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Umkumbe Safari Lodge: Meet Our Big Cats

Nestled in the heart of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin lies a quiet gem of lodge called the Umkumbe Safari Lodge. Located in one of South Africa’s premier big five reserves, Umkumbe is in the enviable position of being a central area for big cat sightings. In particular, the area offers unrivalled leopard sightings. Leopards are accustomed to vehicles and do not see the entity as a threat. They are territorial cats and have found the perfect habitat in the Sabi Sand.

Lions are also seen on a regular basis around the Umkumbe property and in front of the lodge on the banks of the Sand River. The Sparta and Charleston pride are the prides that dominate the area. Today we are going to introduce you to the cats we see on a regular basis.

This is the start of “Meet the big cats” series where we will bring you updates about the lion pride dynamics of the area, the history of the majestic leopards and keep you up-to-date with what is happening in and around our traversere within the Sabi Sand Wildtuin.

Leopards of the Sabi Sand

When guests at Umkumbe see a leopard, it is generally a young male called Maxabeni. Often spotted on early morning and afternoon game drives, he is easily identifiable by the scar on his upper lip. Guests have also reported seeing Maxabeni when they arrive at the main gate en route to camp. This majestic leopard is the dominant male within the Umkumbe and neighbouring traverse.

How did he get his trademark scar? It’s a battle wound from when he was defending his territory from another male. Although fantastic at defending his territory, his hunting skills are not something to be revered. Rangers have noted many failed attempts at bringing down prey !

We love Maxabeni because of his determination during hunts. He is often seen enjoying his solitary wanderings and, when not alone, we have noticed him with a female called “Little Bush” and her cub.

We believe Maxabeni is the father of the White Dam/Kalabash female’s two cubs. They were seen mating close to the lodge last year October. In April this year, ranger Cameron and his guests witnessed a fantastic sighting of the White Dam female with two healthy cubs. The cubs looked roughly 4 months old and the three leopards were spotted very close to the lodge. White Dam has quite a shy demeanor about her but put on quite display for the guests. This is was one of the first sightings of the cubs. However, there is a twist to the tale.

At one stage, rangers were concerned because White Dam’s tracks were discovered close to tracks of another male leopard called Machlatine; who they’ve not seen in a while. There was speculation that these two were mating, which means the cubs would have died. However, Cameron’s sighting of White Dam and her cubs proved otherwise !

So we have Little Bush, White Dam and two Cubs, Maxabeni and the Notten’s female. And the appearance of Machlatine. What will Maxabeni do if he discovers Machlatine on his territory?

Lions of the Sabi Sand

This year we have seen plenty of activity close to the lodge from the Southern Splits females, the Charleston pride, the Four-ways males and the Sparta pride. The Sparta pride is 7 strong, comprising 3 males and 4 females. Below we have images of the Spartas literally tripping over each other in an attempt to attack a buffalo. When confronted with the herd, they stumbled over each other – it appears this is one of their first hunt without help ! This happened 100 metres from the lodge and it turns out the Charleston pride was also in the area – attempting to do the same thing !

The coalition of males, previously from the Four-ways pride have also been spotted around the Umkumbe traverse. They gave a huge herd of Cape buffalo a run around when they tried to take them down. The buffalo chased the males and the hunt was unsuccessful.

Keep posted for regular lion updates – we’ll give you a concise history over the next few weeks so you can start to identify the big cats of the Sabi Sand.

Wild Dogs Chase a Lone Wildebeest for Fun

A pack of Africa’s second-most endangered predators arrived in the area late last week to the detriment of one poor wildebeest. nThambo Tree Camp guests were on their morning game drive when they pulled up to this unusual sighting and watched the ‘playground bullying’ carry out between a couple of trouble makers and a lone wildebeest.

It is fantastic to see these incredible, painted dogs (also known as Cape hunting dogs) back in the area adding their splash of mottled brown, white and black colour to the drying bushveld. Nimble and quick, these predators are highly successful hunters with an often misunderstood hunting technique. To avoid conflict with big predators in the bush, a pack of wild dogs demolishes its prey within minutes leaving very little scrap meat.

