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Week in Pics: Big Cat Extravaganza ! White Lions & Leopards

The traverse around nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot should be renamed “Lion Central”. This week we experienced lion sightings that would leave the Guiness book of Records in awe. The highlight of the week was our white lion sighting, which happened on both the morning and evening game drive. Both sightings happened close to the Timbavati road and guests witnessed one of the Trilogy males mating with white lioness.

The night before the first white lion sighting, we were privileged enough to see the two breakaway Ross Pride females. This clearly paved the way for an even greater sighting the following morning. Seeing a wild white lion is a rare phenomenon and the Shangaan believe it to be a sign of good fortune. Seems our guests, rangers and media team will have a good year ahead !

We spotted the aging Giraffe Pride white lioness under the tree. She was accompanied by a tawny lioness. A few minutes later both lionesses got up and walked down to where the Trilogy male was sitting…lo and behold, there he was with another white lioness ! The Trilogy male began mating with the younger white lioness and the tawny female. This is a sighting that will be remembered for a long time to come.

The African bush has been buzzing with activity. We’ve seen rhino, hippo, giraffe, warthog, zebra, impala (always!) and a colourful variety of bird species.

At Umkumbe Safari Lodge they appear to be at an all time high with their cheetah and leopard sightings. The Sabi Sand Wildtuin is renown for their leopard sightings and it appears our favourite leopard, Maxabeni was discovered perched in a tree with his reed-buck kill. That fat stomach of his? Well, that is his belly full to the brim, having eaten 90% of his kill. In just two game drives, Cameron actually managed to find four leopards ! Guests also saw the White Dam/Kalabash female with her two cubs. Cubs appeared healthy, despite visbility being low.

Umkumbe rangers also found a male cheetah casually sauntering through the thicket and eventually ending up on a termite mound. The next morning scraps of an unlucky impala were found in the vicinity. No guess as to what went down !

Our photographer Kevin captured a few special moments while on safari in the Okavango Delta with Afrika Ecco. The water monitor is quite a curious and prehistoric looking creature.

Enjoy the week in pictures !

Trilogy Lion Bags Himself 2 White Lionesses!

When game drive takes place in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, you know you’re in for a treat when it comes to lion sightings. Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have reported sightings of the legendary Ross Pride, the Trilogy Lion coalition, and Ross breakaway lionesses all within the last week or 2.

Then this happens…

Today we saw white lions. Two of them. The 2 white lionesses of the Giraffe Pride, famous in the Klaserie and Timbavati nature reserves. On the main tar road that divides the 2 unfenced reserves, a sighting of one white lioness and one tawny lioness was called in on the radio. nThambo’s vehicle responded, and to guests’ utter delight, there they were. The snowy fur of the white lioness, standing out from her beige and green environment, and her blue eyes glistened like small pools of ice. Her tawny sister was harder to spot with her camouflaged fur, but there they were, behind the long grass, about 30m into the bush.

We could not have imagined what happened next.

The tawny lioness rose and walked off down the long, open road, contact-calling quietly, pausing every so often. Eventually the white lioness followed and we watched in awe as one of the rarest lions in the world stepped out of the vegetation and confidently walked along a dam wall, in full vision of nThambo’s enthralled guests. After a couple of exceptional minutes, the radio grabbed our attention once again.

A little further up the road and in an open clearing, one very familiar male lion and a SECOND white lioness were seen mating. Reluctantly leaving the first white lioness in search of something even more spectacular, we drove the last stretch along the road until a great, fiery mane popped out of the grass, accompanied by a smaller, snowy head. Instantly, the male was recognised as one of the Trilogy males, and the lioness was identified as the other white lioness of the Giraffe Pride.

If you think this is where it ends, think again.

A few bouts of mating take place between the 2 lovers, snarling and growling at each other in the heat of the moment, then, just as they are about to doze off, the urgent calls of the other 2 lionesses snatched the male’s attention. There we sat and watched as both the tawny lioness and the first white lioness bounded up to the mating pair and greeted one another in a flurry of affectionate nudging. This lucky Trilogy lion was surrounded by ladies, and we watched as they excitedly followed each other into a clearing right next to the road before flopping down to rest.

