Arathusa Safari Lodge blog

Female leopard 'Karula' by Ryan Johnston

Sunday

The week really kicked off with a bang! Just as we were heading out this morning, we received word that the pack of Wild dogs we sometimes see were on the property. We didn’t need to be asked twice, and immediately raced off to see if we could find these rare and magnificent predators.

En route we bumped into a spirited parade of elephants splashing about in a mud pool, so we stopped to enjoy their company for a bit. When we finally arrived at the Wild dogs sighting the canids seemed to be in a playful mood, running around and chasing each other through a drainage line with small puddles of water. We had an absolutely magnificent time with them, but all too soon they disappeared into some thick bush where we couldn’t follow as it was still very muddy and wet.

On the way back to camp we came across Karula and her two cubs up in a Marula tree with an impala that she had caught the night before. Cubs, Xivindzi and Xivambalana, were making the most of the meal their mom had caught for them. On the way back to camp we made a quick turn past the four Tsalala lionesses who were still resting in the shade of the Tamboti tree-lined thicket just east of the lodge. What a morning!

In the afternoon we decided to head north to see the king of the African bush…the male lion! One of the Kahuma males had killed a giraffe two days prior, and he was still feeding on the carcass. He kept a watchful eye out for the White-backed vultures that were taunting him by landing close by in the hope of stealing a quick snack. He was not in the mood for sharing however, and promptly chased these scavenging masters off each time they tried their luck.

Karula was still hanging about…quite literally at it turned out. She was up in the Marula tree feeding on what looked like an impala leg. From the look of things her cubs had managed to drop the impala carcass, as there were two very well-fed hyenas milling about at the bottom of the tree. Leopard cubs must drive their moms crazy, because they very often ‘play’ with their dinner, which results in it faling to the ground and being stolen by the loitering scavengers. Hyenas will simply set up camp at the base of a tree where a leopard has hoisted its kill, as there is always the off chance that a tasty meal will accidentally drop at their feet. On the way back to camp we discovered the four Tsalala lionesses stretching their legs and getting ready for their evening. They were right in the open area in front of the lodge when we saw them.

Monday

This morning we found the four Tsalala lionesses again, this time sleeping close to the airstrip. They really haven’t moved or done all that much since their zebra kill on Friday. We also found Lamula, the beautiful new young male leopard, at a river crossing on the southern boundary. We watched as he gracefully jumped across the stream to avoid getting his paws wet. We also saw a large elephant bull.

On our afternoon drive the four Tsalalas were still snoozing in the same spot as this morning. We also found a herd of 10 elephants and a large rhino bull.

Tuesday

Valentine’s Day! Love was certainly NOT in the air this morning when we came across an angry elephant bull destroying a Marula tree just east of our airstrip. The bush was still very wet from the recent floods and the annoyed male was slipping profusely in the tree’s marshy base. That didn’t stop him from making short work of it however. He pushed it over, fed on a few leaves, and then left. Showing us in no uncertain terms just how powerful he is. Needless to say we made sure to stay well out of his way. From there we headed east to a large open area, where we were exceptionally lucky to run into the three Wild dogs that have been hanging around. There was a large rank of impala nearby, but they were well aware of the predators’ presence, so the dogs didn’t even waste their time trying. They soon took off in search of other prospects, and unfortunately we couldn’t follow because the drainage line they crossed was impassable in our vehicle. Still, we counted ourselves lucky to have seen them even for a short time. In the west we found the two Kahuma males resting on an open area in full view of some very alert kudu bulls.

It was really hot when we headed out this afternoon, but we weren’t going to let that stop us from going on drive! Short-tailed eagles soared high above us. These adroit birds of prey are known to have exceptionally keen eyesight, and will often arrive at a kill ahead of the vultures. They always make a bee-line for the dead animal’s eyes, as they are loaded with nutrients.

We received a call on the radio that a female leopard had been spotted a little further to our north.  As we headed off to see her we came across an open area laden with general game – Blue wildebeest, waterbuck, impala and even a giraffe decided to show himself browsing on a Knobthorn acacia. We arived to find Karula actively scent marking her territory along the still waterlogged road. It was very entertaining  to watch her hopping across the puddles to drier ground! As she was strutting her stuff and spreading her scent, this ever alert female caught sight of a Red-crested bustard on the ground. Karula showed interest, but the bird quickly flew away in what looked like a bit of a panic! We all had a good laugh and then left Karula to carry on marking her territory. Along the way we also came across a fantastic sighting of 10 elephants splashing around in the coolness of a muddy waterhole. After splashing the mud all over themselves, they melted off into the thick African bush.