This wildebeest was subject to a little bit of intimidation play by the younger members of the pack, while there was no real intention to attack. The pack of dogs was 10-strong and most of the elder members relaxed in the shade, while the teenagers engaged in a little horse play. They are very interactive animals and are often seen being affectionate towards each other. This time, guests got to watch the unusual sighting play out in the morning sunlight and take away memories of the endangered wild dogs in their natural home.

P.S. Wild dogs follow big herds of antelope and migrate through a large range, but only stay put when they give birth to cubs. From May to July the dogs will ‘den’, so that the pups have the opportunity to develop and gain strength to then move with the pack. Now that we’ve seen the wild dogs in the area, we can hope that perhaps a litter of pups has been born and they will hang around for a couple of months seeing as it is the start of their denning period…

Week in Pictures: Caught in the Act!

It’s not as if we’ve been creeping around in silence, trying to catch them out. We’ve been trundling around in 4×4 Land Rovers with chatty, happy guests, weaving in and out of the beautiful traverse of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin and the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. But funnily enough we seem to have caught these animals in the middle of their own displays of dominance, courtship, play, and even a bit of nose picking. Perhaps we are all just so comfortable with each other that everyone feels at home. The wildlife surrounding Africa on Foot, nThambo Tree Camp, nDzuti Safari Camp, and Umkumbe Safari Lodge are so accustomed to the addition of of a couple of game viewers during designated game drive time, that they carry on unperturbed.

Enjoy these fantastic snaps taken by guides and photographers at the respective lodges, all of whom caught their subjects just in the middle of whatever it was they were doing.

Mating lions caught on beetle cam by Herco van Houdt

OK so maybe we were creeping around a little bit in this one… Africa on Foot photographers sent in a beetle cam courtesy of Herco van Houdt while these 2 lions were mating!

Rhino and calf caught with their mouths full

Mom and baby white rhino were caught with their mouths full as nThambo Tree Camp guests drove passed. Is that a lilac-breasted roller peering down in the background? Busted.

Southern ground hornbill not quite on the ground

Southern ground hornbill? Caught pretty high up in the tree for a prehistoric looking ground bird…

Elephants caught in mock battle in the Sabi Sand

Well because we are so mature we know these elephants weren’t caught kissing, but still, busted!

Sparta pride caught tripping over one another

The Sparta Pride was seen at Umkumbe chasing buffalo… and then they lost all bravery and ran for the hills when the buffalo put up a fight! This is them tripping over one another in a hasty retreat.

A pair of yellow-billed hornbills silhouetted in the light

Well that didn’t end well… Husband hornbill getting the silent treatment.

We’ve seen a lot of lion teeth lately at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp, and here again this Trilogy male was caught snacking on the flies buzzing around his head.

When he wasn’t too busy snapping at flies, he gave his girlfriend a real look of love…

Mating pair of lions - Ross lioness and Trilogy male

These 2 just went on and on like this. Passionate exchanges and flirty behaviour were the least of it – we saw everything!

This elephant got caught in the shower…

Hippo splashing about in dominance display

This hippo was having a real tantrum.

Cheetah and cubs caught crossing the road

This might have been the catch of the week! A very rarely seen cheetah mom with 3 cubs in tow caught out in the open as they crossed the road and drank from a puddle.

Giraffe gets stuck in there with a good old nose-clean

Whoops, sorry, I’m sure we weren’t meant to see that!

Wild dog taunts a wildebeest while the rest of the pack rest in the shade

A couple of playful young wild dogs were caught bullying this poor wildebeest while the more mature members of the pack rested in the shade.

These two busted for not looking like hardcore predators and more like puppies playing the fool!

Hippos caught falling asleep in the bath.

2016 Safari Awards: nThambo Nominated

nThambo Tree Camp has been nominated in two categories for the 2016 Safari Awards. Winning an award in these categories is quite an accolade and a feather in our cap. We need your help in voting for us. We could not be where we are today if it weren’t for the support and positive feedback received from our guests.

