of this vulture’s population status. Sadly, these huge birds – essential in the process of decomposition – are poisoned both deliberately and inadvertently, and masses of them are dying at a time all over Africa.

Last in this trio is the lappet-faced vulture, which is one of the largest in its range. A powerful beak and an aggressive temperament, these guys rule the roost, so to speak. They are the only ones strong enough to break through skin and tendons of a carcass, therefore they take first claim to the kill, but they do open up the carcass for others to feed.

Bee-eaters are some of the most delightful birds in the bush. Well, insects wouldn’t agree because they are subject to the unfortunate impalement by these colourful birds. Stabbing their prey with their strong, sharp beaks, bee-eaters will consistently knock their prey against a hard surface in order to extract both sting and venom before consuming.

Carmine bee-eaters nest in colonies and are famously seen gliding alongside large groups of herbivores or moving vehicles. This is a suitable hunting style for them as they only really hunt from the air. They swoop in and gobble up any flying grasshoppers or other insects which fly to get out of the way of the animal or vehicle. Little bee-eaters are indeed, little. Bright green with yellow, blue, and black detail, these striking birds are the smallest of the African bee-eater family. Unlike their carmine cousins, they nest alone or in pairs, not colonies.

Birds of prey! These guys are the usual suspects – they look like birds of prey, they act like birds of prey, therefore they are birds of prey. Equipped with talons that curl around their perching branches and latch easily onto the unsuspecting rodents, reptiles, small mammals, and birds. These featured hunter-birds are by no means the only ones of their nature – check out Killer Birds, which is dedicated to the grey-headed bush shrike and the sadde-billed stork; 2 unlikely, yet skilled hunters in their own right.

The African harrier hawk (also known as a gymnogene) is a special sight to see. It is easily identifiable because there is nothing else that looks quite like it, plus, you will find it in strange positions like in the featured picture! The bald face is white, yellow, or red, and long legs are double-jointed, which is unique to this bird, enabling it to climb vertical branches with the help of their outstretched wings, and prey on nests in difficult to reach places.

Second in line is the tawny eagle (a familiar face in the African bush), which exhibits dark and pale colour morphs, as well as the traditional ‘tawny’. It is very large, and rather a bully, as it is known to steal prey from a less intimidating bird when it is not feasting on fresh carrion.

Then there are the owls. The giant eagle owl, which is immediately identified by its huge size (biggest owl in Africa), pointy ear tufts and pink eyelids, is more modernly known as Verreaux’s eagle owl. Surprisingly, this king bird is an apex predator, as it has little to no natural predators; however the bird itself is not shy to feast on a wide variety of mammals and reptiles, hunted mostly at night. One of the smallest of the owl family is the pearl-spotted owlet, seen here at Ezulwini Game Lodges in the Greater Kruger. A mere ball of fluffy feathers in comparison to the godfather of owls mentioned above, this frequently seen little predator is a day-hunter and wears its defence on the nape of its neck. Just like butterflies have on their wings, pearl-spotted owlets have intimidating ‘false eyes’ painted into their feathers on the back of their heads.

Now for a collection of interesting creatures of flight, which are either frequently seen or heard around Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand.

Brown-headed parrots fly in noisy flocks of up to 40 individuals. They feed on seeds and nectar and have a bright, almost metallic green plumage with characteristic brown heads. These small birds, which are often tamed and caged as pets, add an element of exoticness to the African bush and should really be left to live wild. The bearded woodpecker is endemic to the Kruger Park – common in some areas, while not seen at all in others. Woodpeckers are well equipped to absorb the impact of its habit of drumming its beak into wood: strong neck muscles, sturdy skull, straight and powerful beak that is constantly regrowing. Woodpeckers also have unusually long tongues, which are full of sticky saliva and extend deep into crevices of tree bark to lap up insect larvae.

