Arathusa Safari Lodge blog

Wild dogs feeding by Susan Simoneau (guest)

Sunday

What a start to the week! We kicked off the morning drive with the pack of nine Wild dogs. This fantastic sighting was quickly followed by an equally amazing one of impala running, stotting, and jumping to incredible heights in order to avoid becoming breakfast! All of this took place on the open area right in front of the lodge, in full view of the 17 hippos hanging out in the dam. It was helter skelter as the predators chased their prey all over the show, eventually catching a young impala. This settled them down for all of 10 minutes, before they went tearing off again.

After an hour of this adrenalin-pumping action we continued on our way. We came across two buffalo bulls lying in a small waterhole not far from where the impala kill had taken place, and then we enjoyed a really nice sighting of the two Kahuma male lions on a firebreak in the northern sectors, where the pair was grooming one another in the morning sunshine. On our way back we came across the Wild dogs still in front of the lodge, resting up after their intense morning.

In the afternoon we went in search of elephants. We received word of  a small herd in the western sectors, so we headed off to see if we could find them. We arrived in time to see three massive elephant bulls work together to pull down a large Marula tree, which they then fed on for some time. One of the bulls was in musth and displayed a distinct dislike for one of the other males, who eventually moved off to feed elsewhere. The antagonist was clearly the heavyweight of the three, and the obvious favourite should a fight have broken out. Fortunately things ended peacefully, as the elephant in musth relaxed considerably as soon as the other bull moved off.

We came across the Styx pride in the eastern sectors, and watched as the cubs played in the cool evening. A little further along we found two rhinos grazing contentedly on the nutrient rich summer grass, and on our way back to the lodge we bumped into two large buffalo bulls ambling casually across our airstrip. What a way to end a fantastic day’s game viewing.

Monday

Wild dogs chase Salayexe up a tree by Susan Simoneau (guest)

This morning got off to a great start when we found the four Styx lionesses and their five cubs to the east of the lodge. Even at a distance it was clear that their bellies were full. After leaving them we headed west and came across Ntima and the ‘orange-eyed’ male leopard walking along together. We were lucky enough see the couple mate briefly, before they disappeared into some thick bush where we couldn’t follow.

A call then came through on the radio that there were Wild dogs west of the lodge. There was no way we were going to miss out on that sighting, so we headed off at a clip to see if we could find them. We arrived to find that the pack had chased Salayexe into a tree and were harassing her from below. After a while the dogs lost interest, and as soon as they moved off the female leopard hurried down the tree and hightailed it out of the area.

The plan for the afternoon was to find some elephants, and as luck would have it there was a herd playing in a waterhole north of the lodge. It is always a real treat to see the calves enjoying the water as much as they do. We then decided to head east and see if we could relocate the two leopards from this morning. On our way there we came across two old buffalo bulls lazing in some water in a bid to cool down. They kept dunking their noses in the water to get rid of the flies that were plagueing them. Continuing on from there, fresh rhino tracks led us to find four rhinos sleeping in a nearby wallow. We then decided to stop for sundowners before continuing our search for Ntima and her new beau.

When we found Ntima and Kwatile, they were both trying to curry favour with the ‘orange-eyed’ male. We watched as the two performed a whole song and dance for him, but he wasn’t all that interested. Although the females stayed well clear of one another, that didn’t stop them from hissing, spitting and growling their displeasure at the other’s presence.

Tuesday

Kahuma male lion by Susan Simoneau (guest)

This morning we discovered a brand new hyena den close to the lodge. When we first got there two large females were resting around a termite mound, so we waited to see if there were any little ones in the vicinity. After quite some time a tiny black head popped out of one of the holes. The little guy eventually decided that it was safe and came out to join his mother. We watched for a while, but when the baby went back inside we decided to move on and leave the hyenas to themselves. The only other sighting for the morning was of the two Kahuma male lions. The boys had travelled a fair distance during the night, so by the time we got to them they were both fast asleep.

Three rhinos were wallowing in a pan close to the lodge this afternoon, and a little while later two buffalo bulls arrived in the area as well. The bovines weren’t all that thrilled at the idea of sharing the water with the rhino however, and only came closer once the other herbivores had moved off. We spent the remainder of the afternoon with a large herd of about 60 elephants, all of whom were extremely relaxed. With everything from large bulls to tiny calves, it was a truly remarkable sighting to take in. After drinks we bumped into Nduna, one of our young male leopards, but unfortunately we weren’t able to stay with him for very long as he soon cut into some impenetrable vegetation.

Wednesday

This morning we found three of the Styx lionesses walking with intent along a road. There were no cubs in sight either, which meant the females were definitely on the prowl. On leaving them we followed up on some Vervet monkeys that were alarm-calling, and found Mvula walking along the road marking his territory. He eventually moved off into some thick brush, leaving us to continue our drive. We came across some very fresh rhino tracks, which led us to a horned trio feeding on a small open area just meters from the vehicle.

It was extremely hot when we set out this afternoon, so we decided to drive from waterhole to waterhole to see what we could find. Our efforts paid off when we arrived to find four buffalo bulls wallowing in the water. Francolins alarm-calling then alterted us to Nduna, who was also making his way towards the waterhole. We moved on from there to follow up on the Styx females from this morning. They were all fast asleep though, so we didn’t stay with them for long.

Thursday

After following his tracks this morning, we found Jordaan drinking at a small dam. He then disappeared into a thicket behind the dam wall, but we outsmarted him by looping around to find him drinking at a muddy pool. Karol’s two cubs were playing around another dam in the north. The curious young male ventured alarmingly close to a small crocodile in the water.

On our afternoon drive we found a group of elephants at a muddy pool. One female proceeded to spray herself with mud very close to the vehicle. She was so vigorous in her efforts that some of the guests got splattered in the process. We then went north again, where we found Karula with her cubs. We followed them for a long time as they played and made their way towards the northern boundary.

Friday

Things took some time to get going this morning, but we eventually found three rhinos resting in one of the drainage lines. Other than that, all we managed was a quick glimpse of Mvula before he disappeared into an area where we could not follow.

This afternoon was quiet in terms of cats, although the abundance of herbivores more than made up for the lack of perdators. We came across rhino, buffalo and elephants hanging around the waterholes, where they were drinking and wallowing to cool off.

Saturday

This morning we found some rhino tracks, which led us to a rhino cow and her calf drinking water at a mud wallow. A big bull was harassing the female, but she just kept snorting at him to show him that he wasn’t welcome. While we were watching the rhinos we heard some buffalo and decided to follow up. We didn’t have to go very far before we found ten buffalo bulls walking towards the same mud wallows that we’d just came from. We then returned to the waterhole and watched as they enjoyed a good soak.

Later we found Thandi and her cub in a tree with a kill. The sighting wasn’t all that great when we first got there, but then the cub dragged the carcass to a different tree before disappering into some thickets. Mom wasn’t at all fazed by her offspring’s shenanigans however, preferring instead to have a nap alongside our vehicle.

This afternoon was hot, so we decided to check the waterholes again. They didn’t disappoint either. Three buffalo bulls and three rhinos were all wallowing together at the same waterhole, so we spent a long time watching them enjoy the coolness of the water and mud on their backs. We ended our drive with Thandi and her cub, who were posing on a termite mound. What a great afternoon.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Remember to visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

Bateleur or Short-tailed eagle by Susan Simoneau (guest)

Sunday

Happy New Year everyone, we wish you all a great year! Let’s hope the animal sightings are as good this year as they were in 2011.

Things got off to a quick start this morning when we found tracks of a lioness going past the front of the lodge. We soon caught up with the lone Tsalala lioness on the airstrip, whose belly indicated that a hearty meal had been enjoyed during the night. As soon as the sun came out she found a nice shady spot and promptly fell fast asleep. We also came across one of our territorial rhino bulls sleeping on the road. It seems as if everyone was intent on chillaxing on this first morning of 2012.

It was extremely hot this afternoon, so we did what we always do when the mercury rises, we went to check on the waterholes. Our efforts were well rewarded! A large herd of about 40 elephants was drinking at one pan, while some rhino and buffalo were wallowing together at another. We were also lucky enough to find Karula resting on a termite mound. She posed beautifully for us, and we managed to get some incredible shots of her in the fading light.

We were just about to call it a day when we ran into the remaining three young Tsalala lionesses. They were on the open area in front of the lodge, making their way towards their lost sister. Unfortunately they came across a herd of waterbuck just before they got to the airstrip, which resulted in them changing direction and not finding their missing sibling.

