Category Archives: Memorable sightings

On our way to the wilderness – day 4

The 18th of August arrived. Joubert’s twelfth birthday. With great excitement the two of us packed the Duster at Skukuza and got ready to depart for Satara, where we’d join the Sweni Wilderness Trail that afternoon. It was still pitch dark when the gates opened at 6am, and we were already on the Marula Loop by the time the sun peaked over the horizon.

Honey Badger

Helmeted Guineafowls crossing the Sand River

Sunrise on the Marula Loop

With the morning sun lending a beautiful golden glow to the morning, Joubert noticed a few tawny bodies moving through the dry grass as we passed the Orpen Rocks. The pride of lions quickly disappeared behind the rocks, only to emerge on top of the boulders to provide us with an awesome photo opportunity – and even better as we were the only vehicle there for quite some time!

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (can you spot her?)

By the time we leave the lions a few other vehicles had already joined the sighting, so we leave the cats to their other adoring fans. Soon after, at Leeupan, we find a herd of elephants enjoying their early morning drink, with the youngsters terrorizing their thirsty neighbours.

Elephant wiping dust from its eye (photo by Joubert)

Elephants, impalas, wildebeest and zebra congregating at Leeupan

Elephants congregating at Leeupan

Elephant antics at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

Mom and baby elephant at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

A quick detour to Orpen Dam has us amazed at the number and size of the crocodiles lazing on the bank.

Upper reaches of the Orpen Dam

Crocodiles next to Orpen Dam

Waterbuck on their way to Orpen Dam

Crocodiles lining the bank of the Orpen Dam

Swainson’s Spurfowl (photo by Joubert)

The day has really become very hot by the time we set off on the second half of our drive to Satara, having stretched our legs at Tshokwane Picnic Site. Very few animals show themselves in heat like this, and the number of Olive Grass Snakes we see crossing the hot road is very surprising.

Heavily pregnant Spotted Hyena

Olive Grass Snake

Olive Grass Snake (photo by Joubert)

Young Nyala bull

Fish Eagle keeping watch over a pool in the Nwaswitsontso.

The southernmost naturally occurring Baobab tree in South Africa

We reach Satara in time for a quick picnic lunch before getting our gear ready, a last visit to the shop for drinks and snacks, and checking in for the Sweni Wilderness Trail…

The birthday boy! Twelfth birthday lunch at Satara.

Satara’s birds were invited to the birthday party. This is a Red-billed Hornbill (photo by Joubert)

Not for sensitive viewers: a vicious Baboon assault

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It was the afternoon of the 16th of August 2021 and Joubert and I were parked on the shores of Sunset Dam, just outside Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park, enjoying the serene scenes playing out all around us as a myriad of birds and animals, including a troop of Chacma Baboons, mingled at the water’s edge.

Baboons peacefully foraging on the shore of Sunset Dam

Suddenly there was a frightful commotion as the baboons started screaming in alarm. Almost immediately we noticed a young baboon, shrieking to high heaven, being chased by two slightly older “teenage” baboons. This in itself was not abnormal, as there is often disagreements in a baboon troop, and peace usually returns quickly after the necessary discipline has been dispatched. The young baboon rushed into the muddy water at the dam’s edge, eliciting even more worried squeals from its mother as Sunset Dam is home to some monster crocodiles.

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

However, as soon as one of the “teenage” baboons got hold of the youngster, it was clear that this attack was much more sinister. We have no idea about their motive, but judging by the viciousness of their bites to the skull, neck and throat and the very rough way they tried to pull the younger baboon apart limb from limb, there was no doubting that the two teenagers were intent on killing their unfortunate target. At one stage early into the encounter an adult, perhaps the mother of the younger one, tried to intervene but this proved only a temporary reprieve – instead of running away the badly injured youngster tried to hide in the mud again where he was soon cornered once more.

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam (photo by Joubert)

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

Baboon murder

Baboon attack at Sunset Dam

By now the attack had gone on for about four minutes. Probably as was to be expected, the fracas attracted the attentions of a large crocodile that was hitherto lying dead still on the bank. With the tables likely to be turned on them within a second, the attacking baboons let go of their quarry and ran for safety.