We have been nominated in the categories are: “Best Value Safari Property” and “Best Safari Guiding Team“. Please vote for us, we would appreciate the support – and will always continue to improve.

To vote for us, please search for nThambo Tree Camp here: http://www.safariawards.com/

Here’s why we think we were nominated.

nThambo offers guests the opportunity to stay in free standing, wooden treehouse units comprising private balconies and sweeping views of the wilderness. There are only 5 units, which means guests can enjoy an intimate and personal safari experience. The lodge has been designed in such a way that there is minimal impact on the environment and is eco-friendly. The camp is open, which means animals are free to roam throughout. Located in the heart of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, it is ideal for big five game viewing.

Apart from the look and feel of nThambo, there is also a relaxing and homely feel to the camp. If guests want a bush braai, we can arrange it. If they want to walk in the bush, we can arrange it. If they want to sit at the bar all day – well, we’ll pour your wine for you ! There’s also WiFi access, a bar area, boma area and a small plunge pool in the main lodge. Ideal for relaxing ! Our rates include daily game drives, walks and meals.

We are flexible and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with guests. Do not be alarmed if you see elephants drinking from the pool – they tend to do that. Our trackers are local Shangaans who know the Klaserie better than anybody else. Our khaki-clad rangers are friendly, hospitable and answer to your every whim.

If you agree with us, we’d appreciate your vote!

Vote here

The Who’s Who of Klaserie Lion Romance

It’s been pretty hard to keep up with all the love-making happening in the Klaserie over the last month. We’ve got 3 Trilogy males spreading their seed throughout both the Ross and Giraffe pride lionesses, plus, there’s the dominant male in nDzuti Safari Camp domain who is known for killing the River Pride male. And he was caught having his way with a young lioness from the River Pride (it was a very romantic riverside setting, to his credit). In addition to all this excitement, we can also confirm that one of the lionesses in this mix is currently nursing cubs in a hidden location. It’s all good and well catching these cats in the act, but what we really want to see are the cute and fluffies that arrive as a result!

In the process of figuring it out for ourselves, we thought we’d share it with you, avid lion freaks (just like us) who want to be in the know about whose genes are going where and when we can expect to see white lions pop up like cotton balls. Here it is, the Klaserie Lion Romance decoded.

Trilogy brothers 1 and 2 can be recognised by facial scars, while the 3rd one has a limp in his back leg. For the purpose of this blog, let’s call them Scratch, Scar, and Stikinyaw (a Shangaan word for ‘limp’). Scratch, who has many battle scars decorating his muzzle, has bagged himself a pair of white lionesses and a tawny lioness from the Giraffe Pride. We reported this momentous occasion about a week ago, but looking at more images of white lions never hurt anyone, right?

Scar, who has one definite clip out of this nose, has his sights set on one of the Ross Pride breakaway lionesses – the looker with the deep amber eyes. OK, so she can be Amber for the moment. This pair have been mating for a while now. You might remember the epic images of this love making dual taken by Shannon, and the relatively frightening moment Scar mock charged the nThambo Tree Camp game viewer…

That was about 3 weeks ago, but these two clearly have a soft spot for one another because they were seen in the throes of passion again yesterday. We’d really like to commend their efforts to populate the Klaserie with lion cubs.

Trilogy brother number 3 probably has the most handsome face out of the trio (clearly having sacrificed his back leg to keep his good looks). His limp is his identifier, and he seems to be relaxing and just being the King of the Jungle right now. Perhaps he is the bad boy who sired the cubs that are currently being kept safe in a secret drainage line by their mom, breakaway Ross lioness number 2? This lioness has rather a moth-eaten ear (although a moth is probably not responsible for the chew marks in her ear), and her unkempt appearance has won her the nickname Tatty. So Tatty, we urge you, stay put and feed those babies as much as they can handle, and please do not emerge until those little fluff balls can follow you!

