Tag Archives: Satara Summer 2019-20

The bloody fight that never was

At the end of our Satara Summer, on the way to the Kruger National Park’s Orpen Gate from where we were to head back home to Pretoria, we were lucky to see a lone Cheetah resting in the shade of a small thorn tree. Having stopped for a last photo or two, it was Marilize who noticed a Spotted Hyena heading straight towards the Cheetah. Knowing just how hateful the relationship between Africa’s large predators are, we were sure we were probably going to witness a tremendous fight when the two meat-eaters meet, especially when the Cheetah noticed the Hyena, snarled at it viciously, and got up to defend its turf. But turns out this Hyena was not a fighter; he walked straight past the Cheetah as if it wasn’t even there, and not paying the cheetah’s tantrum any attention whatsoever. It was rather amusing seeing the Cheetah standing by himself, looking decidedly confused, as the Hyena disappeared from view…

Our first view of the relaxed Cheetah

Here comes the Hyena

The Cheetah has also noticed the Hyena now

and he gets up, ready to make a stand

Hyena and cheetah interaction at Orpen

Wait! What?

The Hyena simply walks straight past and away

Leaving the Cheetah rather confused at what just happened

Waiting hours for a glimpse at a White Lion

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White Lions are exceedingly rare and especially so in the wild. Several zoos, “safari parks” and circuses around the world house White Lions, but these are often horribly inbred. These lions are not albinos, instead being the result of a mating between two lions carrying a recessive gene for white (leucistic) fur instead of the usual tawny colouration. Naturally White Lions are only ever found, from time to time, in South Africa’s Lowveld, where the Kruger National Park and a few renowned private nature reserves are situated. As far as wild White Lions are concerned, at present, there are known to be two young white cubs in the same pride that roam around Orpen in western Kruger and the adjacent Timbavati reserve, and a single young male born to a pride near Satara and fairly wide-roaming since he and his brothers were ejected from their natal pride.

It is this latter individual that we came across on the 3rd of January 2020, the final full day of our Satara Summer. Having fairly often visited the Kruger National Park my entire life, it was always my, hitherto unfulfilled, wish to see a truly WILD White Lion, so you will appreciate just how excited we were at this opportunity! It was an exceedingly hot day, and on hot days lions are seldom very active. So we sat for hours in our vehicle in the blazing sun, waiting, hoping, that he might get up, and move around just a little, so that we can get more than just a glimpse. He obliged, for a minute or two only, to move from the large tree where he was lying with his three brothers to a smaller shrub a few meters away. That was it. He didn’t move again until we had to leave to get back to camp before the gates closed. But we were thrilled and grateful for the chance to see such an enigmatic animal.

On arriving at the scene, the White Lion is peeking at us from behind the tree

The four lions doing what lions do best

Finally, the White Lion gets up and stretches

He decides he doesn’t like his brothers in his personal space

White Lion

White Lion (photo by Joubert)

and moves to a smaller shrub

where he drops like a sack of potatoes in the shade once again

The first of his brothers walking over the clearing to join him

A Giraffe watching the lazy lions from a safe distance

A jackal and hooded vulture moving in for a closer look

The next brother rises and moves towards his white sibling

Snarling Lion (photo by Joubert)

Tawny Lion

Joining his white brother in a shady spot

And finally the last male gives in to peer pressure…

Two elephants passing the scene

Our final view of the lions as we depart for camp

While they can not be considered wild, there is a pride of White Lions on view at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve near Johannesburg.

White Lions at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

White Lion at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

White Lion at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserv

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

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

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 fighting

Kudu bulls in serious fight

Kudu bulls fighting (photo by Joubert)

Kudu bulls in serious fight

Kudu bulls fighting (photo by Joubert)

Kudu bulls in serious fight (photo by Joubert)

Kudu bulls fighting

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

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

Spying on the neighbours at Satara

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We have a very basic trail camera that we set up for a few days along a quiet portion of the fenceline at Satara Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park, while we were visiting there over Christmas and New Year. It was quite fun flicking through the photos every day and seeing the variety of wildlife that come so close to camp, especially at night!

Blue Wildebeests hastily walking past the camp

All the hyena shots were just of their bums – they never walked slow enough!

Bewildered Blue Wildebeest?

Flock of queleas setting off the camera

Large-spotted Genet outside Satara’s fence

African Wild Cat at dawn

Distant elephant

Baboon

Lion cubs

Lioness

African Civet caught on our trail cam next to Satara’s fence

Impala herd

Warthog

Still dreaming about our Satara Summer

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It’s really hard to believe that we’ve been home from the Kruger National Park for a week already. We’re still trying to adjust back to city life, would you believe!? Were still pining for Satara, our tent, our camping beds and almost daily braais (traditional South African barbeques)… So we’re going over our notes and imagining the 46 kinds of mammals, 195 kinds of birds, and myriad of insects, butterflies, scorpions, spiders, amphibians and reptiles we crossed paths with while camping at Satara for a month.

While we were on holiday many of you enquired after Joubert’s pictures of the trip, so here for your enjoyment and to ease our blues is a selection of his best photographs!