Monday

Dark mane Majingilane male by Susan Simoneau (guest)

For most people monday mornings are generally a muted affair, but for us it was adrenalin-packed with predators aplenty! We found the pack of nine Wild dogs in the northern sectors, where they were taking down impala lambs with their usual speed and precision. These endangered animals are widely regarded as Africa’s finest and most successful hunters. Their tactic is to ambush and surprise the impala, their prey of choice. The mere sight of the pack is enough to send the terrified buck fleeing in all different directions, which is exactly what the Wild dogs want. They spread out immediately, and in just a few short minutes will have laid claim to as many as three or four impala. This is what guests were privy to on this Monday morning! It was a real treat to watch, albeit at the expense of the impala herd.

We also saw the Styx pride strutting their stuff along with the dark-maned Majingilane male lion. After finishing off their nightly shenanigans (patrolling and hunting), they settled in the Tamboti tree-lined thicket close to a dam in our eastern traversing area. The three Tsalala lionesses also found themselves a nice shady spot near a dam, which happened to be not far from where the Styx pride had settled. On our way back to camp we stoped to watch three big male elephants feeding. They were completely oblivious to the predators in the area, not that they would have cared had they known mind you.

First off this afternoon we had a wonderful sighting of three buffalo bulls cooling off in a waterhole. Many of the guests commented that lying in the cool shallow water with a couple buddies seemed like a great way to spend a hot summer afternoon. A little further on from the buffalo, we came across a herd of impala casually grazing on the lush green grass that covered a large open area. While watching the impala we spotted Nduna doing the same, although his intentions were very different from ours. We were very excited to see him, as sightings of this male leopard have been few and far between since he started making moves to vacate his mom’s territory. Still relatively inexperienced, it was fascinating to watch him calculate his every move in order to catch himself a meal. We made sure to stay far enough that we wouldn’t interfere with his hunting endeavours, but unfortunately the ever alert impala spotted him anyway, alarm-called, and then moved off to enjoy the rest of their day. For young leopards, every hunt, successful or not, is a great opportunity to hone their skills.

The Styx pride and dark-maned Majingilane male were still lying under the cool shade of the Tamboti trees where we left them this morning. We stayed with them until dusk, when we had the pleasure of watching them slowly wake up and enjoy a good stretch. After heading down to the dam for a cool drink of water, they then set out on their nightly patrols. A magnificent end to a jam-packed day.

Tuesday

Xivambalana by Susan Simoneau (guest)

We were watching a herd of 30 buffalo sleeping on the airstrip this morning when we received news that there were Wild dogs on the open area in front of the lodge. Dogs trump bovines, so we sped off in the hopes of witnessing a hunt (there’d been a large herd of impala in the vicinity earlier). We were out of luck however, as the buck had since moved off. We did get to see the dogs though, which is always a real treat.

On leaving them we decided to go in search of some elephants, and found two bulls splashing themselves with mud at a small waterhole. From there we went east, where we were fortunate enough to see some great interaction between the Styx lionesses and Majingilane male as they stalked a herd of buffalo. The vigilant buffalo quickly picked up on the scent of the lions though, and in one swift motion turned on their would-be attackers like a tank brigade, causing them to beat a hasty retreat. Buffalo 1 – Lions 0. Just before heading back for breakfast we came across Karula and her young male cub, Xivambalana.

Our mission for the afternoon drive was to find a rhino (or two or three), and as luck would have it we discovered three of them wallowing in a shallow mud pool. On leaving them we rounded a corner and found two buffalo bulls also cooling off in a waterhole. With the requisite herbivore sightings under the belt, we moved on to see what we could find in the way of predators. Luck was on our side yet again, as we spotted Nduna lying in some thick brush in the same area. The Wild dogs were also seen again, this time further east of the lodge, while the lions were still in the same area as this morning.

Wednesday

The drive got of to a slow start this morning, but once things picked the spotlight was focused firmly on the cats. First we managed to find Karula’s youngsters, Xivambalana and Xivindzi. The brother and sister were in a playful mood, keeping us thoroughly entertained as they chased and stalked one another all over the place. He got a bit rough at one point, but she had no problem putting him in his place. We eventually moved on and found the three young Tsalala lionesses resting in the shade, in preparation for what was already a very warm day.

With the weather being what it was, we headed straight to the waterholes this afternoon to see if anyone had come down for a drink or wallow. We soon found a herd of buffalo bulls wallowing alongside a lone rhino cow. The lionesses had barely moved, so we didn’t stay with them for very long. After taking in a breathtaking sunset, we headed off to see if we could find the leopard cubs again. We searched for ages and were just about to give up, when finally discovered Karula, her present cubs, Xivambalana and Xivindzi, and their older brother Nduna. Mom was decidedly unimpressed by Nduma’s presence though, and snarled and hissed at him whenever he tried to follow them. He eventually got the message and moved off.

Thursday

Wild dogs playing by Susan Simoneau (guest)

After enjoying so many amazing sightings of the rare and endangered Wild dog over the past few days, we couldn’t believe our luck when we found them yet again! Heading out on a fairly crisp summer morning, we had our sights set on the eastern sectors of our traversing area. We were treated to an abundance of spectacular birdlife along the way.

Yellow-billed hornbills eagerly snapped up the insects a Dwarf mongoose had disturbed while foraging. The two species enjoy a symbiotic relationship, where the hornbills alert the mongoose to any potential threats, and the dwarf mongoose in turn flush out a smogasboard of insects for the birds to feast upon.

We received a call that the nine strong pack of Wild dogs was on the move and looking for breakfast! They were quite far away though, so we had to (reluctantly) bypass browsing giraffe and grazing zebra en route. It turned out that the dogs had surrounded a lone bushbuck male. Bushbuck thrive in thick bush, on top of which they have very sharp horns and a temperament to match. Suffice it to say they are not shy of standing their ground.

In the end the plucky antelope still came off second best, and after a rather bumpy ride we arrived just in time to witness these super predators rip apart and consume their prize in a mere 15 minutes. It was definitely not a sighting for the faint-hearted, but sitting in the shade of a Bushwillow and waching the dogs eating and playing tug-of-war with the bushbuck skin was quite something to behold.

Life in the bush can seem brutal, but at the end of the day the aim of the game is survival. Seeing it up close and personal still takes some getting used to though. On our way back to the lodge we decided that we needed a more peaceful sighting to end the drive off with, so we made our way back to the browsing giraffe that we’d bypassed earlier.

In the afternoon we focused our efforts on the herbivores. We spent a good half an hour watching three massive rhinos grazing on the Jackelberry and Apple-leaf trees that laced the river line. The low-lying river lines are laden with clay soil, which holds more water and is also more nutrient rich, making for much greener and tastier grass. The rhinos were absolutely loving it! We felt completely invisible in our vehicle as these huge beasts concentrated on the task at hand, barely lifting their heads to take note of their surroundings. Next we spent some time with a small group of buffalo bulls that were grazing on the longer grass that they prefer.

On our way back to the lodge we spotted a very relaxed slender mongoose. They’re easy to identify, as they run with their bodies almost completely parallel to the ground and their tales end in a definite black tip. They’re not as easy to spot however, as they tend to dart off into the long grass at the the first sign of danger. These feisty little predators are predominantly insectivorous, but aren’t adverse to eating ground-dwelling birds, frogs, and even snakes when the opportunity presents itself. We enjoy spending time with some of the lesser-known predators, as they play an important role in the bush’s various ecosystems.

Friday

This morning started off with a big herd of elephants not too far north of the lodge. After spending some time with them we then moved east, where we found the Wild dogs lying on one of the main entrance roads. Bellies very full and fast asleep, they weren’t bothered by us at all. We set off in a southerly direction from there, and picked up on some lion tracks which led us to the Styx pride, including the five cubs, sleeping at a small waterhole. All in all, not a bad morning.

This afternoon we came across Karula’s female cub, Xivindzi, walking along the road stalking some birds. We left her when she moved off into some thick brush where we couldn’t follow. We found Mvula sleeping in a dry riverbed, and once he woke up we spent most of the afternoon watching him stalk a big herd of impala. Unfortunately the astute buck spotted their predator and proceeded to tease him. We also came across two old buffalo bulls wallowing in some cool mud.

