The allure of the waterhole

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There’s always a sense of anticipation when we approach a waterhole in any of South Africa’s wild places, and especially so in the vast expanses of the Kruger National Park. Being literal fountains of life, the Kruger’s waterholes attract streams of wildlife to quench their thirst as the dry season drags on, causing the many ephemeral pans that followed the rains to disappear and forcing the animals to congregate around the shrinking pools in the streams and rivers.

A seemingly serene pool of water at Red Rocks
A pool at Red Rocks
A dry Shingwedzi River near Tshange viewpoint
Giraffe crossing the dry bed of the Shingwedzi
A wide bend in the Shingwedzi River
Animals congregating at a waterhole to the north of Babalala

Sitting idly waiting by a waterhole, even if it appears deserted at first, is often handsomely rewarded with the most memorable wildlife encounters, as anything from fish to elephants may make an appearance in the grand show.

Blacksmith Lapwings
Buffalo herd rushing to the water
Buffalo herd rushing to the water
Buffaloes slaking their thirst while zebras wait their turn
Buffalo bull drinking
Buffalo congregating around the waterhole
Buffalo herd at the water (photo by Joubert)
Bushbuck at the water’s edge
Egyptian Goose in flight (Joubert’s photo)
Eland gathering at a watering hole north of Babalala
Elephants and waterbuck at a deep pool in the otherwise dry Shingwedzi
Elephant herd gathering to drink
Elephant drinking
Elephant herd drinking
Elephants in a dry riverbed
Herd of elephant marching to the water
Elephant cow drinking at Red Rocks
Elephant herd moving along a dry river
Elephant herd running to the water
Elephant herd enjoying a social dust bath after bathing in a waterhole
Elephant tussle
Elephants at a pool in the Mphongolo River
Hippo and Crocodile
A large pod of hippo and their shrinking waterhole
Hippos
Just look at that tiny hippo baby!
Impalas drinking at Red Rocks
Impalas reflecting in the waterhole
Kudu bull
Kudu, nyala and impala share a stretch of the dry Shingwedzi
Plains Zebras
Water Thick-knees (Photo by Joubert)
Hippo pod (Photo by Joubert)
Eland, zebras and Elephants share a waterhole north of Babalala (Photo by Joubert)
Thirsty Tusker (Photo by Joubert)
Elephant Calf (Photo by Joubert)
Elephant herd on the run to Red Rocks (Photo by Joubert)
Elephant Bull (Photo by Joubert)
Elephants gathering in their numbers along the dwindling waterholes in the drying Mphongolo River
Male Mozambique Tilapia (non-breeding colours)
Female Mozambique Tilapia

But as with so much in life there’s also two sides to the story of the waterhole. It isn’t only life-sustaining; sometimes it’s a death-trap as predators know that a waterhole is a like a magnet to their prey…

Old buffalo trapped in a muddy waterhole
Young Nile Crocodile
Nile Crocodiles
Baby Nile Crocodile and Adult Water Monitor lying next to a pool in the Shingwedzi River
Goliath Heron
Green-backed Heron
Grey Heron
Hamerkop
Pied Kingfisher
Saddle-billed Stork
Fish Eagle taking off (Photo by Joubert)
Big male lion in the bed of the Mphongolo River
Lions in the grass next to the Crocodile River

Given so much danger around, this Green-winged Pytilia drinking from a leaking hosepipe at Babalala Picnic Spot instead of taking his chances at the nearby waterhole is probably very clever!

Green-winged Pytilia

42 thoughts on “The allure of the waterhole”

  1. naturebackin

    Your photos convey that infectious sense of excitement one often sees at the waterholes. Very sad about the poor old buffalo. And where do the hippos go when the river pools dry up in the winter, or do some parts of the river retain pools all year round?

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thanks very much, Carol!

      Indeed, in a normal year there will be pools all along the course of the seasonal rivers, and the major perennial rivers maintain a flow throughout, so usually there’s still place for the hippo herds to retreat to with only the subordinate bulls having to make do with what little they can find that’s not being controlled by a dominant one. In the terrible drought a few years ago though it was sad to find pods of very skinny hippos sleeping in the shade of trees and shrubs mind-boggling distances away from anything resembling a pan, dam, stream or river as they moved to find grazing and water.

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      2. de Wets Wild Post author

        We’re really hoping for that too – we’re planning on camping in central Kruger for a month in December-January and if there isn’t the occasional shower to cool things down the shop at Satara may well run out of ice creams! 😀

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      4. de Wets Wild Post author

        We love summer in the bush – just the impala lambs alone make it worth the while! We’re really looking forward to it and I am personally so grateful to the Department of Education for closing the schools so early in December this year! 😀

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      5. naturebackin

        Yes summer has huge pluses – including the adorable impala babies. For many years we could only get leave in the summer, so most of our holidays in the bush were taken in the heat of the summer. It is lovely to have the freedom of not being cold 🙂 But there were a few times when 40 degree plus heat was a bit much even for me.
        So nice for the Dept of Education to be so considerate 🙂

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thanks, John – he’ll be so happy to hear you say that. Yes, it is such a pleasure to share our hobby and love for South Africa’s wild places. I usually say that I don’t know yet whether God made Joubert for us or made Marilize and me for Joubert, but it is a perfect fit!

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      It really all depends on which waterhole you are visiting, Alanna; the authorities have built hides at a few waterholes, at others you are able to park your vehicle almost at the water’s edge, but at most of them the parking area is about 50 to 100m distant from the water.

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  6. Joanne Sisco

    I’ve often wondered how animals know where to find the water holes. I suspect they can smell or otherwise sense water so they aren’t wandering aimlessly in search of water.

    I also find it interesting that there appears to be a pecking order in the use of the water. Each waits their turn. When a herd of elephants show up, it’s time to move on 🙂 A mud bath wouldn’t be top of mind for me after finding a water hole!

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      A lot of how they find water is probably reliant on their senses and instinct, Joanne, but recollection from memory also play an important role – we’ve seen elephants rushing to waterholes for instance only to find it dry upon arrival.
      And yes indeed, elephants and buffaloes dominate everything else at a waterhole – even hippos and rhinos will make way for them. Generally they all drink first and then the playing starts – I suppose they’re clever enough to know that churning up the mud gives their drink an unpalatable flavour. There is little regard though for those species waiting in the wings for their turn…

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      And if we were taking about elephants specifically, Robert, you would be 100% on the mark! It is amazing to see the different herds arrive, greet, mingle and then go in their own direction again after drinking and bathing!

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thanks very much, Anne.
      I must admit that buffalo stuck in the mud had my heart torn in two; on the one hand it was terrible to see a life coming to an end in such a drawn-out fashion, and on the other I was jealous that pretty soon the predators would find it and we wouldn’t be there to witness it happening…

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  14. loisajay

    Joubert–you have captured so many of my favorites: the baby elephant, the baby hippo (so tiny!), the beautiful reflections, the elephants kicking up the dust–so wonderful! Great images, all of them.

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thank you, Ann-Christine! We’re always proud to hear of positive impressions of the continent we love, and I hope Persson’s exhibition brings that positive message to many more people.

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