Wednesday

Black-bellied bustard by Ryan Johnston

This morning started off really slowly, and by the time we stopped for coffee we still hadn’t seen very much at all. But while we were enjoying our wake-up drink, a large elephant bull arrived to feed on the fruits of a nearby Marula tree. We sat with him a while longer, and then packed up and moved off in search of other game. We bumped into a rhino cow and calf, but they weren’t too impressed with us and quickly made off into some thick vegetation. We then received word that the two Kahuma males had been spotted, so we headed off to see them. Both boys still looked nice and fat after their giraffe meal, and after obliging us with a short pose, both flopped over and went straight to sleep.

The afternoon got off to a quick start, with us finding one of our large rhino bulls rolling around in the mud. It was fairly warm out, so the big guy did a good job of caking himself from head to toe. Next we found a small bachelor herd of buffalo bulls doing the same at another pan. While sitting with them we heard monkeys and bushbuck alarm calling, so we went to investigate. A little while later we spotted Xivindzi, and shortly thereafter, Xivambalana. The siblings were on opposite sides of a dam however, so we opted to stay with Xivindzi who was closer. She was in a playful mood, racing up and down, peering under all the bushes and climbing all the trees. What an awesome way to finish an already great afternoon.

Thursday

The morning drive was rather quiet. We went looking for Karula and her cubs again, but didn’t have any luck with that. Although we did manage to find a large elephant bull while searching for the leopards.

The afternoon drive produced a buffalo bull and a group of 20 elephants scattered around an area littered with Marula trees. The elephants are very happy about the abundance of Marula fruit that they love so much. From there we headed east, and just before sunset found the Ostrich Kopjies female leopard at a watering hole. Unfortunately after a while she moved into a very thick and wet area and we had to leave her.

Friday

It didn’t take us long to pick up and male and female leopard tracks this morning, and after some great tracking we managed to find Lamula and Kwatile together. We were lucky enough to see them mate once, before they moved off into a marshy area for a little privacy. This wasn’t such a bad thing though, because around the next corner we bumped into the four Styx lionesses and their five cubs devouring an impala ewe. They polished it off in a matter of minutes, and we watched in amazement as they fought over the scraps. When things eventually calmed down again the pride spent some time grooming each other. After that we found two large elephant bulls that were clearly not very happy with one another. We sat and watched as the two monsters pushed each other around, flattening any and all vegetation that happened to be in their way.

This afternoon’s drive proved equally productive, with many elephant herds, buffalo bulls and a lone rhino bull all being out and about. The highlight of the afternoon was when we were joined by three Wild dogs while we were enjoying our sundowners. The dogs were wary of us, but also curious, so they moved past slowly, watching us with intent. Then just to top it off, we bumped into the two Kahuma male lions resting on the airstrip, after which we decided to call it a day and head home.

Saturday

Styx male lion by Ryan Johnston

This morning got off to a frustrating start, but we persisted and things eventually got better. We managed to find Salayexe, albeit very briefly, in some very thick bush. We caught the odd glimpse of her every now and then, but eventually we lost her all together as she crossed a drainage line. We tried our luck and went all the way around, and there she was waiting for us on the road. Such a well-behaved cat! She settled down and proceeded to groom herself for a while before moving off again. We also caught sight of the two Kahuma male lions, but they too moved into dense vegetation where we could not follow.

Early this afternoon we got a call that two lionesses had been found on the Kruger National Park boundary, so we slowly made our way in that direction. On our way down there we bumped into a few elephant bulls. When we eventually arrived we discovered that it was in fact the Kahuma girls with their two youngsters. They were all looking really good as they lazed around on the road. While we were sitting with them we could hear a troop of baboons going crazy, so we went to investigate further. We found the baboons easily, and then discovered what had them so rattled. It was none other than the young Styx male! It was so heartwarming to see him again, especially as he is looking really strong and healthy. He just lay out on an open area posing for all of us.

