It is often that adjectives like “awesome”, “wonderful” & “incredible” find their way onto this blog because of all that nature’s got to offer. Not always though does it describe the truly “UNBELIEVABLE” occurrences that sometimes happen…
Two days ago me and Westley were standing just outside the Kapama Lodge main entrance door when we suddenly heard the herd of Impala going ballistic were they were grazing happily just minutes ago. We immediately knew something was up, as you could hear by their alarm snorts that they were deeply distressed. We were aware of a female Cheetah in the vicinity of the lodge, and we had some idea that they might just have spotted her…. Nothing however could prepare us for what happened next…
As we tried to figure out which direction the Impala were looking, they suddenly just scattered in all directions in full flight. Me and Westley stood there not knowing if we should maybe also run amids all the chaos. It was then when we spotted the cheetah coming from the bushes towards the door and immediately she targeted a young impala lamb that managed to make it’s way toward the lodge onto our driveway. The cheetah did not stop her charge because of our presence and got a hold of the poor impala lamb who desperately tried to free it self from the firm strangle hold in which the cheetah had it.
In true cheetah style the impala lamb was dismissed quickly and efficiently and she immediately started dragging the carcass away to the bushes just opposite the lodge where they found her later on drive, thoroughly enjoying her “not so hard earned” meal.
This whole incident lasted mere seconds but it took us almost half an hour getting over the hysterical laughs and total dis- believe at what we just witnessed. As luck would have it, Suzette had been playing around with a video camera that day and above all odd’s happen to be at the right time and the right place to capture the last moments of this truly amazing incident…
Just shows again that you never know what is going to happen next in the African bush.
Johan Esterhuizen
Yesterday morning my guests and I witnessed an incredible sighting. We heard audio of our large male Lion and went to investigate. As we got visual of the male and our largest Lioness we noticed a large male Leopard up a tree. Lions and Leopard do NOT get along. Lions will kill Leopard and Leopard cubs and Leopard will kill Lion cubs.
The two Lions were under the tree harassing and roaring at the Leopard. About three minutes later a Crash of three Rhino wandered into our sighting, a male and two female, and started chasing the Lions away. The Leopard jumped down out of the tree and tried to jump into another tree but missed. As the Leopard missed the Lioness grabbed the Leopard by the rump and the Rhino came and chased the Lion off again.
The Leopard ran off, perused by the Lions the whole while. He climbed another tree trying to escape but only reached a small branch where he was very uncomfortable. The Lions started roaring again and the Leopard jumped down and there was nowhere to run, being caught between both Lions. The male Lion caught the Leopard but the Leopard fought back. Then again the Rhinos chased the Lions and the Leopard managed to escape and run off into the bush!
An incredible, once in a lifetime sighting at Kapama that my guests and I will never forget! (Thank you Sebastian for the FANTASTIC photos to add to our story!)
(Above: My VERY happy and excited guests.)
By: Michael Mabuye – River Lodge Ranger
It is always fascinating to see the emergence of the Alates (flying termites) and to witness the hive of activity that results from that. Birds, small mammals and frogs all come out to feast on the termites who soon after their “nuptial flight” loose their wings and can be seen crawling around on the ground in their thousands. These alates are the reproductives (future Kings and Queens) and if successful in finding a mate, will start a new colony of their own.
While watching all these creatures feasting an the termites we also noticed a red lipped herald snake (earlier described on this blog) hoping to catch one of the “unwary” frogs around.
One might say it’s only termites, but it is a facinating moment in nature to witness the alates taking to the air.
Westley Lombard – Kapama Lodge Ranger
Whist out last night during the cold rainy weather, we did not manage to see a lot of game, however on our return to Buffalo Camp, we came upon an unusual sighting – an African wild cat (Felis silvestris lybica), foraging for food.
The cat was relaxed and did not pay much attention to us viewing him, as he was too interested in what he was stalking.