Saturday

Leopard was on the wish list this morning, so when we heard that tracks of a big male had been found we immediately headed into the area. Before long we’d managed to locate Mvula, who was in the process of checking and scent marking his ever expanding territory. Coffee was next on our agenda, but we arrived to find that our chosen spot had already been commandeered by the entire Styx pride and one of the Majingilane males. They’d been in the area since the day before, so it came as quite a surprise to see that they hadn’t moved off yet.

The wind picked up a fair bit this afternoon, and there was promise of rain in the air. Rhino tracks heading in the direction of a drainage line led us to a male, two cows and a calf. Mvula joined us a little while later, and watched the herbivores from his vantage point on the bank above them. Unfortunatley he then moved deeper into the drainage, where we couldn’t follow. The sun snuck out just long enough for us to watch it set, and during that magical time of day when the light turns a golden hue, we found Xivindzi posing on a large mound. After taking some great photos we headed back for a well-deserved break.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Remember to visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

African sunset by Ryan Johnston

Note: Although we have used this photo before, it seemed a fitting image to head up our last post for the year!

Sunday

First off this morning we happened upon two elephant bulls feeding on the eastern side of our airstrip. We spent some time watching as they tucked into the dew-laden grass, before moving west across our airstrip. A little further north we came across another five elephants also enjoying their breakfast. Heading northeast, we were treated to a wonderful sighting of Xivambalana and Xivindzi, Karula’s two sub-adult leopard cubs. The siblings were playing a game of tag on a fallen Wild teak tree, providing us with some amazing photographic opportunities in the process. We looked on in delight as the youngsters showed off their agility and balancing skills. Xivindzi put an end to their antics when she spotted some Dwarf mongooses hiding under a bush however. She dove into the bush in an attempt to catch them, but the lucky critters managed to escape unharmed.

From there we went south and came across the herd of buffalo that has been hanging around our sectors for the past few days. The bovines were slowly coming to life, and after a good stretch headed off to a nearby dam for a drink of water. There were a few very old male buffalo bringing up the rear.

In the afternoon we came across a small herd of buffalo bulls seeking respite from the heat in some smaller pans of water. A little way south we saw a small group of elephants also enjoying a much-needed drink of water. Some of the younger elephants decided that it would be a good idea to have a wrestling match in the middle of the waterhole, which was really entertaining to watch.

We stumbled across the Styx pride just as the sun was setting. With the perfect afternoon light, and younger pride members in a playful mood, the guests managed to take some great photographs. The adults lay on their backs with their white bellies facing skywards, oblivious to what was going on around them.

On our way back we saw two rhinos enjoying the cooler evening temperatures, as they grazed peacefully on some lush green grass. We were almost home when we spotted the lone Tsalala lioness stalking a group of impalas just east of the lodge. We sat in the darkness and watched as this young lioness stalked after her quarry with great stealth. She made her move, but this time the vigilant impala spotted her in time to make their getaway. What a fantastic way to end an amazing day.

Monday

Jordaan by Susan Simoneau (guest)

We kicked the morning off with a breeding herd of elephants feeding down in one of the drainage lines. Unfortunately we couldn’t follow them for long as the rain from the past few days made the soil very wet and difficult to traverse. We watched them until they moved away, and then headed off to see what else we could find.

Three rhinos in a mud wallow right next to the road were busy caking themselves in fresh mud, which was good fun to watch. After our coffee break we found the remains of a female impala up a tree. We eventually managed to locate Jordaan, one of our large males, resting in a thicket. He looked well fed and decidedly pleased with his shady spot, so we decided to leave him to rest and rather come back again in the evening when there’d be more chance of finding him feeding.

The afternoon got off to a quick start. We found a large elephant bull on the airstrip, and watched as the big guy all but inhaled the short sweet grass growing alongside the strip. Hearing baboons alarm calling, we immediately set off to investigate. We discovered one of the young Tsalala lionesses stalking a family of warthogs! But before she could get close enough a waterbuck bull spotted her and sounded the alarm, sending everyone except the predator scattering in different directions.

We found the three rhinos from the morning drive wallowing at another pan, this time accompanied by a couple of buffalo bulls. After sunset we decided to see if Jordaan had woken up. When we first arrived all we could see was that the kill was gone. We eventually found the big guy, but he didn’t seem too happy and soon moved away. We weren’t able to follow him up the steep bank, so instead we decided to see if we could find out what had him so disgruntled. It turned out to be Ntima and an unknown male, who were both at the base of the tree where the kill had been. The male showed no interested in Ntima’s advances, and promptly went up the tree and went to sleep.

Tuesday

This morning we watched the sun rise in the company of four large elephants feeding quietly around us. We then received a call that the two male cheetahs were close to the Kruger National Park boundary. By the time we arrived the boys were lazing in their favourite resting spot, so we had ample opportunity to view them. Next we were lucky enough to find Mvula and Ostrich Kopjies together. When we first got there Mvula was taking a well-deserved break in a tree, while his energetic lady friend waited impatiently below. As soon as he came down she began flirting and presenting herself to him, and before long the two were mating.

In the afternoon we headed in the direction of a few waterholes. Pretty soon both rhino and buffalo arrived to enjoy a wallow in the afternoon heat. Moving on from there we came across a warthog family. Only once we’d stopped did we notice Jordaan stalking them. He burst from cover and managed to grab one of the smaller piglets. As soon as she heard the distress calls of the youngster, the sow turned and charged the leopard. She hit him at full speed, the jolt of which sent him flying. He managed to hold onto his kill though, and quickly disappeared into the dense bush. Leaving behind one angry warthog mother and a vehicle full of gaping onlookers.

We decided to break for sundowners to calm down, and then headed off to see the two Kahuma brothers that had been found on a female buffalo kill.  When we first arrived only one male was feeding, but the other soon joined him at the dinner table. We sat and watched as the lions tucked into their dinner, and then returned to the lodge to enjoy ours.

Wednesday

A wake of White-backed vultures resting on a dead Knob thorn acacia was our first sighting of the morning. We watched with interest as the large raptors waited patiently for the thermals to pick up so they could look for food from a more convenient vantage point. Heading east to check our airstrip, we came across a large obstinacy of buffalo lying smack-bang in the middle of it! The Red-billed oxpeckers kept us engrossed as they picked the ticks off their free rides. Unconcerned, the buffalo ruminated lazily in the cool morning air.

We received a call over the radio that Salayexe, our western territorial female leopard, had been spotted. We headed west and found her casually strolling between the Marula trees, scent marking to demarcate her territory. Fork-tailed drongos and Yellow-billed hornbills sounded the alarm with gusto when they spotted her.

A roll of thunder heralded the start of the afternoon drive. The clouds were dark and ominous when we set off, so we prepared for the inevitable by carting mounds of rain gear along with us. It seemed as if the thunder had made all the animals disappear, as we hardly even saw impala on our way north. A short while later we came across three rhinos, and at that moment the heavens opened! We were just in time to see the large herbivores grazing, before the low visibility transformed them into ‘wet statues’. The rain pelted us as we raced back to camp.

Thursday

Thandi with her male cub by Susan Simoneau (guest)

This morning we found a herd of about 150 buffalo resting on the airstrip. We decided to stay and watch the sunrise with them, although they just ruminated through the entire event. We then ran into a large herd of elephants, and straight away noticed that something was amiss. The herd stopped and listened for a moment, before rushing off at top speed. About a minute or so later two huge bulls in full musth came bursting out of the bush, one chasing the other. The females had obviously heard them coming and decided to get themselves and their calves out of harm’s way.

Next we came across Karula’s two cubs, Xivindzi and Xivambalana. The two were full of energy, chasing and stalking one another for quite some time. Xivambalana eventually found a small tortoise, and that’s when the fun and games ended, because he wouldn’t let his sister anywhere near it. They eventually dropped out of sight into a deep drainage line, so we left them to their sibling rivalry.

The afternoon got off to a quick start when one of the rangers spotted Thandi and her male cub on one of the large open areas. Tracks on the road indicated that she was backtracking, so we were certain that she was leading him to a kill. We followed, and just as we’d suspected, she finally came to a stop at a young impala kill. Unfortunately it was down in a deep eroded section, so we decided to return again in the morning to see if she’d taken the kill up a tree.

We then tracked and eventually located the two young Kahuma male lions resting in the shade of a large Marula tree, their stomachs still bulging nicely from the buffalo they had finished off the day before. We spotted rhino, buffalo and elephant, and then decided it was time to stop for sundowners. As we got going again we received news that a pack of nine Wild dogs had been seen. The hunt started just as we arrived at the sighting, and we watched the dogs kill and devour two young impalas right in front of us. The speed of these animals is quite something to behold. It soon got dark though, and as we don’t use spotlights on the dogs at night, we headed back to the lodge. Everyone was very happy with the afternoon’s viewing.