Once again, we were to be thrilled with surprise…

A certain amount of flirting commenced only moments later when the tawny lioness flicked her tail temptingly under the male lions nose, reversing into him suggestively and rolling over right under his chin. Sure as rain, he was won over and began to mate with this lioness as her 2 white companions lay on either side. It became evident that this Trilogy male was courting all three of the lionesses when after a short break, he rose to the challenge yet again; this time, to tend to another white lioness.

It was something not short of magical. To have glimpsed that first hint of white fur through the bushes, then to have watched one lioness’ majestic form walk tall on the dam wall; and finally, to be bowled over by the lion-love that was shared between 3 Giraffe Pride lionesses and 1 lucky Trilogy male.

Guests at nThambo Tree Camp: Tick ‘wild white lions’ off your safari bucket list. Maybe make a note there that they were mating… you’ve just witnessed the highly possible conception of some of the rarest lion cubs in the world.

VIDEO: Ross Pride Attempts Warthog Kill

The Ross Pride has returned to their old territory now that Chuck and Larry (adult Ross Pride males) have grown up and been ousted into the wild world on their own. It seems that the pride of 7 is getting settled after killing 2 warthogs a few days ago, and then attempting to kill another warthog yesterday morning. What’s more is that they scavenged an impala kill off a leopard in full view of the nThambo guests before that!

Africa on Foot guests were split between those who wanted to walk and those who wanted to enjoy a morning drive, and it seems this time the guests on drive got off lucky when they pulled up to this sighting of the Ross Pride guarding a warthog burrow. A pride of 3 adult lionesses and 4 sub-adult cubs, these lions need more than a couple of bites of warthog to keep them going. Their last kill was a few days ago, and they are looking thin.

Matt Roberts, nThambo ranger, pulled up to the incredible sighting first thing this morning when the Ross Pride lions were climbing up a tree to get to the carcass of an impala that had obviously been hidden there by a leopard. As if it was not a spectacular enough sighting, an elephant approached the scene and voiced his dislike for the lions! Notoriously, elephants don’t like predators and will quickly charge at them or try to scare them away, but these lions were in the safety of a tree when the elephant approached. Check out the nThambo Facebook page for the awesome video of this act playing out.

After cleaning up what was left of the impala carcass, the Ross Pride had only whet their appetites, so went in search of something more. This is when Africa on Foot guests got to watch them digging at a warthog burrow in attempt to chase them out. We have watched them operate like this in the past, and they have been successful, but this morning the pair of warthogs came off tops. When the exhausted lions took a rest from digging and relaxed a bit, both warthogs shot out from the hole and fled for their lives. They were lucky and got away, but left the Ross Pride in need of a meal!

Watch the video put together by photographer and filmmaker, Kevin MacLaughlin, on the scene for the duration of this warthog stakeout, and hear his take on why this was a crucial loss for the Ross Pride:

Lions of nDzuti : Beauty and the Beast

The River pride was the dominant pride of lions who traversed the nDzuti Safari Camp territory. Lead by a fearless warrior who fought to keep his pride alive, this king spent his time fighting off youngsters from neighbouring prides attempting to to oust him.

The lone warrior fathered 10 healthy cubs and the burgeoning River pride was 13 members strong, comprising sub-adults, lionesses and cubs. One fateful day the lone warrior was killed and sightings of the River pride dwindled. Over the past few weeks we have seen a beast of a lion attempting to mate with one of the River pride females. We speculate that this male is the one who killed the dominant male from the River pride. We have only seen these two a couple of times and have yet to establish what the future holds for them. Either way, the possibility of lion cubs is on the cards.

The lion antics were caught on camera, thanks to Kevin MacLaughlin. Apparantly the scene that unfolded was quite amusing. When the River pride female finished her part of the mating process, her suitor decided to continue. He kept biting her tail and continued to follow her around. It seems she was playing games with this beast of a boy ! She was walking in circles (we think to taunt him) and she eventually walked through the river. He does not look amused.

