A Week in the Bush Vol. 520
on Oct 16, 2024It has been another fantastic week out on safari…
A baby giraffe shyly peeks out from behind its mother, its wide eyes brimming with curiosity and wonder. Nestled in the safety of her towering presence, the calf cautiously observes the world around it, with each small step, it begins to explore but never straying too far from its mother’s side.
An eagle perches atop a weathered, dead tree, its sharp eyes scanning the landscape as the sun rises. The first light of dawn casts a soft, golden glow over its majestic feathers, highlighting its solitary watch. In the crisp morning air, this regal bird embraces the serenity of the morning, ready to take flight into the new day.
The Yellow-billed oxpecker is less commonly seen than the Red-billed oxpecker, but when spotted, they are often found around large herds of buffalo. These birds play a vital role in helping animals remove parasites, particularly ticks, from areas of their bodies they cannot easily reach.
A herd of male buffalo, commonly known as a bachelor group, was spotted near the lodge, slowly making their way toward the waterhole on a hot, sunny day. Being water-dependent animals, buffalo will drink whenever water is available to them, and on such a scorching day, it was no surprise to see them heading straight for the refreshing water.
We encountered Ntsumi as she moved cautiously through a dense thicket, her attention keenly focused on her surroundings, ever the opportunistic predator. As the day grew hotter, she settled in a shaded area, seeking relief from the rising temperatures. Leopards, known for their stealth and adaptability, often retreat to dense cover or low-lying areas during the heat of the day, conserving energy until nightfall when they become active again. Recently, we've observed Ntsumi patrolling her territory in search of males, as her cubs are nearing independence and beginning to venture away, signalling a potential new chapter for her as she prepares to mate once more.
We followed the large N’weti male as he made his way through our reserve, scent marking heavily and vocalising every couple of minutes. Leopards need to patrol their territories to make sure no rival males make their way into their area, potentially killing some of their cubs or females. The rasping of a male leopard echoing through the bush is something you don't get to experience a lot, hence the special feeling you get when a male leopard walks right next to you while vocalising.
We found the Khulwana male heavily marking the western territory and trailing a herd of buffalos at the same time. We followed him for a little while as he came up to a termite mound where he rested for quite some time, giving our guests time to view him before he moved into the thickets, still following the buffalo herd.
After a brief tracking exercise, we came across two lions feeding on a buffalo kill. It was surprising to find only these two lions on such a large kill, especially with the rest of the buffalo herd not far away. The lions had managed to open a small section of the buffalo and were just beginning to feed.
It was bold of these two lions to bring down such a large buffalo, particularly with the added challenge of the herd’s proximity, numbering well over a hundred. Hunting buffalo is extremely risky for lions, but when successful, the reward is significant—a single kill can sustain them for several days.
After following a large herd of buffalo for a few days, the Msuthlu Pride managed to take down a big buffalo cow as we found the whole pride feasting on their reward.
Vultures were already circling the area as temperatures are favourable for them to fly and scout for food. These lions will feed as much as possible before retreating to the thickets for shade. They will be keeping a close eye on their meal as they know once vultures move in, it's only a matter of time before there is nothing left.
The following day, the pride had left the carcass and moved to a nearby waterhole where we found them in the presence of the Gijima males. The lions went to rest in a treeline where they had a good view across an open area, keeping a lookout for any danger while keeping cool in the shade. The Gijima males must have seen all the vulture activity in this part of their territory that led them here to see what was going on and make sure their females and cubs were safe.
After lions moved off a buffalo kill, these White-backed vultures saw their opportunity and moved in. Vultures are known for how quickly they finish a carcass, especially when they are in their numbers. Vultures feed on everything and only leave the bones for the hyenas to take. These birds play a critical role in our ecosystem and ensuring the bush stays clean.
Shortly after leaving Earth Lodge, we spotted two lionesses moving straight past the lodge. We immediately followed up and found the Southern Pride tucked away together in a small shady spot escaping the heat of the day. This pride is known to move during daytime when other prides mainly stay static, often giving them the head start when it comes to hunting and patrolling territory. This pride will stay in the area until nightfall, whereafter they will start moving in search of food.
Following up on reports of lions calling close to Earth Lodge we circled the area and in doing so, spotted the oldest lioness from the Southern Pride as she was contact calling, waiting for a response from her pride. The rest of the pride was nowhere to be seen and had to move off during the day, leaving her behind. Lions do sometimes split up temporarily and lose visual of each other, but they always find each other again, if not by vocalisation, then by following each other's scent until they meet up again.
Until next time…
Blog by Wendy Claase
Images by Devon Jansen, Ronald Mutero and Ruan Mey
