A Week in the Bush Vol. 503
on May 22, 2024In the southern regions of Sabi Sabi, the elusive and stunning leopardess Jasiri has recently given birth to two adorable, furry cubs. Renowned for her unparalleled beauty, Jasiri has chosen a rocky outcrop to safeguard her precious offspring, providing them with a fortress against potential threats. With her keen instincts and fierce protection, Jasiri is not only ensuring their survival but also imparting the vital skills and lessons that will shape them into formidable predators of the future. A new generation of leopards in a seemingly vacant stretch of Sabi Sabi makes for great excitement as to what the future for these cubs has in store.
Under the veil of the African night, two leopards entwine in a primal union, illuminated by the shimmering moonlight. The N’weti male slakes his thirst at a nearby watering hole while the River Rocks female keeps a watchful eye. In this nocturnal ballet of desire and survival, the wild whispers secrets of passion and instinct, echoing through the darkness.
The iconic Ntsumi female looked out from her perch in a Jackalberry Tree. Eventually, she jumped down from the tree and caught the scent of a herd of impala. She then stalked off into some dense bush, hoping to catch her meal.
Ntsumi was making her way down the road early in the morning, on her way to her two young daughters. The youngsters were very happy to see mom as they greeted each other before monkeys caught the attention of the youngsters. We had a very busy sighting as these young ones were chasing monkeys up and down trees into the next. This age is critical for them to learn the last hunting skills they will need if they are to survive and reach adulthood and independence.
After a period of absence from the area, the Golonyi female was seen close to Bush Lodge where she was trying to hunt impala but with no success. She picked up on the scent of some lion activity and moved off quickly.
For the past few days, one of the Gijima male lions has been mating with one of the Styx females. Witnessing lions mating is an incredible experience. The growling, the aggressiveness, and even the roaring from the male are all part of the intense and mesmerising display of their natural behaviour.
As the sun rises, the Msuthlu Pride lie amongst the tall grass, their majestic forms illuminated by the golden light. Among them, the playful cubs frolic through the grass and embrace the promise of a new day.
Driving along one of our main roads we were surprised to find the next hidden treasure. A small pack of wild dogs lying in the road, taking a short rest before getting active on their next hunt. These dogs are very active late afternoon, especially with temperatures beginning to drop as we approach the heart of winter which gives these dogs the opportunity to get active earlier and spend more time on the move. We left them as the sun was fading and them still looking for their next meal. One female in this pack is heavily pregnant and will soon need to find a den site where she can safely give birth and raise her young.
It’s not easy to find wild dogs even when one finds their tracks as they cover a large distance in a very short space of time. We were lucky at the end of safari to find a pack of wild dogs just resting under a tree, but it was long before they started hunting which made it difficult for us to follow them.
Wild dogs’ success rate when it comes to hunting is way higher than lions and leopards. When they intend to hunt, most of the time they make a kill and depending on when last they ate, they are likely to hunt twice a day – early morning and late afternoon.
High up in a Knobthorn tree, a Pearl-spotted Owlet was looking down at us. It is one of the smallest owls in Southern Africa, standing only around 19cm tall. Its compact size and distinctive markings make it a captivating sight for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike.
Encountering a large herd of buffalo is a remarkable experience. Being surrounded by some of Africa’s most dangerous animals brings you back down to earth. Our reserve has seen a lot of buffalo activity in the past couple of days, thanks to the high grazing value that has attracted grazers from near and far. They are feasting on the last green grass before winter sets in fully.
Our pre-safari morning coffee was cut short when Tracker Dollen announced that Impala were alarm calling close to the lodge. Upon arrival at the herd there was no sign of what could have startled them, but on closer inspection we spotted a sub-adult Hyena and a curious cub hidden in the shrubs. It is not often that one gets to spend time with these fascinating and often misunderstood creatures, as they often are on the move and only allow short glimpses.
This Egyptian Goose gosling was left alone by its mother after she saved its sibling from the mouth of a crocodile that was taking advantage of the loner but luckily caught up with his mom again before it was too late. Goslings take about 2-3 months to learn how to fly successfully, but luckily this one decided to come out of the water and run around to safety where its mother was desperately calling for it. All worked out in the end, but just goes to show again that every day these animals battle to survive to see another day.
With the sun setting behind us, everything in front of us was a piece of art, almost as if the world was the canvas and the setting sun was the paint brush. This kudu bull made his way towards the treeline where he will spend his evening in the safety of the thickets.
Contrasting colours in the bush is as beautiful as it gets with zebras. This small harem of zebras was very aware of all activities around them as there was a jackal calling in the distance and disturbing the peace. They later moved off, away from the direction of the sound as it may indicate to other predators being in the area.
Until next time…
Blog by Wendy Claase
Images by Benjamin Loon, Devon Jansen, JP van Rooyen, Ronald Mutero and Ruan Mey
Video by JP van Rooyen
