Sun Destinations Blog - Page 33 of 116 - Sun Destinations Safari

May 21, 2018
Africa on Foot, Blog, Botswana, Chacma Bush Camp, Ezulwini, Maseke Game Reserve, Motswiri Camp, nThambo Tree Camp, RAW Botswana, Roam Private Game Reserve, The Week in Pictures, Umkumbe Safari Lodge Riverside, Walkers Bush Villa, Xobega Island Camp

The Week in Pictures : Curing Your Monday Blues with Our Wildlife Images

Manic Monday is upon us, and the weekend has disappeared as quickly as a pied kingfisher dive bombing its prey. Our Week in Pictures should soften the edges of the somewhat cruel attitude of Monday. Our images will soothe, beguile and enchant your senses, making you forget about your cascading workload. And if you aren’t bogged down by Monday, these safari videos and images will only add to your Monday serenity. Our safari destinations span the sprawling thickets of the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, the remote Great Karoo in the Western Cape, and the game-rich marshlands and Kalahari scenes of Botswana.

First up we have Ezulwini Game Lodges in the Balule Nature Reserve. The reserve is rife with big cat sightings, and the Kudyela lionesses certainly aren’t shy to show off the recent litter of cubs sired by the dominant Machaton male lions. In terms of leopards, the Nkanyi female was spotted relaxing in the fork of a Marula tree in the dark of night. Ezulwini have also resumed delivery of images of their camera trap tales, which we will be sharing at a later stage.

We move from the Balule and travel across to the neighbouring Klaserie Private Nature Reserve where we celebrate the ample leopard sightings. During the course of the week Rogan worked tirelessly at producing the leopard video clips of the saga that unfolded on Mother’s Day among three generations of leopard. Guide from nThambo, Elmar Van Niekerk, managed to photograph a rare sighting of Ross Dam’s cub straddling a tree.

We traverse from Klaserie to the Timbavati Nature Reserve where we, once again, celebrate the daily happenings of Walkers Bush Villa.

Close to the Balule Nature Reserve is the Maseke Game Reserve, which has also enjoyed a number of lion sightings this past week. The Pannetjie Pride is a new pride to us, and comprises 5 cubs and 1 lioness. They made-up a number of Chacma’s lion sightings last week together with sightings of the Maseke males.

We travel down south from the Klaserie, Balule, Maseke and Timbavati and head into the premier Sabi Sand region. Guide Geoffrey Haslam reported that last week produced a plethora of wild dog sightings, which makes sense given that it’s their sedentary denning period. A highlight was the sighting was that of the lone cheetah!

Scenes from RAW Botswana, Motswiri Camp and Xobega Island Camp – our waterlogged paradise!

We travel back across borders from Botswana and travel down from Kruger to the remote Roam Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo, and experience some of the most sweeping views of untouched semi-desert landscapes.

Mother’s Day Mayhem : 3 Related Leopards Feast off Same Meal

The leopard sightings have peaked in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve over the past few weeks, and the nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot traverse is fast becoming the central hub for Panthera pardus sightings. Long may this magnitude of sightings continue. It’s not the fleeting glimpses of the whir of mottled rosettes disappearing into the bush that we’re celebrating, but rather the type of leopard sightings that are emerging on our terrain. On Mother’s Day, we enjoyed a sighting of Rhulani with her kill on ground level, Ross Dam (Rhulani’s mother) quietly taking the kill from Rhulani, and “granddaughter” Nyaleti helping herself to the kill.

An interesting sequence of events, one that gave the impression of being some sort of disjointed family meal. That’s three generations of leopard feasting on the same kill. Videographer Rogan Kerr was there to film the event (we will be releasing these videos shortly), and nThambo guide JC furnished us with his images and a recount of the event.

JC says, “This was a special sighting. The nThambo team found a female leopard named Rhulani relaxing in the grass after taking down an impala ram. Other impalas began alarm calling, giving away her position and causing Rhulani to take her kill into a tree to protect it from other predators. Once done, we noted her looking intently in the direction of the fading sun, only to see another female leopard appear out of the bush. As it turns out, it was the Ross Dam female, Rhulani’s mother, no less. They greeted, Rhulani moved off, and then it was Ross Dam’s turn at the kill, after first hoisting it up into a better position in the tree. After sunset, we returned to find a third female leopard, Rhulani’s daughter, Nyaleti, feeding on the kill. Three generations in one location. How’s that for a Mother’s Day story?”