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

Male leopard 'Mvula' by Susan Simoneau (guest)

Note: The lodge is experiencing Internet connectivity issues at the moment, so unfortunately we have no new photos to go with this week’s update.

Sunday

Soon after setting out this morning we came across a pair of Yellow-billed hornbills feeding on termites that were frantically working to patch up their mound after it had been used by a rhino bull during the night. These protein rich insects are considered a tasty snack by birds, as well as many of the primates, so it was a real treat to watch these comical hornbills enjoying their breakfast. After leaving the feasting birds, we stopped to view some inquisitive kudu bulls browsing in an acacia thicket. The morning seemed set to continue in the same slow vein, when a call alerted us to the presence of three Wild dogs a little further to our north. We didn’t have to be asked twice, and quickly set off along the flood-beaten roads to locate the fascinating predators. Luck was on our side, as we arrived in time to witness the dogs chasing their favoured prey…impala! The buck put on some amazing acrobatic displays as they did their best to out-manoeuvre the astute canids. The small group of impala lived to see another day, and as we left them the Wild dogs disappeared through the bush to embark on yet another hunt.

We decided to spend some time looking for leopards this afternoon. We traversed these elusive cats’ varied habitats, moving from acacia thickets to grassland savannah, but unfortunately our efforts were for naught because we couldn’t find even one. We did come across many different antelope species however. In a thicket bush surrounded by acacias, we spotted some impala, and even managed to get a quick glimpse of the alert but skittish common duiker. It’s interesting to see how when we drive past the duiker they freeze, but as soon as we come to a stop and they realise their cover has been blown, they race off again. Continuing on the open grassland, we came across a shy steenbok. The favoured prey of the cheetah, these sharp-featured antelope thrive in open areas. As soon as we moved into an area where the bush was very thick we spotted some nyala and kudu. These closely related antelope are always wonderful to watch. With their enormous ears and eyes that are set far back on the skull, one can only imagine what sharp senses they must have. So we might not have seen any leopards, but we certainly had a great time viewing the diversity of antelope that lives in the varied bush types.

Monday

Things were relatively quiet this morning. We only managed to find two young elephant bulls feeding around the base of a large Marula tree. It was interesting to watch how, even with their eyes closed, they easily sought out the sweet fruit with their trunks.

This afternoon turned out to be much more rewarding. We kicked off with a couple of old buffalo bulls resting in one of the waterholes, and they were soon joined by a small herd of elephants that had come in search of a drink before moving off to feed around the pan itself. We then received word that Karula was around, so we headed off to see if we could find our popular female leopard. When we got to her she was walking around calling, obviously looking for her cubs. Xivindzi responded to her mom first, and then shortly thereafter her brother, Xivambalana, joined them as well. The trio greeted one another and then moved off, with the cubs in tow behind Karula. After walking a fair distance they eventually arrived at a large Marula tree with a warthog kill stashed in it. Xivambalana didn’t hesitate to race up the tree and immediately start feeding. The more patient of the two, Xivindzi waited at the bottom of the tree for her turn. Karula just lay and groomed herself, leaving the siblings to sort themselves out.

Tuesday

This morning we followed some fresh rhino tracks until we found the large male we call Londoz close to a muddy pool. We also came across four elephants feeding, and a little further east we saw Thandi and her cub playing around the base of a Marula tree. When they headeded off down the road we followed them for a long time. The young male is strong and beautiful, just like his father Mvula. He’s still a little shy though, and kept going into the bush along the road in order to maintain some distance between himself and the vehicles.

This afternoon we came across a rhino bull and a really impressive elephant bull. From there we headed north and enjoyed a wonderful sighting of Karula and her two cubs in a tree. With a fresh impala kill close at hand, they all seemed quite content to just relax and enjoy the abundance of food and shade.

Wednesday

This morning we headed north to check up on some of the roads that were still seeping after the recent flooding. On our way there we bumped into a couple of buffalo bulls lying in an open area. They were flanked by an implausibility of Blue wildebeest, zebra and impala. The buffalo bulls seemed intent on doing nothing more than just enjoy the early morning sun. And with the other herbivores around to keep a watchful eye out for any potential predators, they were quite relaxed too. Heading further north we ran into Karula’s youngster, Xivambalana. He wasn’t at all impressed by the wet grass, so we were lucky enough to catch a brief glance of him as he bounded off through a marshy patch. Even though the floods ocurred a good three weeks ago, many areas are still very wet from the deluge of rain we experienced.