The bright turquoise plumage of the woodlands kingfisher paired with its unmistakable call are a clear sign of summer arriving in the lowveld. They are migratory birds, and when they arrive in Africa for the summer months, they are difficult to miss! Plenty of kingfisher species occur in the Greater Kruger, but when the woodlands is around, one might forget any other bird exists in the bush! Finally, the fork-tailed drongo. This is that medium-sized black bird you see on every other branch during game drive, but as often as it is seen, its call is somewhat more of a challenge to identify. This is because the clever and cunning fork-tailed drongo mimics the calls of a number of other birds in the bush, much to the delight of their female counterparts who choose their mates by their ability to mimic.

Spotted Hyena: Scavenger or Super Predator?

Naturally, one would lead towards ‘scavenger’ as a title for the spotted hyena, given their presence at almost every rotting kill site, and their ability to finish off the toughest skin and bone of a carcass. However, these notorious meat-eaters are in fact the most successful large carnivores in Africa, and can most certainly be classified as ‘super predators’ of the African wild. With unbelievable endurance, extremely strong neck and jaws, specially designed teeth, and social structures that are brutal right from birth; it is no wonder that these misunderstood creatures take on lions, and win.

Take a look at this fantastic sighting of a clan of spotted hyenas at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp recently.

Leopards fussily pluck out fur and feathers before eating their freshly killed food, lions have the reputation of the ‘hunting elite’ (although, do not be fooled, lions do scavenge and eat their fair share of maggot-infested meat); yet hyenas are the ones walking away with the bad rep! In actual fact, 95% of meals hyenas eat are the result of a successful hunt. Particularly in areas where there are not many lions, hyenas reign supreme, hunting and killing most of what they eat, and scavenging only a small percentage of their meals. What this says about hyenas is that they are survivors, taking whatever is available, and not limiting themselves.

Here we captured a moment between a leopard and a hyena at night in the Klaserie: The male leopard was intimidated by the hyena and far-too-willingly let his kill go when the hyena approached. Hyenas are not to be messed with – and this one was injured!

Hyenas exist in clans, which are family groups run by larger, aggressive females. All males in the clan will rank lower than every female, including female cubs. Males are also smaller in size than females, and females possess more testosterone than any other female mammal. Just when you thought these were the most masculine ladies around, let it be known that female hyenas actually possess genitalia similar to that of the males. Pseudo-penises in females are visible and look just like the males’ penises, however, they do not perform the same function and do not make the female hyena a hermaphrodite.

The pseudo-penis is actually part of the birth canal, and due to its narrow size in comparison to the size of a hyena cub at full term, many cubs born to first-time mothers are deprived of oxygen at birth and do not survive. A second pregnancy will most likely result in a successful birth because the birth canal will have torn and allowed for more space for the cub to be born. Female dominance is exerted right from birth. Two female cubs will fight for dominance, often resulting in the death of the weaker one, while a male and female cub won’t bother to fight because males are automatically lower ranking than females.

The renowned calls of the hyena echo through the bushveld, particularly at night. The most common call is the resounding ‘whoop’, which is exhibited when a clan comes together to hunt, but in fact, hyenas communicate using a total of 14 different calls. At a carcass, a feeding frenzy takes place and a combination of ‘giggling’ and snarling can be heard. Hyenas will frequently challenge lions, and attempt to chase a lioness or 2 off a kill. It is said that once a lioness is outweighed 4 hyenas to 1, she will take off and let hyenas take over.

Fun Facts about the Super Predator:

– Tortoises eat dried hyena faeces to strengthen their shells because of the high calcium content in the faeces.

– Hyenas regurgitate undigestible hooves and hair in the form of pellets.

– Hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs, but they fall under their own family name, Hyaenidae.

– Hyena cubs are born with their eyes open and canines erupted, and they survive on mother’s milk for 12-14 months.

– Female hyenas create a genetic line of successors, passing on hierarchy from mother to daughter.

– Hyenas are thought to aid natural disease control because of their readiness to scavenge and clean carcasses.

– The lifespan of a hyena is typically 20 years.

– Other members of the Hyaenidae family are the brown hyena, aardwolf, and striped hyena.