What do we know about textbook leopard behaviour that could explain why we are seeing related females angling for the same kill? We know that a female seeks territory with a high density of prey and ample den sites. A female’s home range is small compared to their male counterparts. Males seek out territory laden with females and food. Leopards are aloof and solitary cats, which is why we often spot solitary cats. They aren’t pride orientated. We tend to see more than one leopard together under the following circumstances : when it’s time to procreate, when the female is raising her vulnerable cubs, and when the newly independent cubs rejoin their mother’s for a hunt.

When cubs reach about 12 – 18 months they cut the apron strings and seek out their own territories. For a while they will operate on the outskirts of their mother’s turf, rejoining their mom occasionally for hunts. These sub-adults are tolerated by other leopards that understand the need for the youngsters to cross over and push boundaries – within reason.

In this instance we have Ross Dam, the foundation of the bloodline. Rhulani is her daughter and operates on the periphery, with Ross Dam tolerating her presence. Rhulani makes a kill and Ross Dam joins her, but Rhulani moved off from the kill quite quickly and there wasn’t much interaction between leopards. Rhulani quickly made herself scarce when her mother moved in on the kill. After twilight, Nyaleti moved in on the kill and happily feasted on the abandoned carcass straddling the fork of a tree.

We’ve enjoyed sightings of territorial males, broody females and unidentified youngsters pushing boundaries. Over the past few months, leopard sightings became prolific and pieces of the puzzle slowly began to fit together. We are constantly being treated to sightings of Ross Dam’s bloodline, with the most recent highlight being the new addition of fluffy leopard cubs. Yes that’s right – Ross Dam recently gave birth to two leopard cubs and guide Elmar Van Niekerk managed to be in a prime position to photograph the cubs (we will also share images of Ross Dam’s leopard cubs at a later stage)!

The Week in Pictures : Landscapes, Feeding Frenzy and Rivals

During the course of last week we relaunched our week in pictures, which means we are well into our 4th year of celebrating exquisite images from the Greater Kruger, Botswana and the Karoo. The beauty of week in pictures is that each week will be different, but the core remains the same – to celebrate the finesse, harmony, turbulence and unpredictable wild child side of Africa. From emerald season in Botswana, to the big cats of the Timbavati Game Reserve, the backyard of the Greater Kruger’s Balule Nature Reserve, and the splendour of the lesser-known Maseke Game Reserve; each place holds its own magical kingdom of wildlife.

Here are our are latest slew of select images, coupled with a few highlights from our camps. We trust these videos and images will keep you yearning for more of the safari lifestyle.

Ezulwini Game Lodges

The Balule never fails to deliver in terms of sightings and there’s always a bounty of birds, elite predators and opportunistic scavengers waiting for their time to shine in the bushveld. Over a week ago, the Ezulwini team spotted the rare and nomadic African wild dogs, which added to the their vault of incredible wildlife sightings. Let’s not forget that the big five continue to make an appearance while guides are out on drive. The Balule is pumping with wildlife !

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

The highlight the past week in the Sabi Sand is, yet again, the heavy presence of leopards. Tatowa’s male cub was spotted – yet again, and the ever brutish Birmingham males strutted their stuff through the ‘veld.

Walkers Bush Villa in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

Roam Private Game Reserve, the Great Karoo

Last week we shared an image of a mob of meerkats with the sentinel at the helm. During the course of last week week our videographer released a quick clip of the meerkats darting back and forth in the arid Karoo terrain. Rogan mentioned that the conditions and weather weren’t great, but he managed to film the adorable creatures.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

The highlight of the week would have to be the sighting of the Ross dam leopard on a kill. But wait – it gets better. While Ross Dam was tucking into her kill, another leopard joined the kill site. Guides suspect it was Rhulani that joined in the feeding frenzy. Just over a week ago a massive wake of vultures were spotted surrounding an elephant carcass, and in the nucleus of the vulture restaurant was a lone hyena. Last week Rogan finished editing the video, the results of which can be seen below.