Friday

Wild dogs by Susan Simoneau (guest)

The weekend could not have gotten off to a better start. We saw the two Kahuma males fast asleep near a crossing just a few hundred meters west of our lodge. The pack of nine Wild dogs was spotted in our eastern traversing area where they were causing havoc in the impala herd, chasing the lambs and catching a few here and there. Not far from where the Wild dogs were, we noticed Jordaan, our northern male leopard, patrolling the southern part of his territory. Thandi and her one-year-old male cub were feeding on what was left of the impala kill. They were both at the top of a Jackelberry tree, which provided guests with an awesome opportunity to snap some decent pics of the leopard pair. We ended the morning off with a humorous sighting of three rhinos blocking the road. They looked like massive concrete blocks with three horns sticking out! The diversity of the morning’s viewing was complemented with some fantastic sightings of the endangered Saddle-billed stork.

Friday afternoon saw the mercury rise to a whopping 34 degrees Celsius! It was HOT! We watched with envy as an elephant bull splashed in the shallows of pan, which was nice and full after all the rain. Fixated on the task of building their respective nests, the Lesser-masked and Red-billed buffalo weaverbirds were completely oblivious to this grey giant splashing about in the cool water.

Not far from there, a small herd of six elephants were lunching on the soft green grass, as well as pretty much anything else that lay in their path. The elephant bull left the waterhole to join up with his herd members, and as soon as he did ten old buffalo bulls came through the Red-spike thorn thicket to have their turn in the water. The evening came quickly, bringing welcome relief from the heat. We ended off the day watching the two Kahuma males grooming each other in the cool summer evening.

Saturday

The last morning drive for 2011. A year filled with much joy, and sadness too, as is so often the case in the bush. Hopefully we can end this year on a high note! While we were having our ‘wake up’ coffee in the lounge this morning, we heard lions roaring east of the lodge. We decided to see if we could locate them, and were in luck because we soon came across some tracks to follow. Before long we found three Styx lionesses with one of their cubs. One of the Majingilane males was walking along the road, and they all appeared to have full bellies. We moved from there to follow up on some tracks of a big buffalo herd that had moved in from the north. We soon spotted the bovines resting at a waterhole. But by then we’d run out of time, and just like that our last morning drive for the year came to an end.

If this morning was anything to go by, the afternoon was sure to fly past. We decided to follow up on the lions from this morning, but thought that would be best left for later when the day had cooled down. And so we set off on our last afternoon drive for 2011. The guests were keen on seeing some rhino, so we spent a fair amount of time following fresh tracks. We eventually discovered three very relaxed rhinos feeding in the shade of a dry riverbed. After viewing them for a while we decided to move on and enjoy a celebratory sundowner. With a picture perfect sunset to marvel at, and a cold beverage to sip, we listened to hyena calling in the distance. A Side-striped jackal soon joined the chorus, creating a typical late afternoon African scene. From there we headed off to see if the lions had roused themselves from their afternoon siesta yet. We were in luck, as we arrived to find all five quenching their thirst at a nearby waterhole.

Moving south, we were alerted by some impala that there was some sort of predator in the area. We soon found the ‘orange eyed’ male leopard stalking some newborn impala, albeit without success. Eventually it was time for us to move on and let the old year be. We hope 2011 has been good to you, and wish you everything of the best for the one ahead. For those of you planning to visit us, we look forward to welcoming you.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Remember to visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

Big elephant cow by Susan Simoneau (guest)

Sunday

Although this morning was fairly quiet, we did manage to find the two Kahuma lionesses and their two cubs feeding on a giraffe. The afternoon drive was considerably more rewarding however. We saw a male rhino and an elephant bull, and we also ran into an impressive herd of about 200 buffalo. We went back to the lions and found that the two Kahuma males had since joined their sisters, and were feeding amiably alongside them. We were surprised to find them there as they have been on their own for quite some time now. The females and cubs seemed comfortable enough with them, and no aggression was displayed by any of the parties either. We ended the drive with a nervous and shy young male leopard on a young wildebeest kill close to the lodge.

Monday

It was already very warm by the time we set out on drive this morning. We bumbled along slowly, stopping to admire some White-backed vultures resting in the early morning light. They were waiting for the thermals to pick up so they could start searching for food. Sightings were great. We came across the Kahuma lion pride enjoying the warm early morning sunlight. The cubs stretched and played, while the adults looked on lazily. We also came across a small parade of elephants enjoying the lush foliage in a river crossing. The Fork-tailed drongos eagerly snatched up the insects that filled the air as a result of the elephants’ foraging. A little further along we bumped into six buffalo bulls enjoying the lush and abundant green grass. Giraffe sightings were equally splendid. We spent a good thirty minutes watching these long-necked giants browsing on Knob-thorn acacia leaves. We ended the day off with a glimpse of a male leopard moving stealthily along the drainage lines in some very thick bush.

Tuesday

This morning got off to a rather quick start, as we woke up to find three of the Tsalala lionesses resting on the open area in front of the lodge. It was apparent from their nice full bellies that they had killed something in the early hours of the morning. After leaving them we bumped into three rhinos grazing quietly together. Mvula was resting in a large tree with a young impala kill. We watched in awe as the big guy ate his fill, and then splayed out on a branch and instantly fell fast asleep.

It was very hot this afternoon, so it took a while for things to get going. But once they did we were literally inundated with animals. Rhino, buffalo and elephants all made their way to the various waterholes and pans for a late afternoon drink and wallow. The three Tsalala lionesses were still fast asleep on the open area, and just as it started getting dark we discovered three leopards together. The new young male with orange eyes, and two females, Ntima and Kwatile. Ntima was right up with the male, and looked very keen on mating. He was having none of it however, and kept trying to walk around her. Kwatile watched the goings-on from a safe distance, preferring to avoid the larger female as far as possible.

Wednesday

Mafufunyane feeding on a water monitor by Susan Simoneau (guest)

This morning we found the two Kahuma male lions sleeping close to the kill, although by then there was nothing left of the giraffe apart from a few small bones. We found the females and cubs as well, but they were resting quite far east from the males. It seems that their reunion was short-lived. We also came across Mafufunyane. He is still in very bad shape and we aren’t sure if he will recover.

This afternoon we found a group of three rhinos and two buffalo bulls. We also saw a herd of 25 elephants and a large herd of buffalo. The two Kahuma lionesses and their two cubs were sleeping in the same place as this morning. There was no sign of the two males however, confirming our suspicions that the get-together was only temporary. Shortly before returning to the lodge we came across Jordaan wandering about close to the airstrip.

Thursday

What a start to the morning! We’d barely left the lodge when we were intercepted by two of the Majingilane males. Their massive manes still damp from walking through the dew-laden grass. These two big males were ending off their nightly patrol, so we followed them from a distance, watching as they moved silently through the bush. After a few kilometres they met up with one of their brothers, the third member of the four-strong coalition. With the necessary greetings out the way, the trio settled down beneath an evergreen Guarrie bush to do what lions do best…sleep!

The afternoon was fully loaded, with some really fantastic sightings. These included a female leopard doing a spot of scent marking while out on territorial patrol, some rhinos, and an abundance of elephants enjoying the summer grass and foliage on the Marula laden crests. All in all…yet another superb day of game viewing in the Sabi Sand.

Friday

Styx cub feeding by Susan Simoneau (guest)

We enjoyed another quick start to the morning when we discovered the two Kahuma lionesses and their two cubs on the airstrip. It seemed only fitting that we watch the sunrise with them. Much to the cubs’ amazement, a large rhino bull came wandering past. They literally gaped in awe at the behemoth herbivore. We then got word that the Styx pride was with the Dark-mane Majingilane on a recently killed female buffalo in the eastern sector. We arrived to find only two of the cubs feeding, as all the others had already gorged themselves and were resting in the shade. On our way back west we found Mafufunyane resting in the drainage line close to where we saw him yesterday afternoon. He didn’t look well at all, so we left the old man to himself. A herd of elephants and some buffalo bulls also made an appearance as we headed home.