Here is a short clip of this particular sighting of 4 hyenas seen on game drive at Africa on Foot lately:

Week in Pics: A Party Pack of Big Cats, Plains Game & Juveniles

On the night of our live bush feed (#livebushfeed) safari, guests from 3 of our camps saw leopard. With reports during the week of leopard and lion sightings from far and wide, the big cats are certainly having a commanding influence on our sightings. Nothing wrong with that ! Plains game, such as impala, giraffe and wildebeest are never far from sight and we’ve seen an adorable abundance of juvenile wildlife.

Here are a few highlights from the week:

Umkumbe Safari Lodge rangers have experienced quite an emotional rollercoaster of time. Their dominant male leopard, Maxabeni, disappeared for over 3 weeks but miraculously re-appeared a few days ago. He looked a bit subdued and this is possibly because he was in a fight shortly before pulling the “M.I.A” act. He still managed to hunt a warthog on a neighbouring property, proving that he is still strong. The leopard antics in the Umkumbe territory have captured the attention of all and sundry. White Dam and Nottens female have both been seen around the lodge’s traverse and they appear to co-exist together. We hope these two don’t clash.

Umkumbe also saw the Sparta pride of lions in front of the lodge in the early hours of Wed morning.

Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and River Lodge have been inundated with lion sightings. This week, Duma (the king of the original Olifants West pride of lions) and his lionesses were spotted close to Billy’s lodge waterhole.

The Leadwood female leopard made a kill in a rocky area south west of camp. Due to the abundance of water at both camps, we have also seen buffalo, elephant and hippo sightings.

nDzuti Safari Camp have had no shortage of plains game this week. A highlight was the presence of a pair of giraffe on the reserve. Naturally, we assumed this was a mother and her calf. But how wrong we were ! It was actually a young bull and old bull together.

In terms of lions, we have yet to see the River pride female and the male who took down the previous leader of the River pride. They were making their presence known for quite sometime – we suspect we’ll see them again next week. With Bruce’s outstanding tracking skills, we have little doubt he will uncover the mystery of these two lions.

There seems to be excitement in the air at nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot. Kevin reported that one of the breakaway Ross Pride female lions might have cubs. She keeps moving between what appears to be a den site. Is this an indication that the cubs are still alive? We hope so! Guests were lucky enough to see a clan of hyena and cubs frolicking in water-logged potholes. Then of course, a leopard made an appearance on Wed night, delighting guests and rangers.

Yet again, the Klaserie is thriving with big and small wildlife sightings. We had a great photographic capture of a kori bustard, Africa’s largest and heaviest flying bird.

And that’s a wrap ! Hope you enjoyed the week in pictures.

Maxabeni the Leopard Returns to Umkumbe !

Over the past 3 weeks we have been concerned with the whereabouts of Maxabeni, the dominant leopard that traverses the territory surrounding Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. Easily identifiable by the deeply etched scars above his cheek and dark rosettes on his coat, he is one of Umkumbe’s favourite leopards.

The last time Maxabeni was spotted he appeared to have been in a fight. We think he lay low for a while to tend to his wounds. Our concern was his survival. On Thurs last we week we spotted him back in our territory! He wasn’t himself, but he is looking strong and healthy. He stalked a warthog and failed, but later on followed through with an impala kill on a neighbouring property.

The Notten’s female was seen quite often in our territory, until recently, when White Dam announced her presence in Notten’s territory. There are going to be interesting times ahead – especially when the Notten’s female bumps head with White Dam. We are not sure if the Notten’s female has disappeared completely or if she will come back with vengeance!

Only time will tell…one thing’s for certain, Umkumbe Safari Lodge is enjoying an abundance of leopard sightings at the moment.

We hope you enjoy the series of photos below. And the elephant herd photo? We suspect Maxabeni scared the elephant herd, which is why they moved rapidly from the river. Welcome back Maxabeni.

Guest Blog: Rhulani the Leopard & Roaring Lion

Well, here we are back at nThambo for another fabulous 4 days! As always we had a warm welcome from Lily and the nThambo team – it was 35 degrees when we arrived so were thankful for a cool drink on arrival (well, Savanna and Castle to be precise). Game viewing has been fabulous, as always.