Diet: mice, rats and other small mammals but when the opportunity arises, it will also eat birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects.
Habitat: Africa and in the Middle East, in a wide range of habitats: steppes, savannas and bushland.
The Sand Cat (Felis margarita) is the species found in even more arid areas.
African Wildcats are on CITES Appendix II that mean species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival. The primary threat facing the African wildcat throughout its range is hybridization with domestic cats. Hybridization has been taking place over a long period of time, particularly in the north of its range where domestic cats arose thousands of years ago.
After a good 10 minutes of viewing, this beautiful cat was on his way and we were on our way back to camp.
Kobus van Schalkwyk
Ranger at Buffalo Camp
The relationship between predator and prey is a very complicated one. The rangers at Kapama Main Lodge were extremely fortunate to witness some of this behaviour yesterday.
Firstly yesterday was not good to be an impala, since we found a young female leopard that had killed a male impala around the Mamba dam area. She was quite skittish at first but as the day wore on and darkness fell she became more relaxed and many of our guests watched as she devoured the carcass.
We were also privileged to see our pride of lions on an impala kill yesterday morning. Unfortunately for the lionesses the dominant male lion ate most of the kill only allowing the three young cubs to feed alongside him. But this is where it gets interesting. Not far from where the lions were feeding; the buffalo herd were having a drink of water at a nearby dam. The wind direction was just perfect and they picked up the scent of the lions. Luckily for the cubs the lioness saw the buffalo approaching and called to them so that they would have enough time to escape. The male lion however was too busy gorging himself on the Impala kill. Finally, at the last moment, he turned around and saw the buffalo who were by now at very close quarters. He just had enough time to grab what remained of the Impala carcass and run for his life, disappearing behind one of the dam walls with the angry buffalo in hot pursuit.
The score at the end of the day was Predators 2 Prey 1.
Dean Robinson
Senior Ranger
I am asked quite often if and how we interfere with the welfare and lives of the animals we view on game drive. The simplest answer is no, we let nature to nature, but that is not always the case. Recently our large bull elephant got into somewhat of a tussle with a wandering neighbor bull. Subsequently his right tusk was broken. Now, elephants “in the wild” also fight, also break their tusks, and when nature is left to nature they may survive from such an injury or they may die a rather gruesome death from infection. Because our animals are in our wild, they are a part of our family, and are an investment of Kapama Private Game Reserve, when some thing like this occurs we step in.
Instead of letting this particular bull get a rather nasty infection in and around the broken shaft of his former tusk, and thus going crazy from pain and infection, we brought in a vet. We darted him and smoothed out the ragged edges so that infection would not occur. I was lucky enough to be a part of the darting along with two other rangers from River Lodge, two rangers from Main Lodge, Oom Paul from Camp Jabulani, and other Kapama personnel. We tracked and found him easily enough. The vet darted him using a mixture that is the equivalent of a dosage of morphine able to kill humans. He wandered for about 100 meters and then passed out. We checked his vitals. Supplied a stick to keep his trunk passage open, and made sure to poor generous amounts of water over his body, particularly his ears, so he stayed as cool and calm as possible.
The whole operation took about three hours. After which he was given an antidote to the sedative and as we sat silently watching, he rolled to his feet, looked around, and slowly meandered off. (One is want to muse if the bull was thinking, “what a strange dream I just had….”) Three nights later my guests and I watched him nonchalantly eating and walking, going about his normal elephant business, safe and healthy. It is not every day that we as rangers get to assist in such a fun, fantastic adventure and learning experience; it definately re-news your love of the bush!
Story by: Noelle Di Lorenzo- Kapama River Lodge Ranger
Kapama Private Game Reserve occupies a vast area between the northern Drakensberg mountains and the Greater Kruger National Park. It is the largest single-owner game reserve in the region, and is perfectly situated to receive guests flying into Eastgate Airport (Hoedspruit).
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