We’ll bring you further updates about this mating pair in the next few weeks.

nDzuti Giraffe court in the act

The team from nDzuti Safari Camp stumbled upon a flirtatious moment between a male and female giraffe. The male was in the process of courting his potential mate by displaying an elegant “neck” dance, which involves a rhythmic swaying of necks. The entire courting action between giraffes is quite spectacular to watch. Gentle by nature, it’s a rather slow and interesting behaviour to observe. However, the male’s way of determining if the female is a potential mate is quite hair-raising, if not alarming to our species. A male will approach the female and rub her backside until she urinates. The bull will then taste the urine to determine if she is in heat. The females that are ready will have more estrus in their urine. Not exactly one of the most romantic courting gestures in the animal kingdom; but such is nature!

The entire process of checking to see if a female is ready to mate is called the “flehman sequence”. The flehman response is performed by a variety of mammals and wide range of felids and ungulates. This response is a mortifying, lip-curling grimace which activates the vomeronasal organ located above the roof of the mouth. This organ detects pheromones. The male will do the “flehman grimace” and pursue the female.

If female is interested she will gently rub and intertwine her neck with her suitor. This behaviour is not to be confused with the more aggressive necking between two bulls. The courting dance is far more gentle. When the urine of the female presents an ideal mating partner, the courship begins. During courtship you might hear the males emit loud coughs.

Giraffes do not have a particular breeding season but they tend to favour the wetter weather. Being herbivores means there is more food around – the surrounding area is therefore covered with thick vegetation. More food means less anxiety around having to search for food.

Enjoy the pics of their strange and curious courting ritual.

The Return of the Ross Pride

You read right… The Ross Pride is back in old territory, deep in the Klaserie! It is with bated breath that we post this announcement, because we all know this is the wild and anything can happen. The 3 Trilogy lions that chased this pride away over a year ago are a formidable trio, but they could also be the males that will now attempt to mate with the 3 Ross Pride lionesses that have returned with their 4 ‘teenagers’.

We have waited for something more than a fleeting sighting, just to make sure that they are truly back and not just passing through. After one or 2 brief moments with the 7-strong Ross Pride last week, there was something that truly made us think they might be here to stay… Our guides and Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp found the Ross Pride on a nearby property hunting a family of warthogs! Full confidence, the 3 adult lionesses and 4 sub-adults managed to kill 2 warthogs and feasted on their prizes in full view of our cameras.

Courteney Blunden gave us some insight into lion pride dynamics, and it seems that the Ross Pride has returned to their old territory with the intention of having cubs. Lionesses often return to an area where they have previously given birth or where they themselves were born. Chuck and Larry – the adult sons of the lionesses – have been kicked out of the Ross Pride and are now on their own to find a new pride to dominate, leaving the 3 lionesses and 4 youngsters without a pride protector. This, according to Courteney, is why the Ross Pride is back; coming into oestrus in their old territory and making themselves available to mate with the dominant lions in this area… and those lions are The Trilogy.

Is the Ross Pride back for good? Will they continue to hunt in their old Klaserie territory and bring back their legendary name? Will the Trilogy lions find these lionesses and mate with them in order to sire their cubs and expand their gene pool? Courteney reckons this is almost a certainty. The danger is that the sub-adult males in the Ross Pride that are too young to head out on their own are at risk of being killed off by the Trilogy. It is in male lion DNA to want to dominate the bloodline, and any male lions that are not their own sons stand a chance of being killed.

Lastly, one can’t help but wonder if the breakaway Ross lionesses who have also been mating with the Trilogy will join up with the rest of their pride at long last. Will this be the start of the Ross Pride-Trilogy family we have all been dreaming of? Watch this space for the lion updates of the Century!

Week in Pics: Slithering Snakes and Breeding Beasts

This week we have seen an abundance of snakes, breeding herds of mammals and big cats mating. The season of activity is upon us ! The team at Africa on Foot had a rather close encounter with the deadly black mamba snake and Judy from nDzuti Safari Camp saw a potent boomslang casually wrapped around the branches of a tree on the camp’s property. Then we had Greg from Africa on Foot showing his guests a small but aggressive rock python.

In terms of breeding herds, the camps have reported large herds of buffalo and elephant. But what stands out the most is the presence of big cats , proving that the Sabi Sand Wildtuin and the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve are prime big cat viewing destinations. Lions appear to have made more of an appearance in the Klaserie, while cheetah and leopard are dominating the cat sightings at Umkumbe Safari Lodge.

nDzuti saw the same male lion and lioness twice in the space of a week. The male is thought to be the beast who took down the leader of the River Pride, the dominant pride of the area. The female is a lone lioness from the River Pride. We hope to see cubs in the near future. At Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp the two breakway Ross Pride lionesses attacked and killed yet another buffalo. One of the Trilogy males has his heart set on one of the females and is relentless in his quest to mate with her. We caught the action on camera – he did get rather defensive towards the nThambo vehicle. All that testosterone.