The bushveld is teeming with many herds of elephants – we’ve seen them playing, eating, drinking and cooling off in the midday heat. A first for us after 5 years visiting nThambo was an elephant drinking out of the swimming pool in the dark as we are all eating our dinner! There has been a herd of about 400 buffalo in the area, and we were lucky enough to see the whole herd cooling off and drinking in a large dam (so many buffalo that you couldn’t see the water).

Lions have been harder to find. There are signs everywhere – roars, tracks, scat, and fresh urine, but the Trilogy boys were being a bit elusive! We eventually tracked 2 of them huddled together under some bushes and later tracked down the third one in the dark, roaring and then drinking from the dam. We’ve been lucky to catch up with Rhulani, a female leopard we first saw as a young cub. She’s now fully grown with cubs of her own (unfortunately she hadn’t introduced them to guests yet, as they are still very young). We caught up with her drinking and relaxing by a dam, before she was scared off by a herd of elephants.

Two of the Trilogy brothers seen on game drive

That’s the big 5 ticked off again, as well as many others – giraffe, zebra, kudu, steenbok, warthog – to name a few. Oh! Almost forgot, we had a brief glimpse of a lone wild dog running down the road – even this short sighting was special, as there are only about 450 remaining in the wild. As always, a memorable time in the bushveld and nThambo Tree Camp – our ‘home in the African bush’. See you all again in September.

A typical Kruger sunset seen at nThambo Tree Camp

Kruger Walking Safari : Top 5 Highlights

Africa on Foot offers professional walking safaris in the heart of the Kruger. Located in a pristine, private reserve home to the big five and an abundance of birdlife, it’s the ideal location to discover the heart and soul of Africa while on foot. The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, home to Africa on Foot, shares unfenced borders with the Timbavati Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park. The camp is also open, which means animals from far and wide roam freely throughout the camp and the reserve.

Walking safaris are led by highly qualified rangers and trackers who prioritise your safety. The camp has a set schedule for the walks. Your ranger wakes you at 5:30 and after a quick coffee they begin the 3 hour walk. Lazy afternoons are spent relaxing at the pool or in the comfort of the safari lounge area. To throw in an extra dimenstion to your walking safari, there will also be the option of going on a game drive in the evening.

A walking safari and game drive offers the best of both worlds. To discover the wonders of the bush on foot, with nothing between you and the wild is an exhilarating experience. A must do on any bucket list.

Here are the top 5 highlights of a Kruger walking safari :

You learn how to identify behaviour from animal tracks, markings and “droppings”

The last time I went walking with the Africa on Foot team we discovered feline tracks. There was something different about the tracks. There seemed to be a single line nestled between the front and back tracks. Our Shangaan tracker told us that they were drag marks. This particular feline was obviously dragging a kill.

If you take dry elephant dung and light it, the billows of smoke are meant to cure your headaches. If you’re a city dweller it is probably eaier to pop a pill, but if you are ever stranded in the African bush and have a headache; then you know what to do.

You find out the medicinal properties of the surrounding vegetation

The vegetation in the Klaserie is home to a wealth of medicinal plants and an array of bushes with unique practical uses. For example, a tree commonly found in the Klaserie is called the Magic Guarri. It boasts many useful properties. The frayed ends of the smaller twigs are soft, yet firm and can be used as a substitute for a toothbrush. Many refer to this tree as the toothbrush tree. The tree bears a small fruit which looks like a berry. The berry can be used in the brewing of beer. The roots are used for dye and to make up medicinal concoctions to thwart gastro like symptoms.

No wonder it’s magic. There are plenty of other trees, grasses and plants with similar properties. Armed with these facts, you’re sure to put Bear Grylls to shame!

The rare opportunity to observe the big five on foot

It is such a privilege to share your space with one of the big five. There are safety precautions which you will need to adhere to at a sighting. Your ranger will tell you what to do when you are observing a breeding herd of elephant.

Learning how to read the natural elements of the bush

When leopards mark their territory it gives off a distinct odour. This smell is often not detected while in a game vehicle. If you ever out on foot and smell popcorn, then you can be sure that a leopard has been in the area marking its territory.

Leopard urine smells like popcorn. Going to movies will never be the same !