North of Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp, the Klaserie River winds its way through the ridges and valleys of the reserve. This is where the fair-furred lioness of the River Pride found herself in the romantic riverside setting being charmed by a lion that has fought his way to the top. We’re going to call him Brad (from Fight Club, get it?), and she can be Lady Pale. Bruce and Judy Meeser of nDzuti Safari Camp witnessed these 2 on numerous occasions, and when our photographers got there, they got to enjoy the show too.

Well the Klaserie lions certainly know how to get it on, which is a good thing, because believe it or not, these little cubs are not born apex predators. They fall victim to leopards, lions, and hyenas, stampeding buffalo, big birds of prey, and venomous snakes. Lion cubs’ mortality rate is 50%, which is extremely high, and we know all to well how easily their mothers can lose them. Here’s hoping that with all the mating going on, and with the Trilogy spreading their genes throughout the Klaserie and the Timbavati, that a litter of lion cubs will survive. Tatty, we’re looking at you first, girl.

(P.S. We’re not into naming lions for real, so Tatty, Ratty, Patty, and Peter up there can go back to being big, wild cats of the Klaserie).

Video of Elephant Bull Drinking from the nThambo Pool

A large elephant bull with impressive tusks, in the height of musth, was seen sauntering through the Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp. Both camps are open which means animals are able to roam freely throughout. This leaves an air of adventure and unpredictability to your average, run-of-the-mill safari. What happened yesterday was quite remarkable and rather entertaining for guests staying at nThambo Tree Camp. While they were ordering their breakfast from Isaac, they got to watch a bull elephant drinking from the pool !

The tusker seen at camp was in full blown musth. Musth is the term used to describe highly aggressive behaviour that occurs periodically when there is a large rise in reproductive hormones. Testosterone levels are at an all time high which means a bull’s beahviour during this period is highly unpredictable. A bull will often segregate themselves from the rest of the herd because of their aggressive tendencies. An elephant in musth is to be avoided until he has “recovered” from his condition !

We managed to capture footage of the tusker snapping a few branches around the boma area at nThambo Tree Camp. We also observed him lumbering over to the pool area to quench his thirst. Kevin and Mike were on the scene at Africa on Foot, quietly observing the tusker’s restless attitude. We have a video of the experience. It’s a bit shaky, but can you blame them?

How could we tell this elephant was in musth? Apart from the obvious aggression, there are 3 main behaviours we identified from the video and the ranger reports.

Firstly, the bull will decrease his food intake but increase the territory he roams. This bull was seen moving from the Africa on Foot territory and over to nThambo Tree Camp. He actually attacked one of the ranger’s cars which was stationary! Secondly, he is seen drinking from the pool. A bull in musth has an excessive need to drink water because of urine loss during this period of time, causing lack of fluids. He constantly needs to replenish his thirst to avoid dehydration. Thirdly, if you look closely you will notice what looks like a massive tear stain near his eye. Often, elephants in musth secrete a substance called temporin from the temporal ducts on the side of their head.

Our conclusion? Steer clear – this bull was in musth. Watch the videos of this large pachyderm with an even larger attitude!

VIDEO: Bushmen of the Kalahari

Renowned writer and conservationist David Bristow, and award-winning photographers Roger and Pat de la Harpe, teamed up not only as talented friends and business partners, but as passionate Africans searching for the must-see treasures of this continent. One chapter in their adventure to produce the book African Icons is a chapter on the Bushmen of the Kalahari.

The fascinating ‘first people’ who once lived off the earth and survived the arid heat of the desert, have become legend. Their primitive lifestyles were lost when the law took over, and the hunter-gatherers were no more. Until a handful of private safari camps offered their subsistence lifestyles back to them. One of these establishments is Haina Kalahari Lodge, and the African Icons team headed straight there for an experience with the Kalahari Bushmen.

