We sincerely hope that everyone is enjoying their Friday and looking forward to this week’s installment of “Week in Pictures”. Today we focus on the Kruger’s secret treasures. Let us celebrate the small things of the African bush – the magnificent sunsets forming breathtaking backdrops, the graceful snakes disguised as branches and the bounty of buffalo who spend their day relaxing in pools of water.
The highlight of our week was the discovery of lion cubs in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. They were discovered by the Africa on Foot team while out on game drive. The cubs are from the Hercules pride – a pride we don’t see often. We speculate that one of the Trilogy males is somehow involved in the procreation process!
On the topic of juveniles, nThambo guests were thrilled at the sighting of a kudu calf suckling its mother.
Elephant herds have been putting on quite a display for guests. They have, once again, visited the swimming pools at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp. The herds are loving the swimming pool water and guests love these types of sightings. nThambo game drives have been dominated by sightings of the Ross Pride breakaway female lions, who seem healthy and relaxed. Huge breeding herd of buffalo have been seen regularly at the dam. Winter is looming which means water becomes scarce and wildlife takes advantage of available water sources.
Birdlife has been fantastic, with Africa on Foot enjoying a rare sighting of a white-faced scops owl and a tawny eagle. Umkumbe saw a twittering of magpie shrikes, which made for fantastic photography. A spotted bush snake was seen slithering and swaying in one of the trees on the nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot traverse. This poor snake is often mistaken for the deadly boomslang, but is actually harmless.
Umkumbe Safari Lodge has had an abundance of leopard sightings. The infamous male, Maxabeni, made yet another kill. This time he took down a duiker. He was spotted on both the morning and evening game drive with the same kill. Nottens, the female leopard, is also spotted more regularly now. Lions from the Kruger have also made an appearance, highlighting the fact that Umkumbe really is a big cat paradise.
nDzuti’s main dam is always like a train station for a variety of wild animals. A pod of hippo with a calf were seen in “their” territory on the banks of the dam. The dam at nDzuti Safari Camp is always brimming with hippo. In terms of predator sightings, the male lion who took down the old River Pride male, was seen with two females lionesses. He is normally only seen with one lioness. What on earth is happening with the lions of nDzuti? Only time will tell. A huge clan of hyena posed nicely for photographs before disappearing into the distance.
And that’s a wrap for today !
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