A crocodile breaks up the fight (photo by Joubert)

A crocodile breaks up the fight

The youngster that was so viciously mauled also scampered away, heading over the road towards the Sabie River, and out of our sight. His attackers apparently also lost track of him, as they searched every bush in the general vicinity looking for the young baboon without success.

One of the murderous baboon “teenagers” passing by us as he looks for their victim. (photo by Joubert)

Whether the little one could’ve survived its injuries we’ll never know, nor whether the murderers managed to track him down and finish the job… This definitely was one of the most harrowing experiences we’ve ever had in the bush.

Fish Eagle caught in the act

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The call of the African Fish Eagle is so evocative of Africa’s wild places, and seeing one is always a special treat, high on the wish-list of many safari-goers. Especially when you get the chance to see it in action; gracefully descending with claws outstretched to snatch a fish from just below the water’s surface and then majestically soaring away with its prize grasped in its talons. The stuff nature documentaries are made of.

During our mid-August trip to the Kruger National Park, Joubert and I were lucky to see a Fish Eagle catch a sharp-tooth catfish from the waters of the Sabie River just downstream from Lower Sabie Rest Camp. While this particular individual won’t score a perfect ten for the execution – that splash-down would have had the Olympic audience snickering, and thank goodness for that sandbank! – it nevertheless was an amazing sighting. Most of these photographs were taken by Joubert.

African Fish Eagle fly-past (photo by Joubert)

The prey has been spotted (photo by Joubert)

Homing in on the target… (photo by Joubert)

Getting into position… (photo by Joubert)

Strike imminent… (photo by Joubert)

(Wet) success! (photo by Joubert)

Is it the Eagle or the catfish splashing..? (photo by Joubert)

Heading for the sandbank

Heading for the sandbank (photo by Joubert)

Fish Eagle with catfish prey

Fish Eagle with catfish prey (photo by Joubert)

Now with its composure regained, the Fish Eagle sets off for a favourite perch

Now with its composure regained, the Fish Eagle sets off for a favourite perch (photo by Joubert)

A memorable encounter with Sable Antelope

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As mentioned in our previous post, the chief reason why Joubert and I decided to spend the first morning of our August trip to the Kruger National Park around Mlondozi Picnic Site was the recent sightings of a beautiful herd of sable antelope in that vicinity. Being one of our favourite antelope we couldn’t let the opportunity go by without going to see whether we can find the herd as well. Only on our second circuit around Muntshe Mountain and along the Mnondozi stream were we rewarded with the encounter we were hoping so dearly for. Without a doubt the best sighting I have had of Sable Antelope in over 30 years. As they crossed the road one-by-one we counted 25 individuals ranging from the magnificent bull to the long-eared calves.

Herd of Sable Antelope on the plains between Munstshe Mountain and the Mnondozi stream

Herd of Sable Antelope on the plains between Munstshe Mountain and the Mnondozi stream (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope calves

Sable Antelope bull (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope bull

Sable Antelope cow

Sable Antelope heifer (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope calf (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope heifer

Sable Antelope bull (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope bull

Sable Antelope females

Sable Antelope cow (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope heifer (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope calf (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope cow (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope cow

Herd of Sable Antelope on the plains between Munstshe Mountain and the Mnondozi stream

Herd of Sable Antelope on the plains between Munstshe Mountain and the Mnondozi stream (photo by Joubert)

Sir Elephant

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This young elephant, wielding his “mighty” branch like a medieval knight would his sword, gave us some great entertainment when Joubert and I visited the Kruger National Park last week. He intimidated us with his fierce strokes, and we yielded, but then an elderly couple in another vehicle did not pay him the necessary respect and he went into an even more brutal display for their benefit. Lucky for them he stepped on his own sword, and snapped it, so he stepped back into the long grass at the side of the road…

Sir Elephant wielding his mighty sword (photo by Joubert)

Elephant youngster wielding his weapon of choice

Sir Elephant wielding his mighty sword (photo by Joubert)

Sir Elephant challenging a vehicle in the Kruger National Park (photo by Joubert)

Sir Elephant challenging a vehicle in the Kruger National Park

Sir Elephant challenging a vehicle in the Kruger National Park (photo by Joubert)

… where he picked up another branch just as the next vehicle – a campervan – drew closer.

