A Week in the Bush Vol. 559
on Aug 06, 2025From the Selati Camp deck, we often see a variety of animals visiting the waterhole during the quietest and warmest part of the day. Among them, giraffes are especially interesting to watch. To drink, they either spread their front legs or bend their knees to lower their body, then stretch their long neck down to reach the water. They take quick sips, as this position leaves them vulnerable (especially to predators like lions and crocodiles).
We were thrilled to observe a resident pair of Woolly-necked Storks preparing to roost for the evening. As they typically return to the same perch each night, we positioned our vehicle in anticipation. After a short wait, they arrived right on cue, settling gracefully onto their favoured spot, providing the perfect opportunity for some stunning photographs.
An elephant enjoys a refreshing bath at a waterhole, showcasing the simple beauty of wildlife in its natural habitat.
Warthogs live in a matriarchal society. Female warthogs, or sows, often form social groups called sounders, typically made up of mothers and their piglets. Males are usually solitary, coming together only during the mating season. Warthogs have prominent tusks, with the lower pair acting like sharp blades that continuously sharpen against the upper tusks as they feed. These tusks are used not only for defence but also for digging and sparring with rivals.
A visitor to Earth Lodge! Nothing is rushed or dramatic - just a calm moment in the day.
These black and white photographs capture a touching moment between an adult elephant and her calf, standing closely together near a waterhole. The adult's protective stance and the calf's position beneath its head suggest a strong bond and sense of security.
The Msuthlu Pride was lying in the fading heat of the day, their bellies round and heavy from a recent kill. A few lionesses occasionally lifted their heads, eyes sweeping the horizon for threats, but most of the pride lay resting - some grooming lazily, others dozing in the long grass. Their golden coats, streaked with traces of blood from the feast, blended in with the ground.
Not far away, a pack of hyenas lingered at the edge of the clearing. They paced restlessly, their cackling growls rising and falling, the smell of the kill drawing them ever closer as they waited for an opportunity to snatch a scrap.
One young lion clung possessively to a leftover fragment of the carcass - the head, horns still intact - tugging and dragging it around in a playful display, unwilling to part with his prize.
The Msuthlu Pride was attempting to hunt a small herd of male buffalo. The buffalo appeared stronger and more determined than the lions expected. A chase unfolded in the dry riverbed until the buffalo stopped running and stood their ground. The lions scattered around, unable to get close as the buffalo grouped tightly in a defensive formation. Hunting buffalo is no easy task - these animals are tough and often turn to fight back.
A mother’s love is a beautiful testament of maternal love and strength. The Msuthlu Pride was resting in the morning sunshine after a big meal the night before. As the cold winter morning started to heat up the cubs became more active, going up to other pride members and rubbing their heads against each other. This sweet moment was caught when one of the 1-year-old cubs came over and started rubbing up against one of the females, before lying down under her chin. These bonding moments are essential to ensure their survival and pride development through fostering a sense of security and family.
The Msuthlu Pride was on the move, using hills and rocky outcrops as vantage points for potential hunts. Unfortunately for them, there were no targets nearby and the sun was climbing higher with every minute that passed. They eventually slowed down and took a rest in the long grass, catching their breath after a long night which likely consisted of many failed hunts.
We followed up the next morning to find them gorging on a buffalo bull they had successfully taken down in the early hours of the morning. They had already opened the carcass and started to feed by the time the safari team had found them. Watching them eat, with surgical precision is always fascinating.
We came across the Southern Pride with the sub-adults attempting to hunt a herd of kudu grazing deep in the dense bush. Their inexperience, however, cost them several opportunities; instead of stalking with precision, they were distracted - chasing each other through the undergrowth, scrambling up trees, and tumbling over fallen logs as if it were all a game.
We followed Golonyi through the bush while she attempted to hunt. She turned her nose up at the waterbuck (who were far too big for her anyway) and focused her attention on a thicket in which a small duiker was hiding. Eventually she lost interest in the hunt and decided to further explore her surroundings.
As we rounded a corner after a relaxing sundowner stop, we were shocked to find Khulwana lying in the road, peacefully admiring some impala in the distance. He got up and began moving with purpose, scent marking and calling as dusk turned to night. We followed him as he weaved through drainage lines and after a while, we left him as he slipped off into the night.
The Angel of Sabi Sabi - Ntsumi, the leopardess - was on the prowl, scanning her surroundings for a potential meal. She moved gracefully through the bush and climbed onto a fallen tree; eyes fixed on a pair of unsuspecting bushbuck feeding along the riverbed. she climbed down from the fallen tree and moved towards them. We waited patiently as she inched closer but unfortunately for her, squirrels started alarm calling from a nearby tree and some Francolins flew off, alerting the bushbuck of a potential danger and causing them to scatter into thicker bush.
After her failed attempt, she moved along the riverbed and found a shady spot to rest in for the day. That afternoon she was nowhere to be found, but the next day we found her with her well-deserved meal hoisted in a tree.
Ntsumi finished off a duiker kill, plucking at the last bits and pieces before elegantly leaping from the tree she had been feeding in.
Until next time…
Blog by Wendy Claase
Images by Benjamin Loon, Jana du Plessis, Ronald Mutero and Viviane Ladner
Videos by Alta du Toit and Viviane Ladner