Chacma Bush Camp in the Maseke Game Reserve

The highlight at Chacma has been the variation of species to have emerged from the thickets. Recently the lions have been pretty active. One of the Maseke males continues to pursue one of the resident lionesses.

Trails of Botswana : Xobega Island Camp, Tuskers Bush Camp and RAW Botswana, Motswiri Camp

Roam Private Game Reserve is Home to a Mob of Entertaining Meerkats

Our resident jack-in-the-box meerkats are a constant source of entertainment. They scurry around on all fours darting around foraging during the broad daylight, and occasionally bolt into an upright position to scan the wilderness for signs of imminent threats. The first meerkat to bolt upright is called the sentinel. The sentinel has a key role to play in surveying the area for danger. The important role involves standing on an elevated area to scan the wilderness for intruders while the rest of the gang forages in peace. When we track meerkats, we tend to keep an eye-out for the sentinel – these guardians are our beacons for finding the rest of the community.

The pivotal role of sentinel is normally favoured by one meerkat, but others will occasionally rise to this revered position, giving the rest of the community a chance to find their fill of carnivorous delights comprising beetles, grubs, lizards and termites. Meerkats do well in the arid Karoo environment. They are capable of extracting water from the various bulbs and tubers buried deep within the soil. A species perfectly adept at surviving severe climatic conditions.

Roam Private Game Reserve is home to a a mob of entertaining meerkats, but it takes skill to find these gangs. When they’re foraging in daylight the packs will split somewhat and are often located within a few metres of one another. Meerkats spend time meandering their way through burrow systems where they seek shelter in various chambers and intricate tunnel systems.

To photograph and film them can be tricky, given that they could bolt from the lens at any given moment. They’re also small and incredibly well-camouflaged in the low-lying khaki scrub. It requires tolerance and the use of all senses to find the colonies! With their pups also being raised inside the warrens and so much time spent in the burrows, it does require a certain level of patience to observe these bristly creatures.

The mobs will spend the nocturnal hours immersed in the comfort of their burrow system, far away from predators such as jackals, bat-eared foxes and other carnivorous creatures. Colonies can reach numbers of up to 25 and these feisty little carnivores are actually notoriously territorial! They will go to war if a neighbouring pack crosses over into their turf.

Here are a few facts about the meerkats :

The meerkat is from the same family as the mongoose, and much like their cousins they are also gregarious squirrel like animals that live in large communities.

The colony has an alpha male and female, but the males are the dominant sex and may even prevent females from mating. There is one dominant female that gives birth to 2 – 4 pups a year.

Pups are raised by other adults within the community. When the mob leaves the den area, a few of the meerkats will stay behind to “babysit” the youngsters.

Meerkats have the perfect body structure to withstand harsh environments and searing heat. The dark patches around their eyes means that they can easily reflect the glare from the desert sun.

Videographer Rogan Kerr spent ample time trying to track and locate the various gangs, and after considerable time they let him into their world.

Timbavati Game Drives with Walkers Bush Villa

The game viewer crunches through the khaki bushveld flicking up loose sand as it navigates the sandy roads of the world-renown Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. The thick tread of the tyres collects grass spears and abandoned foliage as it trundles deep into the thickets of the mysterious savanna. Leading guide, Brett Horley, is behind the wheel and he knows a thing or two about how to handle a safari vehicle. This isn’t a playground for the weak – only the experienced know how to operate this open-topped vessel. Designed to offer its occupants uninterrupted views of the wilderness and opportunities to get up close to wildlife, a game viewer is the ultimate vehicle for photographers. Being located in a private game reserve means guests are afforded ample opportunities to go off road and get up close with wildlife, a privilege not afforded to visitors to the more public Kruger National Park.

A couple of weeks ago, our roaming photographer Em Gatland clambered aboard the Walkers Bush Villa safari vehicle and together with Brett, they headed out in search of wildlife. Just previously Brett reported that they’d witnessed a number of sightings of the Sunset Dam leopardess. Em was only to keen to photograph this feisty feline. Did they find the Sunset Dam leopardess? Yes they did ! But that’s not the only sighting that was enjoyed during her 2 day stay.