This evening we headed east and were lucky enough come across a herd of about 15 elephants. The group consisted mainly of adults, and two of the females were both hitting the Marula trees head-on in order to shake the tasty fruit from the heavily laden branches. Guests were able to snap some great shots of the fruit mad giants as they rushed and scrambled to get their share of the spoils. A few Fork-tailed drongos followed closely, feasting on the many insects that were flushed out by the stampeding pachyderms. On our way back to the lodge we went to see if the buffalo bulls were still where we’d left them this morning, and indeed they were. Only this time they were waist deep in a small waterhole, making the most of the cool water on the hot summer’s evening. We also caught sight of some hinged terrapins that were busily plucking the well-lodged ticks off the buffalo pair’s skin. It just goes to show, it’s not only the Red-billed oxpeckers that enjoy these blood-sucking parasites. What an interesting way to end off the day.

Thursday

This morning got off to a really good start when shortly after leaving camp we found the dark maned Majingilane male mating with one of the Styx lionesses. After sitting with the couple for some time, the male roared twice and then lay down and went to sleep. We waited a while longer to see if they would mate again, but when we heard a leopard roaring nearby we decided to go and investigate that instead. It didn’t take us long to find Lamula, one of our new young males, perched on top of a termite mound. We were relatively sure that he wasn’t the one we’d heard calling earlier, but decided to stay with him anyway. After a while he got up and moved off in the direction that we thought the original calling had come from. A little while later we bumped into Mvula. Neither male was very happy to see the other, and both called and scent marked profusely to say as much. While this was going on Ostrich Kopjies, one of our females, arrived on the scene. This got Lamula even more disgruntled and he chased her up a tree, but fortunately for Ostrich Kopjies he lost his footing on the way up and crash landed in a bush below. Lamula and Mvula then walked off parallel to one another. They were still calling but nothing came of it, and eventually they each found a suitable place to rest where they could still keep an eye on one another. Ostrich Kopjies used her vantage point in the tree to keep an eye on both males as well. We then bumped into a large herd of about 40 elephants moving across an open area, so we spent some time with them before finally heading home.

This afternoon we discovered a small bachelor herd of buffalo resting around one of their favourite pans again. General game was great this afternoon, with warthogs, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, impala, waterbuck and a steenbok all congregated around the pan near the airstrip. There were also three Marabou storks catching frogs and insects in the mud wallows surrounding the pan. When it got cooler we headed back to the leopards. They were all still pretty much where we’d left them this morning, although Ostrich Kopjies had since come down from the tree and was now a lot closer to Mvula. It wasn’t long before the males got going again, roaring at one another and pacing up and down. They eventually arrived at a stale mate and parted company, although they continued with their calling a little while longer. It happened just in time for Lamula too, as he sounded as if he was on the verge of losing his voice. When we left them Ostrich Kopjies was scampering after Mvula.

Friday

We had a very exciting drive this morning. We found the four young Tsalala females with a fresh zebra kill close to our airstrip. From the look of things they’d chased the hapless creature into a very wet and soggy area and caught it in the water. We saw a small group of elephants before heading to the northern boundary, where we spotted three Wild dogs trotting down the road. They were moving so fast that we couldn’t keep up with them once they left the road.

This afternoon there were elephants everywhere, including large herds and lone males. One bull was in musth and made it blatantly clear that he did not want us around. We also found three buffalo bulls lying in a dam. On our way home we went back past the lions again, and found them all still feeding on the zebra carcass.