Sir Elephant picking a new sword (photo by Joubert)

Most of these photographs were taken by Joubert

Surprise Weekend at Marakele; Baby Elephant Rescue!

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We were still watching the herd of elephants calmly going about their business on the shores of the dam at Tlopi Tented Camp in Marakele National Park on Marilize’s birthday, when suddenly there was a tremendous uproar in the herd.

Cows were trumpeting in panic and rushing to a specific spot, while one particular youngster was screaming blue murder and running away from the same place as quickly as the grown-ups were approaching.

It quickly became apparent that a tiny baby had fallen down a small embankment and into the mud at the edge of the pool, struggling to get up. Within seconds the adult cows were lending either a helping foot or trunk and the baby was lifted to safety.

While we didn’t see how the baby ended up in the mud to begin with, from their reaction to the youngster that fled the scene earlier, and who was still screeching to high heaven but now circled back to the group of cows where they were soothing the upset baby, it was rather clear who the adult elephants thought carried the blame for the incident!

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)

Baby elephant rescue at Tlopi

Summertide Diary: iSimangaliso Rhinos

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The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is home to healthy populations of both White and Black Rhinoceros, jealously guarded by the reserve’s rangers and routinely dehorned to deter poachers. Rhino populations all over our country are under severe threat and seeing these animals in the wild, even without their trademark horns, is an experience we’re very grateful for.

Being diurnal in habit and much less skittish, the White Rhino is the easier of the two African species to find while driving around iSimangaliso.

White Rhinos

White Rhino

White Rhino rubbing mud from its face

White Rhinos

Lazy White Rhinos

White Rhino

Black Rhinos are solitary, shy, more nocturnal and consequently seen less often than White Rhinos.

Black Rhino on the eastern shores of Lake St. Lucia

Black Rhinoceros (photo by Joubert)

Black Rhinoceros

This muddy signpost in the park was used by a muddy rhino as a rubbing post. Rolling in mud, leaving it to dry and then rubbing the caked mud off against a sturdy rock, tree or …signpost, is a way for the rhino to rid itself of external parasites like ticks.

Signpost re-modelled by a muddy rhinoceros

Summertide Diary: Rock Pool Wonderland

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For landlubbers like us gawking with open mouths at the colourful life in a rock pool at the sea shore is one of the highlights of a beach holiday. Many of the life forms are so unique and different from what we’re used to as to seem utterly alien. We were fortunate in that, during our time in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, we had a chance to visit Mission Rocks at low tide in the cool of the afternoon, allowing us to clamber over the rocks from one pool to the next to our heart’s content.

Mission Rocks

Rock pools at Mission Rocks

Mission Rocks

Heart-shaped rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crab moving between rock pools at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Barred Flagtail in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crab next to a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crab at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Natal Rock Crab at Mission Rocks

Hermit Crab at Mission Rocks

Crab and little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crabs and little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crabs on the rocks at Mission Rocks

Crab in a pool at Mission Rocks

Barred Flagtail in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little Butterflyfish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Natal Rock Crab at Mission Rocks

Crab in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crab on its way to a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Crowned Eagles

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We were about half-way through our visit to Cape Vidal in January 2021 when we found that a pair of Crowned Eagles were rearing a chick in a tall Casuarina tree right inside the camp and very near our cabin. The eagles were very careful not to attract attention to their nest and being known for attacking humans that venture too close to their nests we didn’t hang around there too often. We therefore got very few glimpses of the chick in its treetop fortress.