Even our gentle ungulates, the giraffe have been courting one another. Yet another incredible wildlife moment we were lucky enough to witness.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge discovered a majestic cheetah posing on top of a termite mound, surveying his land for potential prey. They also spotted two lions attempting to take down an older buffalo and shortly after stumbled upon two leopards. The female is called “White Dam” and the male is “Machlatine“. This is the male leopard, Maxabeni’s territory – let’s wait and see what happens here.

Enjoy the week in pics !

On Your Bucket List: Camp Linyanti

It could possibly be the original Secret Garden. Or perhaps, the Garden of Eden. Either way, Linyanti is alluring and unique, and feels quite magical, preserved, and untouched. Nestled beneath its enchanting trees, on the edge of the brimming floodplain, Camp Linyanti has claimed its position in the northernmost corner of Chobe National Park and is most certainly the next item on your bucket list!

Elephants interact in front of Camp Linyanti

Main guest area overlooking the water at Camp Linyanti

Camp Linyanti as seen from the water

In a space of just 3 days, Linyanti will captivate your soul and mould an irreplaceable spot in your safari heart. In the summer months, when visitors are few and far between, the undefined roads become overgrown with lush, green vegetation. Vines of dangling leaves drape over your vehicle, while tall grass rises right up to your window, and you smell the richness of this wild and thriving region. Tall jackalberry trees with huge canopies create shade, while the waters of the Linyanti swamps lap at the sandy edges creating small, private beaches littered with animal tracks and elephant dung.

A big, male waterbuck stands camouflaged in Linyanti

Elephant herd approaches the water to drink

Birds of all sorts call from the treetops, perch on lookout branches, and paint streaks of colour in the air. A fish eagle settled only a few metres away and sent its iconic call across the swamp, allowing us to watch the whole performance before it swooped down to the water below and snatched up a fish. To our left, a herd of elephants lumbered towards the water, pausing when they noticed us and raising their trunks to gather our scent. With a heartfelt trumpet and the shake of her head, the matriarch decided we were worthy of watching them and led her family to drink. Drink, they did, but they also splashed, swam, and completely submerged themselves in the cooling depths of the swamp.

(Two rare and exceptional sightings at Camp Linyanti caught on video: Baby honey badger, and a rock python eating a mongoose)

A fish eagle perches and calls out over the Linyanti swamps

The fish eagle throws its head back 180 degrees when calling

Two bull elephants play fight in the Linyanti swamps

Elephants loving the water at Camp Linyanti

In the morning light that streamed through the trees in mottled shapes and sizes, young baboons played with enthusiasm. These troupes of chacma baboons can be heard during the night and throughout the day, barking warning calls into the silence. Agile climbers, the primates take to the tops of trees to escape danger, but when the coast is clear, the child-like performance between siblings provides endless entertainment to visitors.

Baboons playing at Camp Linyanti

Young baboons play energetically

A kudu cow beneath Linyanti’s tall trees

Those in tune with the signs of the bush will know how to read various behaviours, and in one instance, a panicked rush of activity alerted our attention to the road ahead of us. Screeching young baboons and the thunderous barks of the elders echoed through the trees and what followed was the unmistakable shape of a leopard shooting across our path. A successful hunt for this young male cat, but the unfortunate end for one of the bigger baboons in the troupe; we watched as our beautiful leopard took his prize into a hiding place through the impenetrable bush. (Read the full story and see the images here).

A young male leopard catches and kills a baboon

In the absolute quiet (a quiet not counting the chirping birds, grumbling elephants, and grunting hippos), a journey through Camp Linyanti’s private concession can surprise and amaze you. Not frequently visited, not well discovered, this is a paradise that remains a solace for wildlife. A small lodge with only 5 bedrooms, a balcony, bar, and dining area, Camp Linyanti takes a handful of passionate people and shows them an area of Botswana’s oldest National Park that is incomparable to anything else.