After a bit of rain during the day, and the promise of more to come, game viewing was a little more challenging this afternoon. Althoug we did manage to find a herd of elephants enjoying a mud wallow in one of the drainage lines, destroying one of our roads in the process mind you. Next we bumped into Karula, one of our female leopards. She was clearly unimpressed with the wet weather, and had rolled herself up into a tight ball in an effort to keep dry. We also watched a large herd of buffalo coming down to one of the larger dams to drink. We didn’t stay with them for long though, as it started raining quite hard, sending us scurrying back to the lodge for cover.

Saturday

Xivambalana and Xivindzi playing by Susan Simoneau (guest)

This morning we went back to the buffalo kill, but only one of the Styx females was present. She’d been left behind to guard the carcass against a solitary hyena and a whole bunch of vultures. A second hyena eventually arrived on the scene, and the lioness decided to err on the side of caution and abandon the remains. As soon as she moved off the loitering scavengers tucked in.

In the afternoon we saw a large rhino bull and then later, another two buffalo bulls. The Styx lionesses and their five cubs were sleeping quite far south from where they had killed the buffalo. We ended the drive with Karula and her two cubs. Mom was sleeping, but Xivambalana and Xivindzi were both wide awake, playing and chasing each other up and down trees. A very special sighting.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Remember to visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

Jason Bagg (ranger) and Chris Khoza (tracker) with cheetah by Phillip Wessels

Monday

The week got off to a fairly quiet start, with us finding only three buffalo bulls to begin with. We persevered though, and our efforts paid off when we eventually came across Mvula resting next to the road. After a while he got up and wandered around in a thick dry riverbed, affording first time safari goers a unique look at this often elusive cat.

Things heated up nicely in the afternoon. We had three different rhino bull sightings and one of a buffalo bull. The four Styx lionesses were out and about with their five cubs, so we spent a nice amount of time watching them. From there we headed east, arriving just in time to see the two male cheetahs making their way towards the Kruger National Park boundary. On our way back to the lodge we ran into Mvula again, this time at a small watering hole.

Tuesday

We awoke to a fine drizzle this morning, although it did nothing to dampen our spirits. We were intent on finding the Styx pride again, and we weren’t about to let a bit of wet weather deter us. We found the big elephant bull that’s been hanging around the lodge recently on our driveway, and as soon as he gave way we set off on our quest to relocate yesterday’s lions. On the way we came across a big rhino bull grazing lazily alongside the road. We left the big guy to himself, and pretty soon found the lion tracks we’d been hoping for. A call came in saying that one of the females had been seen moving north, but in the meantime we’d discovered more tracks leading south. We immediately set off on foot to follow up, not realizing that the lioness had since turned around and was heading straight back towards us. The strong smell of a recent kill permeated the air, and before long we got wind of the lions. We quickly returned to the waiting guests to relay the exciting news. We were able to get a lot closer to the sighting in the vehicle, and saw the four Styx lionesses and their five cubs all together on a buffalo kill. It was quite something to watch, as the youngest cub actually climbed right inside the carcass to feed. Each time it emerged covered in blood, its mom would give it a thorough going over.

In the afternoon we returned to the buffalo carcass to see what was going on. We arrived in the area to find fresh leopard tracks and decided to follow up. It was too risky to follow up on foot as we’d run into a breeding herd of elephants, so we decided that since they were there we might as well enjoy them, figuring we could always follow up on the leopard later. The herd was feeding amiably right next to our vehicle, when much to our amazement the leopard we’d been tracking popped out inbetween the elephants and casually moved past them, before disappearing into the bush. It turned out to be Ntima, and we’re pleassed to report that she is looking much better after her recent mating sessions with the unknown ‘orange eyed’ male. The wound in her neck is healing well too. When we eventually arrived at the lions they were all dead to the world, their bellies full to bursting from their morning of feasting. The drive ended with an impressive 16 buffalo and three rhinos all together at the same waterhole, which made for some interesting interaction.

Wednesday

Keen to see if there was anything left of it, we decided to make the Styx pride’s buffalo kill our first port of call this morning. En route to the east we saw a fair amount of general game in the form of giraffe, impala and kudus. We even spotted a few migrant raptors, including the Wahlsberg eagle, which hails from east Africa and sometimes as far as the Middle East. Instead of the expected Styx pride, we came across the young Nkahuma lion male, and he was looking decidedly ‘short-changed’. He’d obviously chased the Styx females and their youngsters off so that he could grab himself a free meal, but all that was left on the carcass was a few shreds of meat and skin. We eventually found the Styx pride a few hundred meters south of the kill. They were all passed out on their backs, breathing heavily as a result of their over-stuffed stomachs. They spent the entire day in some shade close to a waterhole, so they could quench their thirst without having to move too far. We saw three rhinos not too far from them, and that evening we came across Mafufunyane’s nemesis, the unidentified young male with the haunting eyes. While most leopards have characteristically greenish-blue eyes, this guy’s are a strange orange colour. He is a photographer’s dream, and we are looking forward to seeing more of him. Something that will probably happen sooner rather than later, as Mafufunyane appears to have lost his grip on all of his old territories.

Thursday

This morning we found the four Styx lionesses and their cubs again. We were happy to see that the dark maned Majingilane male had since joined them, and they were all resting peacefully together. We also saw a group of three rhinos, and a massive elephant bull was loitering at our dam.

In the afternoon we saw a lone elephant bull at the airstrip, and later on ran into a rhino bull, followed by a group of four rhinos. Next we went looking for the lions, and found all of them resting in the same area as this morning. Shortly before sunset we found Jordaan. He was more relaxed than usual, and even allowed us to watch as he drank from a small pool of water. We left him to himself when he went into a dense thicket for a snooze.

Friday

Wild dog with impala lamb by Phillip Wessels

This morning our ‘resident’ elephant bull was hanging around the waterhole again. What a great way to start the morning. We headed to the east next, and found one of the Majingilane male lions with one of the Styx lionesses. The pair was close to where the rest of the pride had been yesterday, and paid us no attention whatsoever. A call then came through on the radio that there were 18 Wild dogs not far east from where we were. The sighting was fairly brief as the pack was moving north at a pace, but it was great to see them again nonetheless. On leaving them we found the Styx pride and their cubs playing lazily with each other close to our southern boundary.

Our elephant bull was still at the waterhole this afternoon. Ntima was scent marking her territory south of the airstrip, and four rhinos and fifteen buffalo bulls were all grazing together in a large open area. The size difference between these two species, as well as how peaceful they are in each other’s company, is quite something to behold. The lions were still in the same place we’d left them this morning, and we were fortunate enough to have the Majingilane male roar right next to our vehicle.

Saturday

The morning dawned wet and overcast, so sightings were few and far between to begin with, although things picked up when we discovered Ntima strutting her stuff along a game path. At this time of year there are impala lambs everywhere, so when a predator spots a herd of impala it will immediately go into stealth mode and try to sneak closer to its prey. But on this particularly wet morning, Ntima paid them (or anything else for that matter) no heed. Instead she seemed content to just casually scent mark her territory. The birdlife was prolific as always. We saw many European bee-eaters, Blue waxbills, and a rare Saddle-billed stork, which was a real treat. Even the non-birding folk were impressed by its stately presence! We found the Styx lioness and her beau, the Majingilane male, on the Wessels’ property, and we actually got to see the pair mating. This is always very special to see. We’d heard that a large obstinacy of Cape buffalo were on their way from the west, so we set off to find them. Unfortunately they turned north out of our traversing areas before we were able to get a good look at to them. We did get to see two massive bulls trailing the herd at a distance however, that is until they spotted a small dam and decided to relax in the mud for a while. Mvula showed face yet again. He’d killed a duiker and hoisted it up a Jackalberry tree situated in a breathtakingly beautiful riverine section, so we were all treated to a magnificent leopard sighting bathed in golden sunlight. Wow! We’re hoping that this beautiful male will decide to settle into his new territory. We also saw a trio of rhinos, as well as a large elephant that was quite close to the lodge. What a day!

