A Week in the Bush Vol. 509
on Jul 17, 2024This week has been filled with heightened predator activity, featuring numerous successful hunts that have provided opportunities for some spectacular wildlife sightings.
Insect-eating birds like Lilac-breasted rollers and Fork-tailed drongos often follow wild animals as they graze, disturbing insects and making it easier for the birds to locate and catch them. Oxpeckers are commonly seen sitting on animals and feeding on parasites. One notable observation was a Fork-tailed drongo using the back of a rhino as a perch instead of branches. It would catch insects and return to the rhino each time, which was a fascinating sight.
Male giraffes engage in dominance battles to establish mating rights. This involves "necking," where they use their long necks and heads to butt against each other. Although these fights are typically not dangerous and end when one giraffe admits defeat and walks away, there are occasions when they may cause harm and knock each other down.
With a buffalo carcass not far away, vultures have gathered in the area, waiting to swoop down and snatch up what they can. Once all the vultures start going down to feed on the carcass, this Hooded vulture knows it will have a hard day at the office being in the presence of the bigger White-backed vultures, also waiting for their share. The Hooded vulture is at the bottom of the hierarchy when it comes to vultures as they are the smallest and often must sneak around to try and get something.
We were treated to a stunning sight as we passed by the waterhole near Earth Lodge. There, we saw a huge crocodile basking in the sun at the water's edge. During the cool winter temperatures, these reptiles need an external heat source to warm up. They often spend hours out of the water, raising their body temperature before returning to the water to hunt for prey, as they can move quickly again.
“BIG BIRD!!” exclaimed our guests as we drove past a waterhole. To our amazement, we saw a male ostrich quenching his thirst. We watched as he took big gulps of water and then lifted his head to allow the water to flow down his throat.
During the clear winter evening we heard baboons and jackals calling in the distance from Earth Lodge. As we headed out on safari the next morning, we found tracks of two male lions as they were clearly following a buffalo herd. We followed the tracks which led us to the Nkuhuma male with the one young Talamati male lion on a buffalo kill that they managed to take down during the evening.
This is a rather unusual pairing as these two males are not often seen together but clearly knew they needed each other's help. We watched them as they fed, and later rubbed heads together, clearly showing some affection towards each other. Only time will tell if they stick together and strengthen their bond or split up again. For now, they are all too happy about their well-deserved meal, and if there is no interference from other lions, these two males will stick around for a couple of days to finish their meal before moving on again.
While having morning coffee at Earth Lodge we heard lions roaring close by so we immediately went out to investigate and found the one Gijima male missioning through our reserve, scent marking along the way. He was clearly looking for the other male and we also spotted tracks of other younger males in the area, which explain the gijima-lions scent marking as the Gijimas are trying to push these younger males out wherever they might be. Over the last couple of weeks, the Gijima males have had a lot of competition and rival males moving through their area but have been very successful in fighting them off and keeping their territory safe for themselves, their females and their cubs.
The waterhole in front of Bush Lodge is known for attracting many animals. We were fortunate to spot the entire Msuthlu Pride, along with the two Gijima males, lying in the open and basking in the sun. As we approached, it was evident that they had recently finished a meal, as their bellies were full and there were still visible blood stains on their bodies. These lions will spend the day in the area, moving into the treeline later as temperatures rise, before setting off again to find a safe place for themselves and the young ones.
A few days later, the Msuthlu Pride and Gijima males were seen again, this time in front of Selati Camp. One of the lionesses, who hasn't given birth with the rest, is heavily pregnant and will give birth soon, increasing the pride numbers.
Success yet again for the Southern Pride as we found them feeding on a buffalo kill. This is a massive confidence boost for this pride and a big reward! The pride was already full upon our arrival, indicating they had spent the whole evening feeding on their prize. These lions will spend a day or two finishing their kill before moving on again, getting their cubs out of harm's way and out of reach of the hungry scavengers. Taking down a buffalo is always a risky operation for lions, as buffalo do try and defend themselves and will fight back. Still, under the leadership of the experienced and eldest lioness, this pride is becoming as fearless as they once were.
After picking up on multiple rasping vocalisations from leopards, we decided to investigate the area. After a short time, we caught sight of two leopards moving quickly through the thickets. We came across the Mawelawela male and Khulwana male engaged in a standoff, heavily scent marking and chasing each other through the bush.
Khulwana appears very confident and has grown significantly in the last few months, making him look equally large as Mawelawela. Only time will tell if Khulwana will manage to push Mawelawela out and take over this territory for himself. Both males are in great condition, and it will be exciting to see who will emerge on top in the coming weeks. They later found a comfortable spot in a large drainage line where they will spend their day before continuing their confrontation at night.
Eagerly looking for leopard, we drove around the eastern parts of our reserve and as we approached a big termite mound, we spotted the Nottins male leopard sitting on the mound, clearly very focused. We spotted a warthog burrow beneath him and quickly realised he was waiting for the warthogs to come out of their burrow to ambush them. As the temperature started rising and with no luck with the warthogs, he became more comfortable and lay down on the mound absorbing the morning sun. He will remain focused and as soon as he hears any movement within the mound, he will return to his spot to attempt the kill.
While enjoying our usual morning coffee in the savanna, we were interrupted by the sound of a male leopard's call. We quickly returned to our vehicle and headed towards the source of the sound. As we turned a corner, we saw the magnificent N’weti male leopard making his way down the road. It was clear that he was following the scent of a female leopard as he stopped to smell the grass and air around him. Although he moved through some dense bushes, we managed to follow him and had an amazing experience watching his elegant movements.
Until next time…
Blog by Wendy Claase
Images by Coenraad Stapelberg, Ronald Mutero and Ruan Mey