Getting morning excercise to make up for all that safari dining

A safari holiday involves plenty of relaxing, eating and sitting around the campfire discussing the day’s sightings. Because the camps are open, it is not safe to walk around. For the more active guest, this means they cannot go for a quick cycle or run. Starting your day with a walk is sure to provide you with a dose of daily excercise !

Advice:

The key is to listen to rangers and not be a hero. They know more than you and are highly trained. They have passed numerous written and practical tests, and can handle themselves. Trust them.

The walk at Africa on Foot covers a flat landscape and is not strenuous. A vehicle can come pick us up at any stage if you don’t feel well.

Book your Kruger walking safari holiday at Africa on Foot here: reservations@sundestinations.co.za

Important:

Guides are armed with guns. This is purely a preventative measure. They are not going to shoot the animals in the unlikely event of danger. If in a compromising position, they will fire a warning shot into the ground, which will scare the animal away.

May 15, 2015

Africa on Foot, Blog, Camp Savuti, Ezulwini, Haina Kalahari Lodge, nDzuti Safari Camp, nThambo Tree Camp, The Week in Pictures, Umkumbe Safari Lodge Riverside, Uncategorized

Week in Pictures: Moments in Time

Summing up a week on safari is no easy feat when we’re looking at a fine selection of safari experiences from a number of bush camps and lodges that we deem the best. From Savuti to Sabi Sand, there is wildlife magnificence everywhere you look, and today on Endangered Species Day, it seems it is our duty to share some of the best visions of Africa with you.

In the Greater Kruger, we rounded up the week’s top sightings from nDzuti Safari Camp, Africa on Foot, nThambo Tree Camp, Umkumbe Safari Lodge, and Ezulwini Game Lodges. Further north, we touched base with Haina Kalahari Lodge and Camp Savuti in Botswana.

On the Savuti Channel, wild dogs and buffalo shared their chosen drinking spot much to the delight of guests at Camp Savuti. Looking at the reflection of the trees in the still water, it is hard to imagine that both species would have been wary of the crocodiles that lurk in its depths. Just around the bend, one lone impala took a drink, unknowingly, just a few metres from a crocodile that was basking in the sun. Anything can happen here in the wild! Out on the marsh, a big male lion adopted a death stare, while a black-backed jackal investigated an elephant jaw bone in a shallow pan.

In the Sabi Sand, where predators roam in the famous wildlife paradise, Umkumbe Safari Lodge guests have been enjoying big cat sightings galore. When you’re not watching the endangered cheetah surveying her surroundings from the vantage point of a termite mound, or admiring the beauty of local leopard, Maxabeni, take in the exceptionally colourful presence of the lilac-breasted roller and a blood-orange sunset.

Among lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, and buffalo are the miniature dung beetles, chameleons, snakes, and spiders, plus, the smallest carnivore in the Lowveld – the dwarf mongoose. The Trilogy lion coalition has been present during both the night and day, while elephants have come for a drink in the swimming pool, as well as gathering at their own local watering hole – Twala Dam. Welcome to nThambo Tree Camp!

At Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and River Lodge, there has been an overwhelming presence of lions that we have posted about this week on numerous occasions that we thought we’d show you what else has been happening out there in the Balule. Hundreds of buffalo, a beautiful black rhino, a leopard crawling along the ground, a collection of antelope species, jumbos, and an irresistibly illuminating full moon.

On the border of the Central Kalahari lies Haina Kalahari Lodge. This is where you will see the desert-adapted species like nowhere else. Black-maned lions, elands, bat-eared foxes, gemsbok, and a variety of birds you can only imagine. The Haina waterhole is constantly active and the sounds of the night are what memories of Africa are made of. These are moments captured with a lion pride feeding on a kudu bull, and a quiet experience with a bat-eared fox at night.

Africa on Foot sees it all in the Klaserie, especially because of the walking safaris that are conducted each morning. Afternoon game drives bring guests closer to the big things, while the on-foot adventures pay attention to the smaller members of the bush,and guides offer guests the opportunity to view game from a safe distance on the ground. Special sightings this week included one nicely relaxed leopard and a striking giant eagle owl.