Em managed to spot the powerful and elite lion emperors, the Mbiri male lion coalition. These boys have now moved further north but they will return at some stage when the lionesses cross over onto the Walkers traverse.

The usual suspects appeared while out on drive. The commonly spotted impala, zebra and giraffe make up the bulk of the plains game sightings. The towering giraffe were perfectly positioned for Em to take a series of rather mesmerising images where she focussed on maximising white space and perspective. In terms of other herbivores, the bovids also filtered through the bushveld and followed their pathfinder to the closest source of water. Buffalo are bulk grazers which means vast quantities of water are needed to digest coarse vegetation. Find the waterholes, find the buffalo !

The soldiers of the water domain were also spotted. Bloats of hippo emerged from the waterholes, eager to show their onlookers who controls the waterholes. They widened their jaws in an effort to display dominance – this technique is used to ward off intruders that balk at the size of their tusks. The ectothermic Nile crocodile is a co-inhabitant of the waterhole and is the largest freshwater predator. While our hippo wade in the water during the day, the crocs sun themselves on the banks to harness heat from the sun to regulate their body temperature.

Another unique sighting happened while out on foot. Brett and Em spotted a Schlegel’s beaked blind snake. This snake actually spends most of its time beneath the ground’s surface and feasts on termites. It’s actually one of the grey-headed bush shrikes favourite meals !

Let’s go back a paragraph or two, and chat about the Sunset Dam leopard sighting. A week after Em spent time at Walkers Bush Villa, our videographer Rogan Kerr headed into the pristine Timbavati biome to see if he could spot Sunset Dam. Knowing that the Timbavati has a high concentration of big cats, Rogan reckoned the odds were in his favour. He was right. Rogan and Brett Horley spotted the Sunset Dam leopardess. She wasn’t in a good mood, which is understandable given that the pesky hyena scavengers were hot on her heals. If you scroll to the bottom of this blog post, you’ll find Rogan’s video of the Sunset Dam leopard being chased by sneaky clan of hyena.

Game drives with Walkers Bush Villa always deliver something spectacular. Birds, beasts, scavengers and predators all dwell within the Timbavati biome.

Week in Pics Relaunch : Sharing Images Since 2014. Now It’s Better. Here’s Why.

4 years ago, in 2014, we launched our first “Week in Pictures”. The idea was to showcase our ranger’s images and update guests about sightings from the week, focussing on the more prominent moments in the bushveld. Week in Pictures went live every Friday and it was a fantastic way to kick off the weekend. The launch of the Week in Pictures saw many lodges and camps following suit, ensuring that the airwaves are continuously flooded with exquisite safari images on a weekly basis (never a bad thing!).

For a brief period of time we took a break from Week in Pictures. But now we’re back – and things are better than ever. We won’t just be showcasing our top weekly images from our lodges, but also our videos and news from our roaming media team. You’ve missed Week in Pictures. And we’ve missed you.

Uncover the marvels of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Botswana, Sabi Sand and the Great Karoo (Western Cape). We have camps located in each of the listed destinations and therefore have access to an array of contrasting scenes and unique wildlife sightings.

Sun Destinations has a permanent photographer based at one of the camps, and she moves between places in pursuit of photographing rare moments in the wild. Rogan, our videographer, is based at a neighbouring camp and he also roams between various camps/lodges. Coupled with that, our rangers and guides at each camp happen to be budding photographers. Together, guides possess an absolute arsenal of talent!

Here’s how the Sun Destinations “Week in Pictures” will play out :

A handful of images taken during the week will be selected and showcased on the Sun Destinations Facebook page, and the relevant camp page. There will be a link to the blog housing the kaleidoscope of images to have emerged from the week.
Things get hectic. Camps get busy. Life happens. Some weeks we might feature images from all of our camps, and other weeks only a select few. This is dependent on the submissions from guides and where are our visual team is based at that given moment.
We will launch on a Monday instead of a Friday.
The new addition to Week in Pictures is video. We’ll share videos that have been edited and launched during the week.
We’ll keep the words to a minimum and let the media do the talking.
Our team will be sure to give you insight into what we have planned for the week ahead, and any other newsworthy items.
You’ll discover the images shared on the Sun Destinations Facebook page.

