Category Archives: Memorable sightings

A most memorable encounter with Leopards

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The 2nd of January 2020, almost at the end of our Satara Summer, delivered one of the most memorable sightings of the month we spent in the Kruger National Park. About half-way between Satara and Olifants we came across this pair of Leopards, and did they put on a show to remember! Trust us; seeing Leopards like THIS happens only very rarely…

Early morning catches a languid leopardess straddling a branch
She changes her position slightly to have a better view of a herd of passing elephants
An elephants passes almost right below the young female leopard
Leopardess in a tree
Her interest peaked by a growl from the male, the leopardess moves to a lower branch
Now out of the tree, the leopardess walks towards the male…
… and disappears from view in a thicket
At first, the male was well hidden
But then he emerged with the remains of a wildebeest calf clenched in his jaws
Leopard and kill (photo by Joubert)
Leopard male and kill
Leopard and kill (photo by Joubert)
Leopard male and kill
Leopard and kill (photo by Joubert)
And out he jumps, to share his meal with the female away from view
Returning to the scene later, we find the female, all muddied from a failed attempted kill, resting in a shady spot next to the road
She quickly repositions (photo by Joubert)
Leopardess eyeing an injured wildebeest calf
Leopardess in the trees
Leopardess cleaning herself, no longer interested in going after the prey that got away (photo by Joubert)

Hell hath no fury like a female Baboon!

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While driving slowly back to Satara Rest Camp along the S100 one evening, we came across a mixed group of Impalas and Baboons peacefully whiling away the final minutes of sunlight at Shibotwana waterhole. It is then that we noticed a Black-backed Jackal moving through the group, obviously looking for an easy meal. The Jackal spied a young Baboon and gave it a little more attention than the Baboon wanted; it shrieked and set off running towards its mother and then things took a very quick turn for the worse for the Jackal, who managed to escape a serious hiding by the skin of his teeth!

Black-backed Jackal eyeing a young Chacma Baboon
The little Baboon starts running to safety, raising the alarm
And here comes mom to his rescue!
Baboon chasing a Black-backed Jackal
Baboon chasing a Black-backed Jackal
Baboon chasing a Black-backed Jackal

When an elephant won’t let go…

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One of the most touching sightings of our recent Satara Summer in the Kruger National Park was of an elephant bull trapped in a shallow pan (waterhole) and unable to get out. Just how the bull ended up in this predicament was unclear as we arrived on the scene too late to know – perhaps it was simply something as benign as taking a mud bath gone wrong, or perhaps something as violent as a debilitating blow received in a fight for dominance. However it may have occurred, we spent several hours in the exceptional heat wishing him on every time he tried lifting his massive bulk out of the mud, watching with lumps in our throats as other elephant bulls, obviously distressed, tried to help and failed, how they had to give up on their valiant attempts, extending trunks towards their comrade as if in a final greeting. Eventually the hopelessness of his situation became too much to bear for us too and with every pause in his feeble movements we hoped that he has finally breathed his last, only to see the tip of his trunk being raised limply above the waterline once again, over and over. Why won’t he just let go..?

Dusk settled over the plains and we had to leave to get back to Satara in the knowledge that he was unlikely to see the sun rise tomorrow. Difficult as it was to watch, we realise that tragedies like this have played out in the wilderness for millennia, nature taking its course without human interference, as it should and will continue to do in places like the Kruger National Park, and whether we were there to witness it or not made no difference to the outcome.

Comforting a fallen comrade (photo by Joubert)
Comforting a fallen comrade
Big old bull, but couldn’t save his friend
Are they contemplating a rescue plan? (photo by Joubert)
Are they contemplating a rescue plan?
Giving it another try
Hopelessly stuck
Elephant stuck in a muddy pan
Hopelessly stuck
Hopelessly stuck
Only a raised trunk shows that he’s still alive
Only a raised trunk shows that he’s still alive
A final goodbye?
Was this bull as sad as we were to leave his comrade?

