Tag Archives: outdoors

Spending time with Skukuza’s Hyenas

Even if Spotted Hyenas were not the most numerous large predator around Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park – and I think they are – they’re definitely the most frequently encountered, a fact borne out yet again by the many rendezvous we had with these fascinating creatures during our visit to the Skukuza-area earlier in January.

Spotted Hyena near Leeupan, north-east of Skukuza Rest Camp

On a night drive from camp, following the course of the Sabie River, we crossed paths with several clans all searching for food.

We paid frequent visits to a Hyena den just a few kilometres south of the camp, where the many curious cubs kept us well entertained. These encounters were definitely in the “cute and cuddly” category.

Adult female Spotted Hyena at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cubs at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cubs at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cubs licking at a puddle of aircon water in the road at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

We were awed by their tenacity when we spent time with this group of four Hyenas who were following the hunting wild dogs we shared with you a few days ago. While they couldn’t keep up with the pace of the painted wolves they were not put off, hoping that if they stayed on the spoor of the dogs they would catch up with them and could steal their meal. As it turned out the kill was quickly consumed by the wild dogs and the hyenas were left without a morsel by the time they arrived, but I am sure this will not prevent them trying again!

Spotted Hyena following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt

Spotted Hyenas following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt (photo by Joubert)

Definitely the scariest run-in with a Spotted Hyena during this latest trip was with an individual who popped into the Tshokwane Picnic Spot while we were having breakfast. Luckily he didn’t stay long and moved off again without using those powerful jaws on any of the humans.

Spotted Hyena inspecting Tshokwane Picnic Spot in the Kruger National Park (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena inspecting Tshokwane Picnic Spot in the Kruger National Park

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Hunting with African Wild Dogs

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We’ve just returned from another wonder-filled visit to the Kruger National Park, where as always we had great luck and enjoyed the most memorable experiences. One of those was this encounter with a pack of African Wild Dogs hunting along the Sand River while we followed behind until they caught, killed and devoured a young Impala early yesterday (11 January 2024) morning. This video – not for sensitive viewers – was taken by Joubert.

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Blue and White Water Lilies

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South Africa is home to two indigenous species of Water Lilies from the genus Nymphaea, named for the beautiful nymphs of Greek mythology. They are long-lived plants, growing from spongy rhizomes anchored in the mud by spreading roots, occurring in standing or slow-flowing water up to 90cm deep in swamps, ponds, marshes, small streams and rivers. Their flat leaves may be up to 40cm wide where they float on the pond surface. The flowers are borne throughout the warm spring and summer months, may measure up to 20cm across, are very fragrant and extremely popular with bees and other pollinators. Unfortunately an individual flower rarely lasts longer than 4 days.

The White Water Lily, also known as the Egyptian Water Lily or Egyptian Lotus, is found in the north-eastern provinces of South Africa, besides its wide occurrence throughout our neighbouring countries and into tropical Africa. The Blue, or Cape, Water Lily is distributed over a much larger part of our country and most of sub-Saharan Africa and along the Nile. The beautiful flowers of both species were highly regarded even during the reign of Egypt’s pharaohs, being cultivated for use as decorations and in ceremonies. Today they still feature in gardens the world over.

BLUE WATER LILY

Nymphaea nouchali

Beautiful Blue Water Lily

Blue Water Lily

Blue Water Lilies

Blue Water Lily

White-backed Ducks among Blue Water Lilies

African Pygmy Geese among Blue Water Lilies

WHITE WATER LILY

Nymphaea lotus

Bee and White Water Lily

White Water Lily in Skukuza

White Water Lily

White Water Lily (Nymphaea lotus)

White Water Lilies

Our 2023 in pictures

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Join us for a look back at the wonderfully wild South African destinations we visited during 2023. May 2024 be a blessed year for you and your family, memorable for all the best reasons.

Jakhalsfontein Guest Farm

Our camping setup at Bontle in Marakele National Park, March 2023

Chalet #1 in Lilydale Rest Camp

Hut #107 in Pretoriuskop Rest Camp, Kruger National Park (June 2023)

Hut #46 in Lower Sabie Rest Camp, Kruger National Park (June 2023)

Tent #10 in Tamboti Tented Camp, Kruger National Park (June 2023)

Guest House, Shingwedzi Research Camp, Kruger National Park, June 2023

Buffelshoek Camp, Manyeleti Nature Reserve, September 2023

Ndzhaka Camp, Manyeleti Nature Reserve, September 2023

Twanana Research Camp, Kruger National Park, September 2023

House #32, Kudu Private Nature Reserve, October 2023

The beach at the estuary of Lake Saint Lucia

Cape Vidal at low tide

Western Shores section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Rest Hut #3, Mantuma Rest Camp, uMkhuze Game Reserve, November 2023

Camping at Nyl River Bush Camp, December 2023

Coqui Francolin

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Campocolinus coqui

At a weight of about 250g and measuring about 24cm in length, Coqui Francolins are the smallest of their family occurring in South Africa. They’re widespread in the north of our country – from northern Kwazulu-Natal through Mpumalanga and Gauteng to Limpopo and the North West – but aren’t commonly encountered anywhere due to their shy nature (relying mostly on their camouflage and remaining perfectly still and close to the ground when danger is perceived). Beyond South Africa’s borders their distribution range extends patchily as far as Senegal and the IUCN considers the species to be of least concern. They’re found in savanna and woodland vegetation types with a well developed grass layer and feed on a wide variety of plant material and invertebrates. They form small flocks of up to 12 birds when not breeding.