Chacma Bush Camp in Maseke Game Reserve

Highlight : Spotting one of the Maseke male lion youngsters mating with the lioness that has 3 sub-adults.

Walkers Bush Villa in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

Highlight : Spotting the Sunset Dam leopardess trying to run away from a small but pushy clan of hyena.

Xobega Island Camp (Okavanga Delta) and Tuskers Bush Camp (Kwatale Conservancy)

Highlight : Observing the elephant herds from up close at Tuskers, and watching hippo guard the waterways of the Okavango Delta. This past week we also hosted the Botswana Mega Educational 2018 (#BotswanaMegaEd2018).

RAW Botswana, Motswiri Camp

Highlight : The Selinda Spillway began to flow overnight. Guests went to bed and woke up the next morning to a waterlogged landscape!

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve

Highlight : The return of the African wild dogs to the Klaserie traverse, 34 leopard sightings within 36 days and a huge breeding herd of elephants arrive at Africa on Foot’s splash pool.

Roam Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo

Roam is the latest addition to the Sun Destinations family, and recently our videographer/photographer Rogan spent a considerable amount of time in the Karoo. This past week a few incredible images emerged from his portfolio. Highlights at Roam have been the cheetah and buffalo relocation.

Witnessing the Wild Dogs Stalking and Taking Down Prey in the Klaserie

According to textbooks, May – August is the African wild dog’s denning period. This is when the dogs seem to cease their nomadic ways and individual packs lead a more sedentary lifestyle, and the timing is perfect given that it generally overlaps with the end of the impala rutting season. The end of the impala ram’s mating season means there are plenty of burnt-out, exhausted rams that make for easy prey. Isn’t it curious how nature and the food chain works?

The energy used during the wild dog’s wanderings of a wide home range is now poured into the rearing of the newborn pups. These beautifully painted mottled dogs are cooperative breeders, which means the entire family unit helps to rear the young. Their social behaviour is quite remarkable in terms of the roles they naturally gravitate towards. You have your den guards, your babysitters and then your feeders in charge of regurgitating meat for the youngsters born from the alpha male and female (the only pair that breed). The newborns are born helpless and are completely vulnerable to predators out there, and thus need the protection of the pack until roughly 3 months old when they are ready to emerge from their den site.

In the parts of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve occupied by nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot there is a resident mega-pack of wild dogs that guide Mauritz has spotted on a regular basis. The dogs have been seen outside of their sedentary period, and currently the surrounds of both camps enjoy sightings of a small pack of 6, a pack of 14 and a mega-pack of 25 dogs. It’s quite clear that the Klaserie is a haven for spotting the African wild dog roaming free in the wild!

Mauritz managed to lead guests into an incredible sighting of the mega-pack of dogs targeting, stalking and executing a brutal but swift kill. It’s not often guests get to witness a mammoth event of this kind, as it’s normally only the tail-end of the sighting after the takedown, that is observed. Guests had enormous insight into the hunting technique and social behaviour of the dogs. They watched the dogs take chase, they listened to the high-pitched twittering and excited squeals as the unsuspecting prey was taken down with energy and vigour.

Wild dogs hunt in a similar way to hyena, using a method called coursing. This basically means they target their prey within a herd and chase their quarry until the point of exhaustion, and then grapple their rump and begin the rather brutal disembowelling process.The meals-on-wheels are the tired impala rams which make for easy meals during the denning period, as it’s imperative to feed the pups! Wild dogs have a vital role in the wild in that they are known to eliminate the sick and weak within herds, the individuals that would ultimately meet their natural demise in a short space of time.

Mauritz and the team have spotted the dogs over the past few months at various intervals which means they may well have been returning to their old den sites.

This was another epic sighting deep in the heart of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and we can’t help but wonder if the gregarious pack have a few pups stashed somewhere. It is only the beginning stages of the denning period, so hopefully in the coming months we’ll deliver news about new fluffy additions to the Klaserie.