Also occupying a pristine concession in the Klaserie, nDzuti Safari Camp has enjoyed its own collection of safari memories to share. The local lion pride known as the River Pride has been seen frequently, while leopards have been spotted mating and marking territory, and some members of the ‘general game’ variety have been ever-present.

May 14, 2015

Blog, Umkumbe Safari Lodge Riverside

Cheetah Sightings at Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Recently, we have had two incredible cheetah sightings while out on game drive at Umkumbe Safari Lodge. Cheetah are mainly diurnal species, which means they are active during the day. However, although principally diurnal cats, cheetahs do their hunting when it gets cooler and not during the heat of the midday sun. The hotter it is, the more energy they expend while chasing prey at speeds of up to 70km. Hunting during the day means they eliminate their main competition (lions and leopards) who hunt primarily at night.

We have a series of photos from two different cheetah sightings, one of which was led by ranger Marius and the other Lezel, also a ranger. With the clarity of daylight it set the scene for a picture perfect setting.

Cheetahs can be solitary wanderers but are often seen in pairs and small, nuclear family units. Males are not territorial and often roam through vast territories. They enjoy a carefree bachelor lifestyle of wandering alone or with other males. Females differ slightly in that they are more territorial and mark their area. This is in an effort to chase away other females, but they are not averse the males wandering through their domain.

The first cheetah sighting was when guests spotted a lone cheetah wandering through the grasses of the pristine Sabi Sand Wildtuin. He was seen crossing over in Sabi Sabi but wandered back into the Umkumbe traverse. Like most cats (wild and domesticated)he marked a few trees along the way. The second sighting was of a cheetah resting on a termite mound.

They often place themselves raised off the ground to enjoy a better vantage point. From here they can survey the land for potential prey and suss out potential threats. After the guests and rangers stayed with him for a while, he got up and disappeared into the long grass.

Interested in big cat and cheetah sightings? Then come spend a few days with us at Umkumbe Safari Lodge. We’re located in the heart of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin, a pristine a reserve located in the Greater Kruger.

for a safari booking contact us on reservations@sundestinations.co.za

May 14, 2015

Blog, Ezulwini, Kruger Lion Stories, Uncategorized

Lion Games in the Olifants West Pride

A pride of lions as big as the Olifants West pride is bound to engage in some horse play, especially with the number of cubs and sub-adults involved. Once the pride was one whole group, but since the death of previous leader, Big Boy, the pride has split into 2, which are now known as the ‘original’ Olifants West and the Olifants West ‘split’. Guests at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and River Lodge were treated to multiple sightings of both parts of the pride in the space of only a few days, and the sightings were a far cry from the typical ‘flat cat’ visual usually expected from lions!

Each of the Olifants West prides are 13 lions strong and have at least 6 sub-adults. With all the youngsters around, there is a fair amount of play fighting, stalking, and toying around, making this bunch of big cats a lot of fun to watch. It is quite a spectacle to see such big prides lining up to drink in unison (yes, this happened the other day and it was awesome), and to watch the affectionate exchanges between lionesses and their cubs. We had a sighting of one of the dominant males (Duma’s brother – leader of the OW split pride) noisily devouring a warthog carcass while his pride hung around; plus, we had Duma himself roaring at night right next to the game viewer (caught on camera – see it here).

On yet another game drive, the original OW pride came out to play, and play they did. Some sub-adults were play-fighting, while another couple climbed nearby trees, putting the tree-climbing lions of Tanzania to shame! It was yet another special sight to behold for Ezulwini guests.

Duma and his brother lead the 2 prides separately, and they do not get along, which hints to the fact that they do not share the same parents, although they both come from the pre-split Olifants West pride. Last night on game drive, Duma was found relaxing at a dam in the reserve and appeared to have fight-induced injuries. It is suspected that he was in a fight with his brother, which is only natural in the lion world, but can be fatal nonetheless. We left him to lick his wounds as elephants approached to drink and the sun dropped behind the horizon. We will be checking on Duma, so watch this space for updates…

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