Saturday

The day dawned hot and muggy. We headed off to our airstrip, where we expected to find the usual suspects in the form of Blue wildebeest, zebra and impala, but were somewhat surprised to find the area relatively deserted. Heading south, we spotted a flick of a lioness’s tail and went to investigate further. Fortunately there was a dry road nearby, as going off-road is still a muddy business since the floods. Much to our excitement we came across the four Tsalala pride females. No sooner had we identified the lions and established the sighting when we spotted the freshly killed foal. These females are no stranger to our airstrip, and know full well the diversity of prey species that the sweet grass attracts. These amazing lionesses already had swollen bellies, indicating that the unlucky zebra foal had been caught sometime during the night. What a way to start off the weekend! After staying there for some time and getting some great photos in the morning light, we left them and headed back to the airstrip where we saw a big elephant bull walking right down the middle of it.  After stopping for a much needed coffee break we headed back to the lionesses. Their quarry was almost completely finished by then, and the four Tsalala females lay fat and content nearby.

This afternoon we got a call that a rhino bull had been spotted. The guests were keen to see one up close, so off we went to see if we could find him. With the temperature peaking at 35ºC, and the humidity hovering around 80%, it was hot! Needless to say we were all somewhat envious to find our rhino cooling off in a small but deep waterhole that looked more like a mud pit than pan. The cool mud caked the enormous pachyderm like a thickly layered peanut butter sandwich, which is the perfect way for these herbivores to cool off. The mud doubles as an exfoliator, because when it dries the rhino will find a suitable post or tree and rub against in order to get rid of all the free-loading parasites. On our way back to the lodge we stopped off at the Tsalala females who were resting in a cool drainage area a mere stone’s throw away from the lodge. Their bellies were still really full, so they settled down for the night, close enough to still be in earshot of our clinking wine glasses as we enjoyed dinner around the fire.

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

Mvula by Phillip Wessels

Monday

A new week lies ahead. Hopefully with a little more sunshine the last soggy bits left over from the recent floods will dry out. This morning we headed east and quickly found very fresh tracks of what looked to be two lionesses. After about an hour of difficult tracking we eventually found two of the Kahuma females sleeping off their very full bellies. We’d been with them for a little while, when a rhino arrived and snorted at the lazing lionesses. Prudently, they decided to move off to a more shaded area. On leaving them we received word that drag marks had been spotted, which meant there could possibly be a leopard kill in the vicinity. We were in luck, because we arrived to find Mvula up a tree with an impala kill, while three hopeful hyenas circled at the base. Aside from growling and hissing occasionally, he didn’t seem overly concerned by their presence however. After spending almost an hour with the large male leopard, we decided to head back to the lodge for breakfast.

The plan this afternoon was to first follow up on the two Kahuma lionesses, and then head over to where Mvula has stashed his kill to see if he was still around. On the way there we ran into a herd of about thirty elephants in the road. They weren’t planning on moving anytime soon, so we decided to just hang out and enjoy the experience. After about 40 minutes of elephants grazing all around us, we were finally able to negotiate  our way through the herd. What an amazing experience to have the babies feeding right next to the vehicle, with no concern for us whatsoever. We arrived to find that the lionesses hadn’t budged at all, which given the size of their full bellies, was hardly surprising. We still couldn’t locate the carcass however, and there was also no sign of the rest of the pride. After stopping for sundowners we headed off to find out what Mvula was up to. The big male was nowhere to be seen, although his kill was still in the tree. Perhaps he went for some sundowers of his own.

Tuesday

Styx lion cub by Phillip Wessels

We were pleasantly surprised to find the four Styx lionesses and all five cubs lying on our airstrip soon after setting out this morning. The youngest cub, the one that belongs to Goggi, has grown a lot since we last saw him. The little guy is probably in the region of five months old now, and looks to be in very good condition. We also found a young elephant bull all by himself.

Our first port of call this afternoon was to see if the Styx pride was still around. We arrived to find the lions resting under a tree close to the airstrip. They were all awake and the cubs were playing, which made for some great viewing. We also saw a lone buffalo bull, and were fortunate enough to spot Mvula in a riverbed. He appeared to be interested in some impala, and leapt across the stream to get a better look at them. He was obviously still satiated from his last kill though, because he eventually lost interest and lay down in the long grass to rest.