Roam Private Game Reserve Release Cheetah into the Great Karoo

Flanked by the Cape fold mountains and hugged by undulating endless desert landscapes, lies the 5000 hectare Roam Private Game Reserve. The unique scrubveld of the Karoo basin gives rise to various xerophytic flora, and is also home to abundant species of plains game, birdlife and small predators. The arid plains are dotted with a wealth of geological masterpieces such as archetypal Karoo koppies, sandstone and dolerite intrusions. With so much to offer in terms of providing endless natural habitats, the area was analysed and identified as being a potential location that could sustain the presence of cheetah. After considerable time and much research, the owners of Roam – together with leading conservationists – decided to introduce cheetah into the reserve. A couple of weeks ago a coalition of 2 slender and remarkable cheetah males were released onto Roam’s traverse. And videographer Rogan Kerr was there to film the momentous occasion.

We chatted to Abigail and Donavon about the cheetah release and what guests can expect when staying at Roam. Read below to find out more detailed information about the cheetah release in the Great Karoo.

1.Why is the Karoo biome ideal for cheetah?

Technically it isn’t… But it does form part of the cheetah’s historic range. Cheetah are well adapted to living in arid environments. Such adaptations include the ability to get all of their fluid needs from a carcass. It may be a misconception that cheetah prefer vast open spaces as studies have shown that cheetah fare better in semi-wooded areas, which makes Roam the ideal habitat as far as the Karoo goes. Roam has 14km of riverbeds which create Acacia thicket and suitable hunting locations for cheetah.

2. What was the driving force behind the decision to release cheetah into the wild at Roam?

There are no records of wild free roaming cheetah having occurred in the area since 1860 when 5 were killed near Beaufort West. We wanted to bring cheetah back to an area they occurred in historically; thus growing the population in South Africa from its current 1300 wild cheetah. Whilst we can contribute to cheetah conservation, the reserve is not suitable for larger predators such as lions.

3. What is the origin of these cheetah?

The cheetah come from Tiger Canyons in the Free State. The are from a litter of 5 cubs and are the only males in this litter. The property is owned by well-known photographer and conservationist, John Varty. We were particularly fussy about the source of the cheetah as we needed cheetah that came from the Karoo. Cheetah that are brought into the Karoo from more lush parts of their range tend to suffer in the Karoo, leading them to have only a 20% survival rate. Cheetah relocated within the Karoo have a 70% chance of survival as they have already adapted to their environment.

4. How many are there currently, and will you release more at Roam?

We have introduced two cheetah for the time being. They are brothers and have formed a coalition. This means there is a life long bond between them and they will remain together forever. We hope to introduce a female (or two) at some point in the future. Our target for further release would be 1 – 1.5 yrs.

This will give us a chance to monitor the impact the cheetah have on our wildlife population and make informed management decisions for future cheetah. Any female brought to Roam will be allowed to mate with the current males and have cubs. She would then be placed on contraceptives. Again we would monitor and update our management strategy based on the impact of the additional cheetah. All cubs would need to be relocated to other suitable reserves once they reach maturity.

5. Who was involved in this conservation project?

The largest role player in getting the cheetah to Roam Private Game Reserve (other than Roam) was the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). Vincent Van Der Merwe heads up the Cheetah Range Expansion Project. This project aims to manage the genetics of Southern Africa’s wild cheetah population. Through doing so they are able to supply small reserves with cheetah, while ensuring the population as a whole remains genetically viable. As such, any cheetah cubs from Roam would be part of this project and be introduced to suitable reserves deemed viable by EWT.

6. How long did the process take and what were the logistics involved?

The process of getting the cheetah to Roam has been a lengthy one. The first step was to develop a Predator Management Plan (PMP), which was originally drawn up by Ken Coetzee of Conservation Management Services in Nov 2016. From there it was submitted to Cape Nature, the conservation authority in the Western Cape, for review and approval. Cape Nature requested a few amendments which were done by Roam management in Sept 2017.

The PMP was finally approved in March 2018 at the same time the approval for the fence was given. We had to get our boundary fences in line with Cape Nature policy (2.4m with 6 internal electric wires). In order to move any wild animal between properties or provinces, permits for import/export and transport are required.

These were applied for in March 2018 and approved in April 2018. Meanwhile, at Tiger Canyons, the cheetah needed to be genetically tested and microchipped. This information was them submitted to the Free State Conservation authorities who issued the cheetah with passports.

