The mighty sun has been out in full force in the Kruger and temperatures have reached an uncomfortable 40 degrees celsius. The landscape is shifting before our eyes and wildlife have been flocking to available water sources, which are scarce. Certain species of wildlife thrives in these kinds of conditions and plenty of arid plant life begins to blossom, which provides a host of new colours and activity.
A burst of welcome rain was enjoyed in the Sabi Sand and rangers were caught rejoicing when the gentle droplets fell to the thirsty ground of the Kruger. We’re hoping for a bit more rain, but this is nothing we haven’t seen before, albeit it unusual given the season!
So, with the rapidly changing landscape, what have we noticed in wildlife behaviour this week? Let’s take a look.
Herds of elephant appear to be arriving in droves to the waterholes close to lodge. The bush is dry, which means our gentle jumbos travel in search of areas to soak up water and lather themselves with mud, which serves a natural sunscreen. With the exceptional vantage points from the skywalk and viewing platforms at both lodges, guests have been rewarded with breathtaking views of tuskers and breeding herds of elephants.
The big cat predators are on the prowl again and the Olifants West Pride of lions, with their powerful leader Duma, have ensured they are quite a dominant pride within the area and guests certainly enjoy spotting these mottled tawny lions.
Here’s hoping for a bit of rain for the Balule.
Umkumbe proves time and time again that it is a prime leopard viewing destination. On Wednesday, guests spotted the elusive leopardess, White Dam. Current leopard sightings are dominated by Mxabene and White Dam. We haven’t seen Nottens, Little Bush and Kigelia for quite sometime. I guess it’s White Dam’s turn to shine ! During the course of the week a pack of wild dogs came scurrying across the road in front of the game viewer. Their high-pitched squeals and playful antics made for a fantastic sighting. These endangered painted dogs are nomadic, which means they don’t hang around for very long.
Bloats of hippo and lone buffalo bulls were seen wallowing in the small waterholes, soaking up what’s left of the moist terrain. The Sabi Sand has been very dry recently but the ranger’s were delighted when the skies opened and rain fell. A welcome relief.
Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp
Here are a few highlights from the week:
- Wild dogs returned and together with a clan of hyena, tried to steal a kill from the Ross Pride breakaway lionesses!
- The Hercules Pride have left their mark on the Ross Pride girls and scarred their delicate features. We’re watching the Hercules Pride closely – they’re looking for a fight!
- The weather has been hot and dry; which makes for endless blue skies and landscapes which barely touch the horizon. The water levels are low, which means wildlife will flock to any water source. This means easy pickings for predators.
- There seem to have been a steady flow of crocodile and hippo sightings.
- The large herbivores are constantly on the move in search of food. As the water sources dry up, they will need to gain their moisture from the surrounding shrubbery.
- Two unknown lionesses were spotted. Initially we thought they were the Ross Pride Breakaway females, but have since confirmed they aren’t. Who are they? We will get to the bottom of this !
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