Spotting a hippo out of water in Linyanti

A hippo heads for the water in the morning sunlight

Portrait of a pied kingfisher

Karma Chameleon!

Everyone knows the song, and just about everybody can’t resist singing the chorus… what are the rest of the lyrics anyway? This (karma karma karma karma karma) chameleon was photographed by Shannon Benson (@shannon_wild), while on a photography assignment in the Klaserie. Being overly obsessed with reptiles, Shannon spent some time capturing this little beauty in some wonderful light at Africa on Foot, and we thought we had to share the pictures with you.

The flap-neck chameleon is the only species of its kind to be found in the Lowveld (Kruger Park region) and it is frequently spotted just in time while it is crossing the road. Just like this one, his life was spared when he was seen on the road just in front of the vehicle! When chameleons are seen on the ground, they are most likely seeking mates or looking for soft soil in which to lay their eggs. We most often see them on the ground because they are so difficult to spot in the trees!

Everything about the chameleon is designed for camouflage, from its cryptic coloration to its fused opposable toes and its staggered style of walking. The fact that chameleons change colour is not to enhance its camouflage, but rather it is to reflect its mood or temperature. When one picks up a chameleon and notices the change in its colours, it is usually because the creature is stressed, and its nerves are causing a flood of the pigment, melanin.

Crossing the road is risky for a chameleon because it could be run over by a vehicle, or it could be snatched up by one of its eager predators, which include cuckoo hawks, boomslangs, hornbills, vervet monkeys, shrikes, and starlings. Moving it out of the road may have been a favour to this little guy! The chameleon was placed in the safety of a tree in the direction it was going so as not to disturb its mission too much.

Living in an arboreal habitat, flap-neck chameleons are a brilliant green in colour to match the leaves, and they move in a jerky fashion, which is said to disguise its movement with the movement of leaves in a tree. Its ‘two toes’ and prehensile tail help it to keep stable, while its almost 360-degree individually rotating eyes can keep them aware of their surroundings. Chameleons eat insects, which they catch with their excessively long, sticky tongues, propelling them out of their mouths at 5 miles per second!

Often chameleons are seen at night when game drive turns into night drives and the tracker/ranger uses a spotlight to help see the nocturnal creatures. A trick of the trade (courtesy of ranger-turned-photographer Kevin MacLaughlin) as to why your incredible ranger can see something as small as a chameleon in a tree while driving at night, is that chameleons become pale at night when their blood is concentrated around their organs to help regulate their body temperatures. These little creatures appear so pale in the spotlights that they are almost difficult to miss!

nThambo Tree Camp was out of this world! Guest blog by Lenise Calleja

We always encourage our guests to share their safari experiences with us, and seeing as we are such fans of wildlife photography (mainly lions, just saying!) we look forward to seeing what you capture during your stay at our camps! Lenise Calleja was a recent guest at nThambo Tree Camp in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve for her honeymoon, and she has compared her experience to something out of Nat Geo or Animal Planet! Read about Lenise’s fantastic time on safari and take a look at the stunning images she captured during her stay.

Going on safari was surely the most life changing experience I ever had. When planning our honeymoon my husband and I immediately thought of going to Africa, as we wanted something unique and different from the trips we had done before.

We can both state that South Africa was the best choice we could have made. This country has plenty to offer, including, but not limited to safaris. Our stay at nThambo Tree Camp was out of this world! Apart from the expertise of the guides and the wonderful food, the thrill of going on the drives and not knowing what you’re going to see that day is absolutely fantastic. We both felt as if we were living in one of those documentaries that you see on National Geographic or Animal Planet.

Apart from travelling, my other passion is photography and I could not miss this fantastic opportunity to take some wildlife shots and I must say that I am quite happy with the results. The variety of wildlife in the area is incredible and I could not believe my eyes when I was seeing wild animals at such a close distance. When I look back at this experience, the only thing I can think of is that going on safari was the most incredible experience of my life and I hope that I will be lucky enough to do it again.

A giraffe chews on some of the highest branches

White-backed vulture perches on a look out point

Lilac-breasted roller adding a spot of colour

Check out links to Lenise’s Facebook page and her photography website here:

https://www.facebook.com/lenisecalleja.photography

http://www.lenisecalleja.photography/