Wednesday

When we set out this morning it was along one of the few roads that are currently drivable, as many are still waterlogged. We first tried our luck on the western side of the airstrip, and then from there headed south, where we came across the Styx lion pride on a zebra they’d killed during the night. Everyone was really chuffed to have such an awesome big cat sighting so early on in the drive. The morning light was superb too, which resulted in some fantastic photos. One of the adult females was toying with the zebra’s half consumed head, clawing and biting the neck, and exposing her massive claws in the process. It proved to be quite a morning for lions in fact, as we also came across the Tsalala pride resting up in a mitre drain on another airstrip in the far west. After viewing the Styx pride for an hour or so we headed back to the airstrip,where we found a big elephant bull displaying all the signs of a male in ‘musth’. We enjoyed watching him eating the lush green grass, but from a safe distance mind you! White-backed and Hooded vultures circled lazily overhead, no doubt biding their time until they could get a turn at the zebra carcass.

The afternoon drive proved very productive. We watched a small bachelor herd of elephant bulls playing in the mud in the northern part of the reserve. This was followed by an awesome sighting of Karula’s female cub,Xivindzi, who was avoiding the wet grass by perching casually on top of a termite mound. In the past few days we have seen a number of leopards skirt the issue of wet feet in this manner. From there we headed south and found nine very fat Styx lions lying belly up on the road, panting heavily. The vultures perched in the trees surrounding the zebra remains, anticipating their imminent meal. Seeing the pride members on the road, just enjoying the coolness of the summer evening after what looked like a full day of feeding, was a fantastic way to end our drive.

Thursday

Zebra and impala calf spooked by Majinilane male lion by Phillip Wessels

This morning kicked off with a bang when we found a massive elephant bull on the driveway less than two hundred meters from the lodge. We watched in quiet admiration as this peaceful fellow tucked into the fruit of the heavily laden Marula trees. He’d give each tree a vicious shake so the fruit would fall to the ground, and then simply carry on feeding until it was time to replenish his stocks. It’s quite something to see just how powerful these enormous mammals actually are. Animals alarm-calling to the southern side of our airstrip drew our attention away from the snacking pachyderm, and we immediately headed off to see what we could find. We arrived to find one of the Majingilane male lions chasing after a hyena, while panicking impala and zebra ran all over the place. Fortunately for them the lion’s attention was focused purely on the hyena, who in the end was lucky enough to escape without harm. We were in luck because the Majingilane male then led us straight to one of his brothers, who was observing the goings-on from where he lay in the grass. All this took place on our driveway and airstrip, and before we knew it, it was time to head back to the lodge already.

This afternoon we found a herd of elephants swimming in one of the smaller waterholes, although they unfortunately didn’t spend very long in the water before moving on again. After leaving them we came across some fresh rhino tracks, which led us to a rhino bull. The big guy wasn’t very relaxed around the vehicle however, and moved off almost immediately into some thick bush where we couldn’t follow.

We were just about to stop for sundowners when we received word that Mvula was on his second impala kill in as many days. We decided that drinks could wait, and immediately set out to find the big male. Just as we arrived Mvula stood up and proceeded to take his kill up a tree metres away from where we were. What an incredible experience for the guests, who all agreed that the sighting was worth skipping sundowners for.

Friday

This morning’s drive was a real goodie. First off we discovered Salayexe with a young impala kill in a tree. There was a hyena lying in wait below, hoping that some scraps would fall to the ground, and Salayexe had us all on tenterhooks when she very nearly dropped her catch after repositioning it. We also came across a herd of 15 elephants, and spotted Karula sleeping in a tree in the east.

This afternoon was fairly quiet. All we managed to see were four buffalo bulls and a herd of elephants. The leopards we saw this morning were nowhere to be found.

Saturday

Inquisitive White rhino cow by Phillip Wessels

The day dawned wet and drizzling, so we went in search of browsing giraffe. Damp spirits were soon lifted when we found a small journey of these majestic creatures enjoying the soft sweet leaves of the Knob-thorn acacia close to the lodge. It’s always a treat to watch them pluck off the trees’ nutritious leaves with such ease, as closer inspection reveals very sharp and backward-hooking thorns that could easily pierce a human’s skin. But with its thick tongue and paste-like saliva, the giraffe doesn’t have a problem.