Take a look at African Icons video clip of their experience with the Bushmen community at Haina, where they walked, danced, stalked, and ate with the first people of the desert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVBN_5-7mNo

The last count of these hunter-gatherer people living in Southern Africa was at about 6000 in the 1970s, at which point the population of Bushmen had plummeted from about 60 000 in the 1950s. The erection of game fences and the reallocation of land during civil wars meant that the natural way of life and the movement along migration routes was destroyed. Little villages set up where boreholes were sunk and cattle ranches were established leading to the foreign concept of employment and a modern lifestyle that introduced the abuse of alcohol among other things. Due to a culmination of reasons – one being the apparent discovery of diamonds in the area – the last of the Bushmen people were evicted from their ancestral land in the Central Kalahari.

Rare Sighting: Cute and Fluffy Cheetah Cubs

Guests at nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve were treated to a rare sighting while out on their afternoon game drive. It was an average Saturday afternoon when the team headed out into the thicket of our traverse to track lions, which have been prominant in our area over the past few weeks. Instead, guests were elated when our rangers and trackers found an adult female cheetah with her three cubs ! A sighting so rare that only a privileged few get to enjoy.

The female cheetah was mildly anxious, which is understandable because cubs are vulnerable in the wild and she has a motherly instinct to protect them. Adult female cheetahs are solitary cats, but their cubs stay with them for at least a year, if not longer. Cheetahs are cats who hunt by sight. They are therefore active during the day and when there is full moon to illuminate the landscape. Their main competitors are nocturnal and thrive on hunts during the dead of the night. Hunting when other predators are dormant means they eliminate the competition for food.

The female and her cubs were spotted during the earlier part of the game drive, right in the heart of our traverse. The cubs have a huge, fluffy band of fur down the middle of their backs. This band of greyish fur is normally there for roughly 3 months, indicating that the cubs are around 6/7 weeks old. So, why do the cubs have a grey fur mantle across their backs? It is suggested that the mantle of fur imitates the markings of the fearless and ferocious honey badger; which would make predators weary of approaching.

Here are Jochen’s exceptional photos of these bundles of fluffy cuteness.

Killer Birds: The Unlikely Birds of Prey

When you’re on the lookout for predators, it’s more than likely you are scanning the ground for twitching, black ears, or the swish of a spotted tail. Generally big cat characteristics. Squirrels go ballistic and impalas bark, alerting you to the presence of a hunter in the midst. Unless you are an avid bird watcher, it is unlikely you are looking for a killer bird! Well, here are a couple that took us by surprise while on game drive with Africa on Foot recently…

The grey-headed bush shrike is heard rather than seen, which is unfortunate given the sheer beauty of the ‘ghost bird’. Nicknamed due to its eerie call, the grey-headed bush shrike sends long, spooky whistles into the bush from a secret hiding place. The local Shangaan people of Limpopo believe that the ghost bird carries the spirit of their deceased ancestors. So, according to this bird’s description, it should be some sort of serene guardian angel with brightly coloured wings, gentle yet orating call, and represent the memory of passed loved ones… However, the grey-headed bush shrike is in actual fact, quite the established hunter, and is aggressive enough to have even taken on a deadly boomslang!

On this occasion, it was not a boomslang, but a defenceless, blind snake. Still, the size of this small snake seemed far too big a mouthful for this rather small bird that was viciously trying to kill it. We were delighted that we could get such a good look at this astonishingly beautiful bird with its bright orange, yellow and green plumage. The Schlegel’s beaked blind snake had no chance against this formidable hunter and had a terrible time being pecked and picked up and dropped, but nature is what it is, and we were superbly privileged to have witnessed the action.

The very next game drive with Africa on Foot, we drove to Buffel Dam – a popular spot for elephant, buffalo, and lion during the rainy season; however, now that the rain is coming down less and less, the dam has dried up somewhat and what is left is a muddy dent in the earth. A perfect wallowing pool for rhino and warthog, and the last of the catfish that remain splashing around in the shallows, attracting the attention of our second killer bird; the saddle-billed stork.