Crowned Eagle

Crowned Eagle in flight

Crowned Eagle nest

Crowned Eagle nestling

Crowned Eagle

Considered Africa’s most powerful eagle, capable of preying even on mammals the size of bushbuck, the Crowned Eagle is a very large bird of prey – females, the larger of the sexes, weighs up to 5kg and has a wingspan of around 1.6m. Crowned Eagles are forest birds, but have adapted to life in exotic plantations where there’s suitable prey available. Mammals – hyraxes, monkeys and antelope – make up the majority of their dietary intake and small pets regularly feature on the menu of Crowned Eagles living in or near urban areas that fall within their distribution range.

Crowned Eagles are monogamous and form lasting pair bonds, each pair defending a large tract of forest as their exclusive territory. Their large stick-platform nests are built by both partners on cliffs or at the top of tall forest trees. These nests are usually reused for consecutive years and are continuously added to, eventually becoming massive structures up to 3m tall. Clutches of two eggs are laid in the spring months and incubated over a seven week period, mostly be the female. Unless the first laid egg doesn’t hatch the older sibling will kill the younger soon after it hatches. While the male regularly brings food to the nest it never feeds the chick, this task is always performed by the female until the chick is about a month-and-a-half old, at which point it starts feeding itself on meals brought to it by the parent birds. The chick takes its first flight around four months after hatching and is finally chased from its parental territory when it is at least ten months old.

Though occurring widely over Africa’s forested areas, the IUCN lists the Crowned Eagle as being near-threatened, siting a decreasing population of no more than 50,000 mature individuals caused by habitat destruction and persecution by humans. In South Africa they’re found from the Garden Route, through the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal, to the escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, the Soutpansberg range and the Pafuri region of the Kruger National Park.

Immature Crowned Eagle

Immature Crowned eagle

Distant view of a Crowned Eagle in the forest

Crowned Eagle

Crowned Eagle (captive)

Summertide Diary: Spying on the neighbours at Cape Vidal

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A few years ago we purchased a very simple trail camera to take along on our visits to South Africa’s wild places, reason being that we were interested to know and see what wildlife roamed around after the humans went to bed. During our week at Cape Vidal in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park a dripping geyser overflow that created a small puddle in hardened mud and a pie-dish beneath an outside tap were the perfect locations to set up our little “camera trap” and spy on the wild neighbours that roam the camp by day and night. The camera worked overtime and took thousands of photos, and with great excitement we’d download these on a daily basis to see what came to visit while we were either away or asleep.

Vervet Monkey sneaking a drink beneath the geyser overflow

As was to be expected a wide variety of birds were drawn to the artificial “waterholes” around our cabin. What made us really excited was the very many shots the camera got of usually very shy and retiring forest birds we would otherwise have broken our necks trying to sneak even a single photograph of.

Bearded Scrub-Robin

Dark-backed Weavers and a Grey-headed Sparrow

Dark-capped Bulbul

Green Twinspot

Grey-headed Sparrow

Grey-tit Flycatcher and Olive Sunbird, with Samango Monkeys in the background

Grey Waxbill – the only appearance by this species on thousands of photos taken by the camera trap during our week at Cape Vidal

Livingstone’s Turacos

Livingstone’s Turaco

Olive Sunbird

Pink-throated and Green Twinspots

Red-capped Robin Chat

Red-capped Robin Chats

Tambourine Dove

White-eared Barbet

Yellow-bellied Greenbuls

Yellow-fronted Canary, with a bushbuck in the background

By day the biggest mammals that roamed around the camp at Cape Vidal was the Bushbucks. Male and female, young and old, they all put in an appearance.

Very old Bushbuck ewe

Bushbuck ewe

Bushbuck ram

Very old Bushbuck ewe

Bushbuck ram

Young Bushbuck

Young Bushbuck ram

Bushbuck ram and ewe

Bushbuck ewe

By far the species featured most often in the photos taken by the trailcam was the Samango Monkeys, and some of the things they got up to when they thought there weren’t any humans around to see was most amusing.

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkeys with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkey with a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys with abushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys and a bushbuck in the background

Samango Monkeys

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey mom and baby

Nighttime brought a shift in the animals coming to prowl around our accommodations – the bushbuck were still around and genets aren’t really threatening, but I wouldn’t want to encounter the bushpigs or hyenas in the dark!