A little further along we ran into four elephant bulls grazing on a path of long and nutritious ‘red grass’. This type of grass is highly sought after because it’s so nutrient dense. Just as we stopped for coffee the clouds broke, letting through some much needed sunshine. But no sooner had we started setting up our ‘picnic’, when we received a call that there were three Wild dogs close to where we’d stopped. We hastily packed everything away again, and raced off to see if we could locate them. Luck was definitely on our side! We found the dogs on a hard road and enjoyed a terrific sighting of them running past the vehicle in search of their favoured prey…impala. We weren’t able to follow them off-road however, as the bush was still very wet and we would have caused untold damage had we ventured into it. It didn’t matter though, we were just happy to have had such a lovely sighting of these rare predators.

In the afternoon we decided to check up on some of the less-traversed roads to see what condition they were in. We bumped and slid a bit en route to an old quarry, which, to our utter amazement had filled up with water. The recent floods had transformed it into a small, yet deep lake. Better still, a hippo bull had decided that it was such a superb location that he’d moved in. Three buffalo bulls hanging out in the shallows must have had a similar idea, although they made sure to keep a nervous eye on the hippo as he  showed off his massive canines to us.  Many of the surrounding lodges’ vehicles also made a turn to come and view the ‘new’ lake and its ‘new’ inhabitants. After drinking in this incredible sighting of two of Africa’s most feared herbivores, we headed south where we found a relaxed old elephant bull grazing quietly by himself. We watched him as the sun set on yet another fantastic afternoon in the Africa bush.

Sunday

Wahlberg's eagle sunning itself by Phillip Wessels

The morning got off to a real cracker of a start, with the three Wild dogs chasing impala on the open area right in front of the lodge. We followed the dogs, watching as they repeatedly tried and failed to make a catch. They didn’t limit themselves to just impala either, and even tried their hand at catching Egyptian geese, a heron, and guinefowl, but all without success. We eventually lost sight of them when they moved into some thick bush where we couldn’t follow. Soon after we left them they were relocated by another vehicle, and this time they managed to kill an impala lamb. We followed up on some female leopard tracks and discovered Salayexe in a massive Marula tree, where she was feeding on the remains of a kill that looked to be a couple of days old. Rumbling stomachs reminded us that it was breakfast time, so we headed back for a warm meal on this cool morning.

It was still a little wet this afternoon, but we didn’t let that deter us from setting out to see what we could find. The bird life was fantastic, and there was general game aplenty, but unfortunately there was no big game around. That said, you certainly don’t need the Big 5 in order to have an interesting game drive. Watching bullfrog tadpoles trying to escape from a hammerkop is every bit as exciting (okay, almost as).

We also enjoyed two great owl sightings. The one was of a Spotted eagle-owl feeding on a rat, and the other was a Verreaux’s eagle-owl (Giant eagle-owl) roosting in a tree.

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

Clear night sky by Phillip Wessels

Monday

The predicted rain didn’t show up, which meant the week got off to a better start than initially expected. Hopefully this will give the bush a little more time to dry out, so that everything can return to normal. This morning we had a very brief sighting of Shadow, but as is so often the case with this female leopard, she quickly disappeared into some dense bush. Moving on from there, we tracked and subsequently found a group of six buffalo bulls. The Yellow-billed oxpeckers were having a fine time grooming the old boys. It’s quite something to see the amount of water birds hanging around at the various waterholes since the floods, and equally entertaining to watch them gorge on the abundance of bullfrog tadpoles.

Hippo bull displaying by Phillip Wessels

This afternoon most of the hippos in the waterhole in front of the lodge were grazing on the island close to the deck. After spending some time with them we then headed north, where we were fortunate enough to find three rhinos and an elephant bull all trying to wallow in the same very small mud pan. The way they were behaving you’d think there wasn’t any water on the property at the moment! This sighting was so interesting and entertaining that we spent most of the afternoon with them.

Tuesday

We heard lions roaring south of the lodge this morning, so we we immediately headed out to see if we could find them. We had no joy in that respect, but we did come across some Wahlberg’s eagles perched on termite mounds and feasting on the eusocial insects as they scurried about their day. A rhino bull suddenly appeared while we were watching the raptors feeding. It was so intent on finding the choiciest grass to graze on that it walked right up to the vehicle without even noticing us. It was a truly surreal experience to be so close to such a big animal that wasn’t even the slightest bit interested in us. He was just enjoying the new green grass that has shot up all over the place since the rain. We were so mesmerized by this great beast that we spent the rest of the morning following him. We saw lots of general game in the process too, although he paid as little attention to them as he did us.