Sunday

In complete contrast to yesterday morning, which was wet and relatively quiet, today was jam-packed with amazing sightings! In the morning we picked up tracks of a territorial rhino bull. They followed a muddy game drive road and then went through the wet grass, so locating this large pachyderm wasn’t difficult. We also found three elephant bulls grazing on soft wet grass close to our airstrip. A group of 10 buffalo bulls stared intently at us, as they enjoyed the cool fresh air that had arrived with the rains. The Styx lionesses were also lazing about, while their cubs spent their time play fighting and stalking, much to the guests’ deight. The Majingilane male took no notice of the gamboling youngsters, and instead just flopped on down on his side and fell fast asleep. The higlight of the day was seeing the newly territorial Thandi casually going about her evening, scent marking her territory. Inbetween taking photos of this princess leopard, guests had to vigilently dodge branches as Thandi followed a path of incredibly dense foliage laced with Green thorn trees and Large-fruited bushwillows. All in all an amazing end to the week.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week…and year! While it will be business as usual up at the lodge, the editing team is taking a breather until the New Year. You can look forward to your next update on Monday the 9th of January. Remember to visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

Armand “Mabonzo” Minnaar (ranger) & Roy Mkansi (tracker) with Wild dogs by Phillip Wessels

Sunday

This morning we found Thandi wandering around scent marking. She then turned her attention to a nearby duiker, and we watched as she patiently stalked her way closer to the unsuspecting buck. Unfortunately a band of Dwarf mongooses spotted her and sounded the alarm. We also came across Mafufunyane, who is still in a really in a bad state. Hopefully he will recover soon.

In the afternoon we tracked two bull elephants for a while before eventually finding the pair. Elephants are quite scarce at the moment, so we’re having to spend a lot of time tracking them as a result. We then set off to find some rhino, and were treated to three of them wallowing amiably together in a mud pool. On our way to enjoy our sundowners we came across Shadow hunting impala lambs on the airstrip. An impressive chase ensued, but the female leopard unfortunately missed her chance.

Monday

A blue-skied Monday proved to be a fantastic start to the week. We were fortunate enough to discover Ntima, our long standing territorial leopard in the south-eastern area, with an unidentified male leopard! Exciting news both for Ntima and us. It just goes to show the sheer magnitude of the greater Kruger National Park area. We are situated within such a vast reserve that we can’t possibly know all the predators that inhabit it. It was a super day as far lions sightings went too. We saw the young Styx male hanging around with the Tsalala girls on an open area known as ‘wet patch’. The group pretty much settled there for the better part of the day. We also saw a trio of white rhinos, as well ‘short-horn’, one of our territorial rhino bulls. Elephants and buffalo bulls ended off another perfect day in the bush.

Tuesday

We found the Styx male and four Tsalala lionesses again this morning, this time a little further east from where they were yesterday. We also saw three buffalo bulls and a rhino cow with her calf. Kurula’s two cubs spent their morning alternately resting and playing. There was no sign of mom however, so she must have been out hunting.

Our afternoon drive was very rewarding. We saw a herd of 20 elephants, a massive male rhino, and five buffalo bulls. The Styx male and Tsalala lionesses had since moved closer to the lodge, and were relaxing on the open area at our dam when we found them. We were also lucky enough to see two male cheetahs in the far east of the reserve.

Wednesday

The Styx lionesses drinking at the lodge waterhole by Phillip Wessels

We kicked off the morning drive with three rhinos wallowing peacefully together in one of the waterholes. After watching them for a while, we then moved on to see if we could find some leopards. We were in luck because Salayexe, the female leopard that usually hangs around in the west, was on an impala lamb kill. She provided us with some great viewing as she growled at the hyenas trying to get at her kill. After leaving her we received news on the radio that Mvula had been spotted mating with the Ostrich Kopjes female. We immediatley set off to see if we could find them, and it turned out to be worth the drive because it was a really great sighting. On our way back to the lodge we came across one of the Majingilane males with two of the Styx lionesses. Their bellies were full, so they had obviously just enjoyed a good meal. We then headed off to indulge in a hearty breakfast of our own.

We followed up on Salayexe and her kill this afternoon. She was still in the same place, but the sleepy cat didn’t even bother to lift her head when we arrived. Her belly was huge, although this wasn’t only because she’d been feeding. She is also heavily pregnant at the moment. Next we headed east to go and see what the lions were up to, but instead we were in for a treat of a different kind. Mafufunyane and Mvula were having a standoff close to one of the waterholes. Although there was no physical contact between the two, the sound of them growling at one another was quite something to behold.

They eventually went their separate ways, and that’s when Mvula found himself caught in the crossfire of a troop of baboons. They chased him for a while, but the wily leopard new better than to chance his luck with this lot. He quickly diappeared, leaving the troop still hurling insults at him. We were in the middle of this very entertaining sighting when a call came through telling us that Ntima and her unidentified beau were still mating. We left the disgruntled baboons and went to find the leopards instead.

The unknown male turned out to be the one with the big orange eyes that we’ve seen before. His strangely coloured eyes definitely give him a creepy quality. This is also the same guy that’s been pressuring Mafufunyane for his territory recently. The frequent mating had taken its toll on Ntima by then, as she had some ugly bite marks on her neck, as well as big gashes on the back of her head. After all this excitement we figured that the remainder of the drive would definitely be a quieter. On the contrary in fact.

Moving on from the mating leopards, we came across eight buffalo wallowing at a waterhole. No sooner had we arrived when a herd of elephants approached the waterhole, with the babies all running at full speed to get to the water. Animals began alarm-calling behind us, so we decided to go and see what was going on. We were in luck yet again. We found the one Majingilane male and two Styx lionesses drinking from a puddle of water. On our way back to the lodge we found Kwatile walking along the airstrip, calling and scent-marking her territory. Today was like watching a live episode of ‘Big Cat Diaries’. Awesome, we’re very lucky indeed.

Thursday

Yet another superb morning of game viewing was in store for us on this hot December day. It started off with a relaxed sighting of the Styx male and Tsalala lionesses in the cool shade near the Seef’s Pan waterhole…doing what lions do best. The massive Londoz rhino bull was grazing under a huge Marula tree, thoroughly enjoying the green and lush grass growing beneath it. We spotted Thandi strutting her stuff down Wessel’s driveway, while her mother Karula was seen hunting impala on an open area in the far north. A pack of nine Wild dogs charged in from the west, displacing every impala in sight. Karula’s son Nduna was enjoying a peaceful drink at the One Eye Pan waterhole, when he was rudely interrupted by the rambunctious dogs. The comical Yellow-billed hornbills chuckled from their safe vantage point in a nearby tree. After this the rain came down, sending us scrurrying back to the lodge before the drive was over.

Friday

Lion and giraffe interaction by Phillip Wessels

This morning we found the pack of nine Wild dogs again. They were very active, running this way and that as they chased every impala they laid their eyes on. They managed to catch and devour a number of baby impalas in a relatively short space of time. Once they’d eaten their fill they went for a drink at a nearby watering hole, before settling down in the shade for the hottest part of the day. Next we were absolutely delighted to find 10 lions together! The four Styx lionesses and their the four 10-month old cubs were with one of the Majingilane males, and much to our surprise, Goggi’s three month old cub was also there. This was the first time that any of us had seen the little guy. A group of giraffe stood watching the lions closely. The four older cubs then got up and walked towards the tall herbivores. We laughed as the giraffes ran away from the cheeky predators who posed absolutely no threat to them at all.

In the afternoon we found two elephant bulls and a small herd of six elephants. The lions and their cubs were all still resting in the same spot as this morning. We also came across the Wild dogs again, although this time they were just running around, playing and chasing one another. We spotted Mafufunyane coming out of a riverbed. He is still skinny and not looking all that great, but he was at least walking normally, so perhaps he’s on the mend from whatever ailment befell him. The afternoon drive was cut short again due to rain.

Saturday

Our first stop this morning was to follow up on lions that were roaring to the west of the camp. On the way there we came across a lone male rhino. Arrivng in the area where we thought the cats were, we listened again and heard them. We followed the direction of their roars until we eventually found the two Unkuhuma male lions. The rest of the day was quiet in terms of big game, although birding was spectacular.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

Xivambalana (Karula's male cub) by Ryan Johnston

Sunday

The morning started off very overcast and it looked like we’d be in for some rain a little later on during the day. We headed out towards the eastern sector, where we found small groups of male buffalo all over the place, as well as a lone rhino grazing peacefully by itself. We were heading back towards the lodge after our morning coffee break when we came across Karula’s two youngsters, Xivindzi and Xivambalana, moving parallel to one of the main roads. The siblings were happily engrossed, stalking squirrels and birds, and stopping every so often to play tag with one another.