On the day of transport Don and Vincent went to Tiger Canyons to assist with the sedation of the cheetah. The sedation was done by a qualified vet from Colesberg. More blood samples were taken for the EWT database and the cheetah were fitted with tracking collars. Once loaded into transport crates, the sedative was reversed and the cheetah woke up. They then undertook a 5.5hr journey in the transport crates on the back of a bakkie to the reserve where they were released into an acclimation boma.

7. Now that the cheetah have been released into an enclosed area, what is the next step?

The cheetah will remain in the acclimation boma for a minimum of six weeks. This will give them a chance to adapt to their surrounds in an environment where they can be monitored. After this they will be released onto the greater reserve. They will continue to be monitored with the aid of the tracking collars. A staff member will now be responsible for recording any kills they make and what areas of the reserve they are frequenting. Should we find they are struggling to adapt to their new home and are unable to kill sufficient prey, we will assist.

8. What is the feeding process?

Cheetah need approximately 3kg of fresh meat every day. This is not to say they need 3kg everyday but can eat 9kg in one sitting and only eat every three days. At the moment we are supplying their food in the form of springbok that have been harvested from the reserve.

We feed one springbok carcass every three days into a camp within their boma. This camp is small and can be closed off from the larger boma in the event we need to closely monitor the cheetah. When we feed we blow a whistle to habituate them to the idea that the whistle means food. Should we need to feed them on the greater reserve at some point this will assist in alerting them to the fact that we are bringing them a carcass. It also prevents them from expecting food from any of the farm vehicles.

Abigail says, “The cheetah are very comfortable with human presence on foot. We are thrilled about this – we prefer not to off road in the Karoo environment where plants take years to recover. This means that once the cheetah are located, guests can leave the vehicle with their guide and view the cheetah on foot from a distance not closer than 15 meters. We will unfortunately have to restrict viewing on foot to guests older than the age of 16.”

Due to shifting tectonic plate movements and change in climate patterns, the Great Karoo is home to a well-preserved ecosystem that spans millions of years. This has led to many discoveries of ancient fossil beds and also insight into early human lifestyles. The Great Karoo is host to an incredible history, unique culture and evidence of early civilisations. Roam Private Game Reserve offers the ideal place for adventurers, explorers and those simply looking for a tranquil place of relaxation. With a focus on conservation projects and protecting the ‘veld, visitors to Roam can delight in the knowledge that their stay is one that focusses on eco-tourism.

Walkers Bush Villa Game Drive Leads to Sunset Dam Leopard Sighting

The slight and slender Sunset Dam leopardess moves with ease and grace through the low-lying shrubbery of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. The blackness of the night has been swallowed up by the eerie light of dawn, and there’s little doubt that she used the cover of darkness for pursuit of potential quarry. When the harsh first light of morning stabs through the typical mist covered dawn hours of the bushveld, the cool atmosphere together with its fractions of light, will soon be swallowed up by the penetrating sunlight. With the lightning fast change from dawn to day, it means that Sunset Dam won’t have much time left before the blinding sun blankets her being and forces her to seek shelter in order to conserve her energy. Using the last bit of cool air and emerging light, Sunset Dam moved through the landscape with intent – and it wasn’t to find a comfortable spot in a drainage line to sleep. Sunset Dam seemed to be highly focussed on following the scent of a male leopard!

Top-notch guide Brett Horley and renowned Kruger photographer Em Gatland were the lucky ones. While on drive with the exclusive Walkers Bush Villa, both Brett and Em witnessed Sunset Dam’s early morning antics, which included everything from failed hunting attempts to clumsy tree-smashing accidents and curious strolls around the game viewer.

Em Gatland said, “Sunset Dam was very active this morning. She was on such a mission but we managed to spend a good solid 30 minutes with her. It seems like she was sniffing out a male that had been scent marking trees and shrubs. She was intent on finding him ! While she was on the move she casually pounced on a scrub hare, but it was a failed attempt. She actually ended up smashing into a knobthorn tree which provided us with a couple of laughs. After all this, she then decided to chase a small francolin which led to nothing. Then the vocalising began. I’ve never heard such a deep, guttural rasping bark like that from such a small leopard. Her vocalisations were powerful. Shortly before crossing over into a neighbouring property, Sunset Dam cruised around the vehicle and was super chilled as she walked in front of us!”