This afternoon we found four rhinos wallowing in the mud at a nearby pan, and the sighting yet again produced some great interaction between the individuals. A big bull was throwing his weight around in an attempt to force the smaller and less aggressive female out of the pan. What a sight it was when she’d finally had enough of the big bully’s tactics and chased him off. After turning the tables on him she ambled back to the mud bath and enjoyed a peacefull wallow with the others.

Wednesday

This morning we were lucky to have our first lion sighting in five days when we found the two Kahuma males lying under a bush in some thick grass. An elephant came walking up from behind us and headed straight towards the resting cats. He turned away from them a little while later, but then very nearly got stuck in a soft muddy patch in the long grass just to the side of the road.

Things were rather quiet again this afternoon, although we did manage to find two different rhino bulls. One of them was very agitated however, so we made sure to keep a safe distance from him. We also came across a group of buffalo bulls resting in a waterhole, and ended off the drive with a small breeding herd of elephants enjoying the abundant greenery and foliage that is evident all over the reserve.

Thursday

Another very quiet morning. After a lot of hard tracking and some serious footwork, we eventually found a lone rhino bull. Unfortunately he moved away fairly quickly and we weren’t able to find him again. The birdlife was prolific though, and while they didn’t make up for not seeing any cats, our feathered friends provided us with some spectacular viewing nonetheless. There were also lots of giraffe and zebra out and about.

Things heated up this afternoon however. We started off with a great sighting of Karula stalking a herd of impala. We made sure to hang well back so as not to disrupt the hunt, but unfortunately we had to give up the chase when she moved into a riverbed where we couldn’t follow. We heard impala alarm calling, but we’re not sure what, if anything, happened. Next we were treated to a wonderful sighting of seven old buffalo bulls grazing lazily alongside the road. While we were watching them we noticed a massive frame appear just ahead of us. It turned out to be one of the biggest elephant bulls that most of us had ever seen. His body was enormous and his tusks equally intimidating. Unfortunatly the light was very low by then, so we weren’t able to get any good pics of this mammoth pachyderm.

Friday

'Orange eyed' male leopard by Phillip Wessels

The morning got off to a quiet start, but things soon changed when we came across the tracks of a male and female leopard. We followed them for a while and were overjoyed when we finally caught up with the ‘orange eyed’ male and his unidentified young lady friend. We spent a fair amount of time with them and were lucky enough to see the pair mate three times. On leaving the lovers to themselves, we were then treated to some more leopards. We saw Thandi and her cub, and we also found Mvula calling and scent marking his territory.

Our main aim this afternoon was to find elephants. These gentle giants have been scarce of late, as they find it difficult to move through the wet terrain. We were in luck though, because before long we found a rhino bull, an elephant bull, and six buffalo bulls all wallowing amiably together in a waterhole. Watching the interaction between these three great species was too good of an opportunity to pass up on, so we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon being entertained by them.

Saturday

It seems the animals are still cautious about negotiating the drenched ground, as we only found general game to start off with this morning. We weren’t about to give up that easily however, and set off to look for the lions a second time just in case we’d missed them lurking in some long grass. Our persistence paid off when we eventually discovered the two Kahuma males close to where we’d seen them earlier in the week. From the look of things they were still quite satisfied from their buffalo kill

Our first sighting this afternoon was of a rhino bull lying in a muddy pool. We then discovered a herd of 25 buffalo grazing on an open short-grass area, and we briefly crossed paths with Jordaan as well. When we came across the male leopard he was moving as purposefully as always, pausing occasionally to scent mark his area. We lost sight of him when we disappeared into a thick gulley.

Sunday

We headed north this morning and came across two of the Kahuma females with very full bellies. After leaving them we found Karula’s two cubs making their way along the road ahead of us. The siblings kept us all well entertined as they played and ran and pounced on one another. A little further along the same road a herd of elephants crossed in front of us. All of this in the space of two hours. Fantastic!

This afternoon was packed with rhinos. We spotted six different individuals, and were even lucky enough to see seven buffalo bulls join three of them while they were grazing. From there we went to see if the two Kahuma lionesses were still around. They were still sleeping off their meal though, so after a while we left them and headed back to the lodge.

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