As this year draws to a close and the beginning of new and exciting challenges in 2012 begin, the bush has been filled with the cheer of the festive season, presents being opened and time with family and loved ones. Here at Sabi Sabi we are enjoying the company of our guests and the animals, as always, have been helping us marvel at the natural world.

The other morning we set off from Little Bush Camp on drive in the light rain hoping to find a leopard. The guests wanted desperately to see the elegance and beauty of this magnificent creature and I had just the sighting for them. The night before some of the other guys had seen our dominant male leopard in the east on a kill, which he had hoisted into a marula tree. Without the guests knowledge of the sighting we left the road and followed a path made by the vehicles the night before hoping that he would still be with his kill. I could hear the guests whispering amongst one another trying figure out where we were going and what we would see.

The guests gasped as I pointed to the tree where the big male lay sleeping. The rain had stopped by this stage and the sun was trying to break out when he started to stretch and yawn, indicating that he was getting ready to do something. He stood up proud on the branch he had been sleeping on, surveyed the area and moved over to what was left of the impala ewe that he had been feeding on. He fed on the carcass for a couple of minutes whilst watching the hyenas that had now moved in from their slumber in the nearby bush, hoping to get some scraps from the leopards prize.

The hyenas were sniffing around the base of the tree and the three of them chased each other around as they sorted out the pecking order for the scraps. The leopard was clearly full and decided that a drink was in order. He graciously dropped out of the tree and started making his way through the bush and we, of course, followed. We dodged trees and rocks as we kept up with him until he found what he had been looking for. A pond had been formed from the last big rain that we had had 3 days before and he stooped down to quench his thirst. He drank for at least 10 minutes non-stop before retreating to a shady bush for some more rest. We had spent an hour watching him and left to find some other great stuff.

I wish you all a happy New Year - may it be filled with exciting new adventures and happiness. For those who have already visited us here at Sabi Sabi, we hope that you will be back to visit soon; and for those that haven’t, we look forward to seeing you in the future. I look forward to keeping you all up to date with the sightings and happenings from our amazing piece of Africa for the whole of 2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!