Our first point of call this afternoon was to locate Mafufunyane, as he’d been spotted drinking at the waterhole in front of the lodge just before the drive. We hunted around for a bit, but he’d probably moved into the thick bushes behind the dam wall for a snooze by the time we got there. Carrying on from there, we saw a male rhino following a female and her calf towards a big waterhole. He looked keen to mate, but the cow wasn’t interested as her little one was still too young. We also came across a young bull elephant walking along the road, and later on we saw a breeding herd of about 12 elephants that had just finished drinking at a waterhole.

Monday

The morning kicked off with lions roaring to the south of the lodge. Even though they were a fair distance away, it was still exciting to hear these kings of the African bush announce their presence to the world. We received a radio call that two male cheetahs had been spotted, so we headed in their general direction to see if we could find them. We didn’t see any point in rushing though, as they were already close to the Kruger Nationak Park boundary by that point. On the way there we discovered a male rhino scent marking his territory, and he obligingly gave us a full display of exactly how it should be done. We then got word that the cheetahs had decided to hang out for a bit, so we immediately made our way over to see them. On the way back we came across the Ostrich Kopjies female leopard. She looked to be in really good condition, and it seems that she has finally left her cub as well.

We found Mafufunyane soon after setting out this afternoon. He’s not looking his best at the moment, but hopefully he’ll find some food to strengthen his condition and fatten him up a bit. Next we came across drag marks and leopard tracks, and on following up discovered Karula and her two cubs with an impala lamb. It’s always nice to see these three leopards together, but being able to watch the two youngsters playing is especially rewarding. Now that they’re a little older, the size difference between brother and sister is clearly evident. We were on a mission to find elephants, and as luck would have it we came across a herd of about 25 individuals drinking at one of the waterholes just east of the lodge. When the herd moved off, a rhino bull arrived to quench his thirst.

Tuesday

It was raining heavily when we got up this morning, so a lot of the guests opted to stay indoors rather than risk getting drenched. The few brave souls that did venture out were rewarded with a sighting of the two Kahuma male lions. It didn’t amount to much however, as the boys just huddled together under a thick bush in a bid to stay dry.

By afternoon the rain had let up, and so the drive was a lot more productive. Soon after we got going we ran into one of our large rhino bulls. He seemed quite content with the cooler weather, feeding slowly on the moist grass, and scent marking every now and then just to let everyone know he was around. We went back to check on the Kahuma males, but they’d since moved off into an area where we couldn’t drive. We noticed two buffalo bulls in the vicinity, so at least there was the prospect of a meal for the brothers. We then found ourselves privy to some bush politics. First we camce across a big, unknown male leopard. He wasn’t very relaxed around the vehicle though, so we maintained a respectful distance. Next we spotted a hyena, and shortly thereafter we saw Nduna, another younger male leopard. But it was only once we noticed the impala up in one of the trees that we realised there was some thievery going on. Nduna tried to make his way back towards the carcass, but his larger counterpart was having none of it, and summarily chased him off.

Wednesday

Male leopard 'Mafufunyane' by Ryan Johnston

There was a light drizzle when we woke up this morning, and it looked set to continue throughout the drive. We headed north to see if we could find the two Kahuma males that had been laying low in the thick bush yesterday afternoon. After checking around a dam in the area, we came across some tracks indicating that there were more than just two lions around. The tracks led us up and down and around in circles, before eventually heading back into the bush towards a drainage line. We followed the tracks on foot and found the Tsalalas females lying in the drainage line. There was no way to get in there as the heavy rain had severely limited our off-roading capabilities, so unfortunately all our on-foot tracking was for naught. We carried on from there and found Mafufunyane lying next to the road with his head in some long grass. It was only once he moved towards a tree however, that we caught a glimpse of the baby impala he was snacking on. It was great to see that he’d managed to catch himself something to eat, as he’s been looking extremely skinny lately.

This afternoon we set out in some pleasantly cool and overcast weather. The drive got off to a good start we found the four Tsalala lionesses lying on the road in the shade of some bushes. We sat with them for quite a while, but they didn’t seem keen on doing much more than just laze about. Heading to the eastern sector, we found Mafufunyane fast asleep on the road. He lifted his head and turned a couple of times, but that was all. He’s still looking quite skinny and weak, so he probably just needs to rest up. We also spotted a few groups of male buffalo here and there.

Thursday

The morning drive started off quietly, but treated us to some great sightings in the second half. We ran into Jordaan, our notoriously skittish male leopard, and he gave us exactly three minutes of viewing time before disappearing back into the bush. No sooner had we left him, when we came across Karula stalking impala. She had no success though. We ended off the morning with three rhinos and three buffalo communing around the same mud wallow.

This afternoon we set out with the intention of finding some elephants. These gentle giants have been scarce of late, but we eventually came across a big herd on our western boundary. With our mission accomplished, we then went back in the other direction to follow up on the four young Tsalala females. As we approached the area we saw a rhino bull walking in the road, and then directly after leaving him we found the four lionesses. We were treated to an incredible sighting as one of the females climbed up into a tree right next to the vehicle and stared down at us from her perch. We stayed with the Tsalalas for a while, watching as they hunted impala without success. The bush was full of surprises today, because on the way back to the lodge we came across one of the Majingilane male lions. He walked straight towards the vehicle and started roaring. What an experience this was for everyone watching.

Friday

Male cheetah by Ryan Johnston

This morning belonged to the spotted cats. First we came across Thandi, who was taking advantage of the cool morning to wander around and scent mark her territory. She eventually came to a rest up on a termite mound, where she posed for us in the morning light. Not long after leaving her, Salayexe went up a large Marula tree and did some posing of her own. We concluded the morning drive with a great sighting of our two cheetah brothers. The pair was walking along, and stopped en route to defecate on a fallen tree as a means of scent marking. They are the only large cat to use faeces as a means to mark their territory.

This afternoon started off quickly again, with both rhino and buffalo bulls making full use of one of the many mud wallows around at the moment. A little further along there was a young elephant bull, which gave us three of the Big 5 in a very short space of time. We then decided to follow up on the lion tracks we’d discovered this morning. It took some careful tracking, but we eventually managed to locate the four Tsalala lionesses. They were resting in a thicket when we found them, but soon moved out onto an open area when they spotted an impala herd.  The buck were too alert for their would be predators however, and spent some time giving the lions the run around. The exhausted Tsalala group eventually gave up and headed off to rest at one of the pans on the edge of the clearing. On the way back to the lodge we bumped into Ntima, but we weren’t able to stay with her for very long as she soon crossed into a deep drainage line where we couldn’t follow.

Saturday

Our first plan this morning was to head back into the area where’d we’d seen Ntima last night. Luck was on our side, as we arrived to find the female leopard waiting for us on top of a termite mound. We stayed with her for sometime before she again slunk down into the drainage line. We could smell that there was a carcass of some kind nearby, but unfortunately there was no way of geting down there to investigate. We then found a herd of elephants feeding in some thick riverine vegetation, so we spent some time watching them.  We were about to stop for coffee on an open area when we noticed Karula’s cubs, Xivindzi and Xivambalana, on the other side. The two were in a playful mood, stalking and jumping all over each other, and just enjoying their Saturday morning!

There were three buffalo bulls resting in the mud wallows on the airstrip this afternoon. It was very hot, so after leaving them we decided to see what was going on at some of the other waterholes. Three rhinos arrived at the same time as us, and we spent an entertaining half an hour watching these large herbivores cover themselves from head to toe in mud.  We received word that Thandi had killed an impala lamb, and immediately headed off to find her. She was resting on a termite mound when we got to there, while her young male cub was up in the tree feeding. The little glutton was eating as fast as he could. He is looking very fat at the moment, so the impala lambing season must be doing him well.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team

Sunset at Arathusa by Ryan Johnston

Sunday

Another week, and with it some more surprises.  This morning started off with us finding one of our territorial male rhinos. After leaving him we then came across the tracks of the four young Tsalala lionesses and the Styx male. It didn’t take us long to find the five of them all sprawled out in the road and fast asleep. After finding them together for the first time yesterday morning, it was really great to see that the young Styx male was still with the girls.  Next we found a large herd of about 200 buffalo resting up on one of the firebreaks, so we spent some time watching the large bovines soaking up the early morning sun. Thandi was also out and about with her young male cub. The female leopard wasn’t looking too happy as she marched all over the place roaring and scent marking. She just ignored her youngster, who knew better than to harass his mom when she was in a mood. There was obviously another leopard in the area, which was why she was so disgruntled. After advertising her presence for some time, she then called the little guy and headed off at a pace. We decided to leave her to herself, rather than risk irking her further by following her.