Coqui Francolins nest at the end of the rainy season, when grass is lush and seeds are in ample supply. The nest is little more than a shallow hollow scraped in thick vegetation and lined with soft materials in which the female incubates a clutch of up to 6 eggs.

Their name is an imitation of their characteristic call.

Coqui Francolin (male)

Coqui Francolin (female)

Coqui Francolin (male)

Coqui Francolin

Whiskered Tern

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Chlidonias hybrida

The Whiskered Tern is a bird of natural wetlands, being equally at home at freshwater wetlands and marshes (even farm dams!) than at estuaries and river mouths along the coast. They feed in loose flocks, flying low above the water, and catching anything from aquatic invertebrates to frogs and small fish.

Whiskered Terns breed opportunistically following good rains, establishing loose colonies of up to 80 monogamous pairs. Their nests are floating structures consisting of plant material and built by both partners. Clutches of up to 3 eggs are incubated over a 3 week period. The chicks can’t fly until they’re almost a month old, but can swim soon after hatching and uses this to good effect to temporarily abandon the nest if danger threatens, while the parents dive-bomb the intruders – even cattle and humans! Adults weigh about 100g and measure around 25cm in length.

Whiskered Terns have a very wide distribution, occurring in parts of every continent except Antarctica and the Americas., and the IUCN list it as being of least concern, estimating a total population of up to 1.5 million. In the South African summer they occur mostly on the Highveld (Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga), the midlands of Kwazulu-Natal, and along the southern coastline of the Eastern and Western Cape. The population in northern Kwazulu-Natal, centred on the iSimangaliso wetlands, is resident year-round.

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern in non-breeding plumage

Whiskered Tern

Yellow-billed Egret

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Ardea brachyrhyncha

The Yellow-billed Egret was previously considered to be the locally occurring race of the Intermediate Egret but was recently (September 2023) elevated to full species status. It is found over almost all of sub-Saharan Africa and in our country is absent from the arid western and central parts of the country, reflecting its preference for regularly flooded grasslands, wetlands and the shallows of dams, lakes and seasonal pans where they feed on small fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates. They have been recorded as flying – almost hovering – behind hippos moving through the water to catch anything the large mammal disturbs.

Adult Yellow-billed Egrets weigh around 400g and measure approximately 70cm from bill to tail. They usually hunt alone, but groups of up to 20 may congregate at abundant food sources. During spring and summer they breed in colonies with others of their kind as well as other water birds, forming monogamous pairs that work together to build their platform nest in a tree or reedbed, with the male providing the female with sticks and reeds for the purpose. Clutches of 2 or 3 eggs are incubated in turns by both parents over a 4 week period. While the chicks leave the nest at about 3 weeks old they can’t fly until the age of about 2½ months.

The IUCN considers the Yellow-billed Egret as being of least concern.

Yellow-billed Egret

Yellow-billed Egrets

Yellow-billed Egret

DeWetsWild and Tembe Elephant Park!

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DeWetsWild is proud to announce that we can now assist with reservations for and guided tours of what is unquestionably one of South Africa’s diamonds – the Tembe Elephant Park!

Visitors can look forward to spending time with some of the country’s biggest tuskers, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes and rare species like African wild dogs and sunis, while staying in the comfortable accommodation offered by one of the continent’s most affordable full service lodges in a “Big 5” reserve and being looked after by the most hospitable people.

If you feel like treating yourself to a bush retreat, have a read here and then chat to me about Tembe Elephant Park!

Fan-tailed Widowbird

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Euplectes axillaris

With a patchy distribution over sub-Saharan Africa, the Fan-tailed Widowbird inhabits wetter areas with tall grasses, reeds and papyrus (and also sugarcane fields). In South Africa they’re found mainly in Kwazulu-Natal, the Mpumalanga Highveld, Gauteng and the Eastern reaches of the Free State and Eastern Cape. They feed mainly on grass seeds and occasionally on termites and other insects. They’re often found in mixed company of other seed-eating birds. The IUCN lists the Fan-tailed Widowbird as being of least concern.

Male Fan-tailed Widowbirds are territorial in the breeding season, which spans spring and summer, weaving up to eight ball-shaped grass nests, with a side-entrance, in a tuft of grass or other dense vegetation, usually in marshy areas. They then attempt to attract and mate with as many females as possible, but have no further parental role. The female incubates the clutch of 2 or 3 eggs for 2 weeks. The chicks stay in the nest for less than 3 weeks, and accompany their mom for about another 2 weeks after fledging before becoming independent. Adults are about 15cm in length and 26g in weight, with males slightly larger than females.

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Female Fan-tailed Widowbird

Fan-tailed Widowbird female

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Red-collared Widowbird

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Euplectes ardens

In their striking black breeding plumage with streaming tails it’s almost impossible to miss the male Red-collared Widowbird in its savanna habitat during summer, quite a contrast with the drab plumage they don during other parts of the year (and worn by females throughout). These birds are mainly seed-eaters but will also peck up ants and termites on occasion.

Outside of the breeding season, which spans from spring to autumn, Red-collared Widowbirds move around in large flocks, often associating with other seed-eating birds. When breeding however mature males are territorial, weaving several oval-shaped nests in trees, shrubs and tall grass to attract as many females as possible into his harem. Females incubate clutches of 2-6 eggs for a two week period and the male plays no parental role whatsoever. The chicks leave the nest when they’re 2-3 weeks old. Breeding males are up to 35cm long with their expansive tails included in the measurement, while females and non-breeding males are only about 12cm in length and weigh around 19g.

Red-collared Widowbirds occur patchily over much of sub-Saharan Africa, and in South Africa can be found over most of the wetter eastern half of the country, from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo. According to the IUCN this species is of least concern.