When the midday heat crashes down on the landscape, leopards normally find a comfortable spot in the shade. These stocky rosette patterned cats expend plenty of energy when they engage in standard leopard activities that includes anything from hunting prey to patrolling turf and more. During the heat of the day they need to conserve their energy so that they are strong for the cooler parts of the day which are preferable for more energetic activities.

During the day you’ll spot leopards hiding out in drainage lines, find them lazing around in elevated positions on termite mounds, sunning themselves while straddling the forks of a tree and even resting on rocky outcrops. Sunset Dam, in this sighting, was exhibiting textbook leopard behaviour. She appeared playful and was clearly testing out her ability to conduct opportunistic explosive hunts while on the move at the sign of first light. This is why game drives start so early in the morning !

Sunset Dam leopardess is in the region of 3 years old which still makes her quite a young leopardess. She’s often spotted in the neighbouring Klaserie Private Reserve and on our traverse within the Timbavati. Leopards normally begin their solitary lifestyle at roughly 18 – 24 months, and even then they will hang around on the periphery of their mother’s territory. In the beginning stages of their newly solitary lifestyle a young leopard will often return to its mother to conduct hunts together. This Sunset Dam leopardess has only just entered into her into independent lifestyle and we hope to watch her flourish within this section of the Timbavati.

Stay tuned for more leopard and lion updates from the Timbavati. You’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more from leading guides at Walkers, videographer Rogan and photographer Em as they take on the Timbavati and document drives with the exclusive Walkers Bush Villa.

Lion Cubs and Leopards in the Balule Nature Reserve

The Balule Nature Reserve seems to be on a winning streak when it comes to lion cub sightings. Spotting healthy lion cubs within a reserve is always a momentous occasion worthy of celebrating. Coupled with the new life emerging from under the shrubbery, the sleek leopards are also making an appearance in the Balule on a regular basis. The Balule is fast becoming big cat kingdom, and it’s worth adding the reserve to your list of big five safari destinations.

The Balule forms part of the Greater Kruger and rests on the periphery of the Kruger National Park and other private reserves. The borders are unfenced which means wildlife can roam freely throughout. This big five reserve is possibly lesser-known than its more marketed counterparts, but that in itself is a highlight. The Balule enjoys spectacular sightings and is an uncrowded reserve. Ezulwini River Lodge and Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge lie in the heart of the Balule, and offers its visitors a wide variety of accommodation options in lodges with unique communal spaces (we’re talking skywalks, elevated resting spots under trees and private plunge pools).

Back to the discovery of lion cubs.

We’ve shared information about the dominating presence of the famous Machaton males that are spotted regularly while out on game drive. Their history denotes a timeline that is tumultuous. They are true warriors, willing to fight for a kingdom. A couple of years ago, the heavyset and powerful Mohlabetsi coalition ruled-the-roost on Ezulwini’s traverse and it was believed that only supreme and brave Kings would dare try to oust the menacing Mohlabetsi.

Cue entry of the Machatons.

After a turbulent time and fighting for the throne, the Machatons eventually took the Mohlabetis territory. The Kudyela lionesses, a pride of females spotted on Ezulwini home ground, saw potential in the Machatons. After a considerable amount of time, one of the Kudyelas eventually gave birth to a litter of 4 cubs sired by the one of the Machaton emperors.

We were hoping this day would come. And when it did, Angele Rouillard was there with her camera snapping away at any opportunity to document the presence of these adorably bumbling parcels of joy. The cubs are healthy and thriving in the Balule.

Cubs normally remain in the den site for 2/3 months; after which they will be introduced to the rest of the pride. Lionesses will stay with their natal pride for life, while the males will eventually move off and start their nomadic lifestyle of seeking out land and females.

We move from the lion cub sightings to the Balule leopard sightings. In the past we’ve been rewarded with sightings of the blue-eyed boy Chavaluthu and even the Van Wijk’s female; but there are two new recruits in town – exquisite sisters, Thuli and Nyanke. Both these beauties were born in early 2016 and we certainly cannot wait to see more of these slender cats.

From lion cubs to leaps of leopards, the Balule is certainly enjoying a wealth of game viewing at the moment.

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