A large elephant bull came down the waterhole for a drink and a mud wallow just as we were about to head out on afternoon drive, so we immediately headed around to join him. He put on a great show for us, and guests managed to get some fantastic photos. We then received a call that the two male cheetahs we sometimes see were close to the Kruger National Park boundary, so off we went to have a look. Both males were fast asleep when we arrived, clearly us humans weren’t the only ones struggling to stay awake in the heat. Apart from swatting flies out of their faces every now and then, the pair showed no signs of life. To round off the afternoon, we came across Mvula just ambling along. The big male showed some interest in a herd of waterbuck and impala, but the alert antelope got wind of him long before he had a chance to act.

Monday

The year may be coming to an end, but our sightings certainly aren’t. Although it’s been more than four weeks since we last saw Safari, we haven’t given up hope that this old leopard will show her face again. This morning got off to a fairly slow start, but then we found Ntima scent marking and calling to the east of the lodge. It’s possible that she is already looking for a prospective male to mate with, since she lost both her cubs a while back. After spending some time with her, we moved on to see what else we could find. Four buffalo bulls were lazing in a small waterhole enjoying some well deserved ‘me time’, while the resident terrapins  obligingly removed ticks from them.

This afternoon we ran into a herd of elephants with a very small calf just to the west of the lodge. They made it very clear that they did not want us to get too close, so we enjoyed what we were allowed and then moved on, so as not to stress the young calf or its protective herd members. Following up on some fresh rhino tracks, we were fortunate enough to discover the large herbivore wallowing in a mud pool left behind after the recent rains. A radio call alerted us that two male lions had been seen, and we arrived in the areas just in time to see the two Kahuma brothers crossing over our western boundary.

Tuesday

The bush was perfectly still this morning as we drank in a picture perfect sunrise. Lions roaring close to the southern boundary soon startled us from our reverie however, so we went to follow up. Unfortunately all we found were their tracks crossing back over our southern boundary. We’d passed by some fresh female leopard tracks while trying to locate the lions, so we decided to see if we’d have better luck finding the leopard. After some very nifty tracking by two of our trackers, we discovered Ntima stalking a steenbok. A Dwarf mongoose alerted the presses though, and her prize quickly ran off. While watching Ntima we’d heard elephants breaking trees in the vicinity, so we left her and set off on yet another tracking adventure. Our efforts paid off, and we were treated to a small herd drinking at one of the smaller watering holes.

It was an extremely hot day, so we kicked off the afternoon drive by moving between the waterholes to see what we could find. We saw a herd of ten buffalo bulls wallowing with a lone rhino bull, which was quite a sight and a real treat to watch. Observing the many birds cooling themselves off was equally entertaining, but after spending quite a while at the waterhole we eventually dragged ourselves away and went in search of other game.  Further north we discovered Nduna, a young male leopard, up a tree with a young impala that he had killed.

Wednesday

Kahuma male lion by Ryan Johnston

Today was definitely one for the leopards, with seven different individuals being spotted. First we found Xivambalana, Karula’s young male cub, resting up in one of the drainage lines. His mother passed by a little while later, so we decided to follow her instead. She looked to be very keen on hunting, and we watched as she tried her hand at stalking a herd of impala. The buck kept moving away from her however, which meant she wasn’t ever able to get into the right position. In the end she gave up on the idea of an early lunch and let the prey species wander off in peace. Next we came across Ntima, who was hot on the trail of a male leopard. The female called constantly as she stopped to smell where he’d been, and then scent mark herself. To top off our fantastic cat-filled morning, we were also lucky enough to come across the two Kahuma male lions. We stayed with them for a while, but then they crossed a drainage line and we couldn’t keep up with them any longer.

Given that it was another hot day, we decided to employ the same tactic as yesterday and check all the waterholes. Our efforsts paid off yet again, as we managed to find rhino, elephant and buffalo. They were all either enjoying a cool drink or simply lying in the mud around the water. We then went to check up on Nduna to see how he was doing with his female impala kill. He’d been gorging for most of the day, so by the time we arrived he could barely muster enough energy for a cursory groom before passing out in the shade. We then spotted Inkanyeni up a Marula tree. This female leopard’s territory is usually to the north of us, so it was fantastic to finally catch a glimpse of her in our neck of the woods. After enjoying our requisite sundowners (there’s nothing quite like sipping on a G&T in the middle of the African bush while watching the sun disappear behind the horizon) we headed off to see if we’d have any luck with a new leopard that arrived in the area recently. When we’d last seen the skittish male he was on a bushbuck kill, but when we found him again this afternoon he was resting miserably in the riverbed. We soon discovered the reason for his discontent when we spotted Mafufunyane up in the tree feeding on the carcass. The young male was completely unimpressed with the situation, but there was no way past the six hyenas loitering around the base of the tree.  After eating his full, the older male proceeded to spread himself out to digest his meal, but not before first growling a warning at the youngster. At this point we decided to leave the two to themselves, because it looked like they’d reached a stalemate.

Thursday

Young male leopard by Ryan Johnston

This morning we started off by checking to see who was hanging out on the airstrip. We found an abundance of general game – big herds of zebra, Blue wildebeest, impala, and even a couple of giraffe. The sunrise, which was nothing short of breathtaking, promised a hot day ahead. Heading to the eastern sector, we’d stopped en route to look at something when heard a leopard calling not too far away. Further investigation revealed Ntima calling and scent marking close to a waterhole. We followed her for a while, watching with interest as she stopped every now and then to listen and look around for some food. She eventually headed off into an area where we couldn’t follow, so we left her to do her thing. We also enjoyed a great sighting of about 10 male buffalo feeding right next to our vehicle.

No sooner had we left the lodge this afternoon, when a big bull elephant approached the waterhole to have a drink. We watched as he alternately drank and sprayed himself in a bid to cool down. From there we carried on towards the eastern sector, where we came across another big bull elephant just as he was leaving a waterhole to feed in the riverbed. A little later we came across two rhinos, and the pair milled surprisingly close to our vehicle as they grazed. After stopping for a drink, we managed to find Ntima again, as her calling gave her position away. She was still marking her territory, and eventually ended up at a waterhole, where she was joined by the young male leopard from the south that’s been moving in and out of the area. They followed each other for a while, and eventually disappeared in to riverbed.

Friday

This morning started off with us finding an elephant and rhino bull in close proximity to one another. From there we moved further east and found a couple of buffalo bulls next to the main road. We then received news on the radio that two of the Matimba male lions had been spotted. Heading into the area, we discovered the pair sleeping with exceedingly full bellies, so they’d obviously just had a good meal. We left the area and found Mvula sniffing around at one of the small watering holes. All in all a very productive morning.

Our first plan this afternoon was to follow up on Mvula. Thanks to some expert tracking by our trackers, we found the male leopard feasting on a freshlu killed baby impala. We were on the verge of leaving him when he decided to stroll down the road ahead of us to quench his thirst at a nearby waterhole. This reminded us that it was time for sundowners, but when we arrived at our chosen spot we discovered that we’d been beaten to it by three buffalo bulls and one elephant bull. We sat and watched then for a while, and then moved on in search of a safer location to enjoy our drinks.

Saturday

After a beautiful storm last night, we fully expected today’s viewing to be a little on the quiet side. And for the first past of the morning drive that was definitely the case. Apart from a lone rhino bull and a couple of buffalo bulls, there wasn’t too much going on. It was only right at the end of the drive that we ran into Xivindzi, Karula’s female cub. She appeared to be taking advantage of the nice cool weather to explore her surroundings. The youngster kept us entertained by showing interest in absolutely anything moved, including birds and squirrels. She tried her best to get close to them, but the little creatures only succeeded in frustrating the young leopard. She obviously still has a lot to learn from her mother.

This afternoon got off to a quick start, as we received an early call to let us know that the two cheetah brothers were on the property again. We headed out and found the brothers resting together. Their full bellies indicated that they’d eaten sometime during the day. After leaving them we found one of our territorial male rhinos scent marking all over the place. We then discovered Mvula sleeping at the base of a large Marula tree. After a while we noticed the impala lamb in the tree above us, and pretty soon the big guy was up in the tree feeding. We sat with him until he’d polished off the entire carcass. With all the impala lambs out there at the moment, it’s no wonder the leopards are all looking so fat and healthy at the moment.

And that brings to an end yet another spectacular week! Visit our Facebook and Flickr albums to see more photos from our game drives.

Until next time,

The Arathusa Team