Again, this large, colourful stork usually takes flight when a game viewer approaches to admire it, but this one was preoccupied by its predator instinct. Two hamerkops hung around, searching for frogs and smaller varieties of mud-dwelling creatures, while this lone stork was driving its strong bill into the almost-lifeless body of a barbel. Picking it up and putting it down for another vicious stab, the saddle-billed stork had struck it lucky with a barbel of this size, and we managed to watch as the bird finally gripped the fish and chugged it down without much effort at all.

The Lion, the Ranger and the Wardrobe

You’ve probably ingested numerous descriptive vignettes about the mind-blowing scenery and abundance of wildlife scattered throughout the Kruger. And you’ve no doubt been flooded with a cluster of animal photos and videos via social media. The online world creates the perfect visual for you. What the online world cannot do is provide a smell for the Kruger and it certainly can’t make you feel the sense of overwhelming calm you experience when you abosorb the silence of your surrounds. A safari excites all of the senses.

Chloe and I are in the enviable position of being in the Kruger; and our senses have been hit with that drowsy, relaxed feeling that happens when you land in the African bush. We were sent to stay at Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve on a photographic and media assignment. The smell of the Kruger is one of the first things we noticed upon arrival at Hoedspruit airport. It’s a curious mix of grasses, fresh herbivore dung, scented flowers and gritty sand. It’s not a pungent smell, but something subtle that weaves its way through your olfactory nerves, creating a natural high !

So, why are we really here? Apart from getting high on the smell of nature and making a dent in the bar; we’re actually here to work. Chloe, Kev and I make up part of the digital marketing and wildlife media team at Sun Destinations. Kev is based at Africa on Foot and is an experienced ranger and wildlife photographer. Recently we’ve had a spate of phenomenal lion sightings and it’s our job to ensure each precious moment is documented. Our secondary assignment is to photograph, film and write about our safari experience. It is also our job to drink red wine while sitting at the back of Air Force 1, our dedicated photographic vehicle!

Africa on Foot is an open camp which focusses on big 5 walking safaris. Next door is nThambo Tree Camp, an eco-friendly lodge. Both lodges provide an intimate safari experience. The guides here are friendly and knowledgeable, and ensure a sense of ease the minute you arrive here. Can’t fault where we are staying for the next few days.

Just a warning about your first night in the African bush. The sounds are different to that of the city – there’s a deafening silence as darkness falls but the gentle whoop from the hyena punctuates the silence. You’ll hear tiny quivers from bats, squeals from bushbabies and strange shuffling noises outside your room. Occasionally you’ll hear a barking sound, which is the lions calling. Forget Disney movies – a lion’s roar is more of a bark than a roar.

Game drives in the evening start at 4ish and this time of year, April/May it’s pretty chilly in the evenings. Pack the right typ of wardrobe for a safari and be prepared for anything. We were. We packed the wine, the jackets and cameras and headed out on our first game drive which proved to be a fruitful expedition.

After hearing about the presence of white lions on the Timbavati road, we ditched the zebra we were photographing and frantically made our way there. We got to the Timbavati road and noticed the Giraffe pride white lioness with a tawny female. They were just lying there, looking so serene. The tawny raised her weary body and trundled down the road. We drove on a bit further and followed her – only to discover one of the Trilogy males was hiding in the thicket. This is why she was on the move. The story gets better. The Trilogy male was caught mating with another white lioness. All three lionesses eagerly greeted each other and relaxed into a formation around the Trilogy male; creating what looked like a lion harem. This sighting goes down in my books as one of the most magical and awe are -inspiring moments in the history of game drives.

The next morning we saw the white lioness with the Trilogy male in the same spot. Lions don’t tend to wander far if they are mating or feasting. En route to this sighting we saw rhino, giraffe, zebra and a host of small creatures.

Today was a bit slow in terms of sightings, but then again you cannot have it all. However, we did have an ornithologist field day and spotted a saddle-billed stork attacking a barbel and a grey-headed bush shrike stabbing a schlegel’s beaked blind snake. Killer birds are on the loose.

Stay tuned for more updates !

with the lionesses for quite some time and enjoyed their company.