 

Front row seats for an epic battle!

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One of the most exciting sightings (and we had many!) of our Satara Summer was this epic battle between two big Kudu bulls, encountered near the Kruger National Park‘s Nhlanguleni picnic site. At times the fight was so heated that we were sure one of them was going to break the other’s neck or stab a hole straight through his adversary. After several minutes the fight ended abruptly when they found themselves in thicker vegetation and one of the combatants threw in the towel.

Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls fighting
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls fighting (photo by Joubert)
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls fighting (photo by Joubert)
Kudu bulls fighting (photo by Joubert)
Kudu bulls in serious fight (photo by Joubert)
Kudu bulls fighting
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls in serious fight
Kudu bulls fighting (photo by Joubert)
Moving into denser vegetation, the fight soos came to an end

Heron who catch dragonfly with bill accomplish anything…

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This sighting of a Green-backed Heron catching dragonflies in a small stream near Satara in the Kruger National Park reminded me of the “Karate Kid” scene where Mr. Miyagi tries catching flies with his chopsticks…

Aiming for that dragonfly
Aiming for that dragonfly
Aiming for that dragonfly
Got it! Green-backed Heron catching dragonflies
Got it! Green-backed Heron catching dragonflies
Got it! Green-backed Heron catching dragonflies
And down the hatch it goes…

My Mom is stronger than you!

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While out driving one rainy afternoon near Satara in the Kruger National Park, we came upon a lonely and obviously terrified lion cub, running in the road and trying to hide in roadside bushes, all the while calling for his pride. We were still feeling sorry for the little one when suddenly his demeanor changed totally – he picked himself up and confidently started running past our car. It is then that we noticed his mother standing, and looking quite intimidating, behind the assembled vehicles, ready to attack anyone or anything that threatens her little one. When he reached her they both gave the human spectators a parting glance, joined the rest of the pride and confidently walked off into the bush. The encounter made a wonderful impression on all of us.

A lonely and scared little Lion cub
He’s seen his mother and hastens towards her
Mom and cub, reunited
Lion cubs and one of the pride females
The whole pride then walked off into the bush
The whole pride then walked off into the bush
The whole pride then walked off into the bush

You don’t ALWAYS find lions behind EVERY bush, you know..?

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When we visited in September, there appeared to be a convention of Lions around Lower Sabie Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park. Whether you were following the river in an easterly or westerly direction from camp, you would have been very unlucky not to encounter at least one pride of lions within the first 4 kilometers of your drive.

Mating pair of lions on the bank of the Sabie River
Lioness on a sand bank in the Sabie River (photo by Joubert)
Lions lazing on the rocks at Lubyelubye
Lions lazing on the rocks at Lubyelubye
Lion cub at Lubyelubye (photo by Joubert)
Lion cub at Lubyelubye
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Lioness on a sand bank in the Sabie River
Two male lions, one considerable older than the other, sharing a rock that overlooks the Sabie River
Lioness on a sand bank in the Sabie River
Big male lion staking his claim to a sandbank on the Sabie River
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Mating pair of lions on the bank of the Sabie River

On one occasion we even saw two lions right in front of camp while we were taking an afternoon stroll on the lawns! They spooked a herd of fleet-footed impala, alerting us to their presence as well.

Male and female lion walking the river bed in front of Lower Sabie Rest Camp
Male and female lion walking the river bed in front of Lower Sabie Rest Camp

Finding Lions in Kruger is not always this easy. With the dry season now coming to an end, surface water is hard to come by, and the lions take advantage of this by ambushing herbivores coming to slake their thirst from the Sabie. We also found lions in other parts of the park while we were driving around, and in all instances they were close to or at a water source, lying in wait.

Lazy young lion on a hot day, just north of Crocodile Bridge
A pair of young lions waiting near Mac’s Pan for passing herds
A pair of young lions waiting near Mac’s Pan for passing herds
Lone male resting near Lower Sabie