A Week in the Bush Vol. 533
on Jan 29, 2025Early mornings truly have their rewards. On his way to the lodge for morning wake-up calls, Earth Lodge Ranger Ruan witnessed a breathtaking scene. A hyena casually strolled down the road, framed by the soft hues of a cloudy sunrise that painted the sky with magic. Moments like these serve as a powerful reminder of how extraordinary this life can be.
After searching high and low for giraffes, we were delighted to spot this cow and her calf leisurely browsing through the area. Thanks to the recent rains, the landscape has flourished, with trees now covered in fresh, nutrient-rich leaves providing an abundant food source for these graceful animals.
Perched high on the bleached branches of a dead tree, the Brown Snake Eagle's piercing yellow eyes survey its surroundings with a keen intensity. Its unique, scaled legs - a signature feature of Snake Eagles - offer crucial protection, allowing it to catch its favoured prey, snakes, without risk of bites or injury.
Majestically, an elephant bull made his way down the road after a brief scattering of rain. We respectfully gave way, allowing this magnificent creature to amble past us, continuing his feeding routine. Elephants spend most of their day feeding as they require a constant intake of nutrients. On warmer days, they are typically most active during the early mornings and late afternoons, minimising the need to forage during the hottest hours and conserving their energy.
We watched a Red-billed Oxpecker diligently going about its work on a group of rhinos, hopping from one to the next and moving across various parts of their bodies to remove as many ticks as possible. These remarkable birds can consume, on average, hundreds of adult ticks and thousands of tick larvae daily, helping to keep not only rhinos but also other mammals as healthy as possible.
This majestic waterbuck stood atop a termite mound, surveying her surroundings. With impalas nearby sounding alarm calls, the termite mound provided the perfect vantage point to spot potential dangers and avoid being caught off guard.
In the wild, animals are highly attuned to each other’s alarm calls, often relying on the heightened awareness of larger herds for survival. It’s a collective vigilance - safety in numbers - that plays a crucial role in protecting lives.
In the late afternoon, we watched as this hippo bull gradually became active, preparing for the night ahead. He opened his massive jaws and splashed water around, making his presence unmistakable. Hippo bulls often display such behaviour to assert their dominance, whether intentional or instinctive.
This Lunar Moth visited us during dinner at Earth Lodge. These beautiful creatures are rarely seen, partly due to their short adult lifespan of only about seven days and their nocturnal nature, as they fly exclusively at night. During their brief time as adults, they do not feed, as they lack a mouth entirely. Traditionally, Lunar Moths are seen as symbols of love, rebirth, and purity.
We were pleasantly surprised when we bumped into a pack of wild dogs on our reserve. They were on the move, chasing a big herd of zebra and blue wildebeest around an open area. Even though fully grown zebra and wildebeest are too big of a prey animal to take down easily, the wild dogs are very intelligent hunters, trying to confuse the wildebeest so much so they start leaving their calves behind, giving some individuals in the pack the opportunity to grab one. Unfortunately for the wild dogs, their strategy didn't work out, and they retrieved into the thickets without a meal. They will spend the day resting in this area, before attempting another hunt later in the afternoon when temperatures begin to cool.
Lions are highly social cats and often display affectionate behaviour toward one another. This moment was particularly special between two Southern Pride lionesses. After finding a shady spot to escape the harsh sun, they got comfortable and took turns grooming each other, a tender display of their bond.
Students from the Sabi Sabi Ranger Academy were treated to an unforgettable experience when they witnessed the Msuthlu Pride successfully take down a waterbuck. The following morning, the pride was spotted lounging in a large open area, completely unbothered by their surroundings.
Some of the sub-adults showed brief curiosity toward a nearby herd of elephants but quickly decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. Despite their meal yesterday, the waterbuck wasn’t enough to satisfy such a large group of lions. It won’t be long before they’re back on the hunt, likely as darkness falls, when they regain the advantage over their prey.
As primarily nocturnal hunters, lions are equipped with a high concentration of rod cells in their retinas. This adaptation gives them exceptional vision in low-light conditions, allowing them to see clearly when diurnal animals are effectively blind. This unique edge makes nighttime the prime hunting period for these apex predators.
We tracked and successfully found one of the Kambula males as he slowly made his way deeper into our reserve. There was no sign of the other two males, suggesting they may have attempted a hunt during the night, which temporarily caused them to split up. This male is not in peak condition and will need to hunt urgently. A substantial meal would provide the much-needed nutrients and energy to revitalise his body.
We left him resting in a small thicket where he is likely to spend the day and moving again after dark, looking to reunite with his brothers.
The following day, three of the Kambula males were spotted striding purposefully across the reserve, moving eastward with a clear sense of intent and determination. Earlier that afternoon, the Msuthlu Pride - comprising females and cubs - had been seen resting in the direction of their path. While their movements were undeniably majestic, there was something almost sinister about their presence and motivations as they descended into the reserve.
We tracked the Styx Pride and the two Gijima males in the eastern section of our reserve and, unsurprisingly, found them in the same area. With full bellies and heavy panting, they were resting as they digested their recent meal. The only notable activity came when the youngest cubs, full of energy, became a handful while trying to suckle. This prompted the lionesses to rise and head to a nearby puddle to quench their thirst.
As night falls, the pride will likely move on, especially with the growing number of vultures in the area - an unwelcome signal that could attract unwanted attention. To keep their cubs safe, the pride will lead them to more secure grounds under the cover of darkness.
Following the tracks of a male leopard led us to a small open clearing. As we drove across it, we spotted a young male leopard resting in the shade, out in the open. Before long, he began moving through the tall grass, eventually climbing a termite mound to scout the area around him, as the dense bush limits their visibility. After surveying his surroundings, he continued deeper into the treeline, where he would likely spend the day resting before setting out to hunt once night falls.
As evening began to draw near on our afternoon safari, we came across a female leopard nestled deep within a ravine area making for a difficult visual. With bated breath we waited until, to our relief and good fortune, she stood up and began to make her way toward our location to reach a nearby open area. As she drew closer, we realised that it was none other than the gorgeous Tengile female.
Making her way out of the drainage line, she treated us to a spectacular display by climbing up onto a dead tree where she was able to turn her keen gaze toward a distant herd of impala. There was no doubt that an evening hunt was on her mind, and she soon took to the ground once more making a stealthy approach to a nearby thicketed area. She then settled and lay down to await the ever-nearing nightfall, most likely in order to resume her hunt under the cover of darkness.
Not too far from where she had been seen in the reserve only a few days prior, the exquisite Tengile female leopard was found resting in a Marula tree. Despite her restful state, she remained very alert raising her head and gazing intently into the distance whenever she detected the sight, sound or smell of prey species grazing in the surrounds.
We spotted Kurhula as she moved away from a waterhole. Following her, we noticed she had recently enjoyed a meal - her stomach was noticeably full. She soon disappeared into the thickets, but as we circled around, we discovered her with the remains of a young impala she had successfully taken down and fed on. With the kill reduced to just bones, she is likely to rest in the area, aware that the scent of her meal could attract prowling hyenas.
Until next time…
Blog by Wendy Claase
Images by Devon Jansen, Franco Hay, Jan Nel, Ruan Mey and Ruan Spies
Video by Benjamin Loon
