Africa Wild

After 15 minutes the lion gradually moved off down the river bed, so we moved on towards the H12 bridge and stopped for pics of a hyena, a YBK, another hyena just up the H1-2 and some Sable just before the Kruger Tablets area. The Sable were deep in the bush so it was frustrating to get pics again, but eventually one of the bulls lay down in a spot where we could get a semi-view.

Our timing was slightly off so we arrived at Tshokwane with 20 minutes to spare before the Lower Sabie gathering arrived, therefore I rushed everybody along and we were back on the H1-3 before 10am.

About 1km out from Tshokwane up the H1-3 the clan was fiddling around, talking, joking, etc and not paying attention to the riverbed section or even looking and I know that it is a leopard hot spot.

“Hey, I’m driving, pay attention to the trees along this section!”

Literally 5 seconds later the Cow & Albert chirped

“There, what’s that”

I was now irritated, so hit the brakes.

“What, where, it’s an effing leopard!”

The Cow had a guilty grin and then chirped

“I found a leopard!”

I ignored the chirp

“Where’s the camera! It’s going to move!”


The leopard did move seconds later, but within the same tree and settled higher up to check us out.


The leopard then went to sleep, so we helped a few others spot it and moved on up the H1-3.

It was way too early to head towards Talamati, so we eventually decided to continue up to Satara for a walk around, ice, etc, but 1st stopped off at the compulsory baobab and for some warties having a mud bath at Marheya Dam.

We arrived at Satara around midday, purchased some ice creams as it was boiling hot and went on a small walk around camp to plot some unit numbers for a future visit and then went back to the shop for ice before ducking down the H7.

We stopped again at Nsemani Dam to watch the locals for 10 minutes before moving on to the S36 where we stopped at Rockvale for some ellie pics.


Nobody needed a loo break so we cruised past Muzandzeni picnic site and stopped at Ximangwaneni Dam where more ellies were learning to scuba dive and playing.

It was roasting hot when we arrived at Talamati, so I was a little nervous about the fact that the units don’t have aircons. The local squirrels provided a distraction around the unit while we were unpacking, the local frog was still hanging out a year later at the 2nd hide which has no view and the main hide had a steady stream of visitors pulling in for a drink.

We decided to not do an afternoon drive and to rather start the fire and just relax around camp, especially since this unit and camp vibe was a massive upgrade on Lower Sabie.


We finished eating just after 6pm and cruised down towards the main hide with the hope that some nocturnal visitors would pull in.

Next to the road and close to units 1 & 2 we found a baited cage that had been set, so I started the war stories to set the mood.

“That looks like an entire franklin in the cage, it must be for something large, maybe a leopard”

The Cow instantly glared at me.

“Rubbish!”

“Not rubbish, leopard enter many camps at night”

The clan decided to scamper into the hide, which fortunately was still empty, but then had an argument as to who sits closest to the entrance in case the imaginary predator entered the hide.

The odd hyena cruised by, then a Verreaux Eagle owl landed in a tree, but it was impossible to get pics of either with our camera knowledge so after a mini tantrum I gave up and just relaxed.

After an hour we were all distracted and just chatting away when suddenly the Cow looked out the hide again and chirped.

“Genet, no what’s that!”

“What, where”

“There right in front of us”

I switched the torch on and flipped

“It’s a white-tailed mongoose, here, here, take the torch!”, “no shine here, I can’t see the camera on button *&@$”.

The mongoose was cruising around 10m in front of the hide, but didn’t like the torch, so started to move off.

“Switch the torch off!”

“The camera won’t focus, switch the torch back on.”

“%&*@$*, the camera won’t shoot, torch off, it’s ducking”

“WTF, torch on or off?”

The final outcome was no picture, a resultant pelican from me and a secondary pelican from the Cow due to my behaviour, so we all sat in silence for 5 minutes until a loud “clang” echoed through the night which caused everybody to jump.

“What was that!”

I knew it was the cage we had seen earlier.

“It’s the cage, I’m going to look”

“NO, what if it’s a leopard!”

“Well, it’s in the cage then”

“NO, wait”

I cruised off as I was fairly certain that the cage had been set for a problem badger that I had read about online, but hoped that they would leave it alone.

It was a badger in the cage, so I returned to the hide to fetch the clan who were waiting with big eyes at the entrance.


The badger was desperately trying to get out and chewing at the cage wire, so I made the clan stop a long way from the cage to ensure we didn’t upset the badger further. I understand that badgers can be a problem in camps, but personally I feel that this is Kruger, so one must live with it and accept that it’s part of the deal. Besides, it’s clearly obvious that hyena, leopard, etc, enter camps at night also, they just not as bold as a badger. (Part of the reason many people book certain camps is because of the night visitors, like Mpila camp at Imfolozi which we often stay at and it’s unfenced, Orpen/Tamboti/Satara for the badgers/genet/AWC, etc).

I was plotting to let it out and probably would have, but a crowd arrived from unit 2 to check the cage out, so I mentioned to the lady that I want to let it out and she wasn’t impressed with me or the idea, therefore I realised that I would be in the kak if I did.

We hoped that the badger wouldn’t be left in the cage the entire night and we ducked back to our unit.

To be continued

Yoh, things look good regarding the girls, and what a place for studying to take place!

Your first leopard is a beaut, great planning there!

And hilarious narration as always! I feel for the wife sometimes, Bushy!

RP, it's not cool to have to study in KNP IMO, but there was no other choice and it paid off for Bushpig

We got a few leopard this trip, around 20 odd, but it turns into a wild dog trip once at Skukuza

The Cow gives as good as she gets and I get greased often

4th October Talamati to Skukuza

We had to move to Skukuza today, so we were up, packed and in the car by 5:30am and I wasn’t impressed to see that the poor badger was still in the cage on the side of the road. I would love to know where they actually release animals that have been captured in camps because badgers aren’t doff, so would just return if released anywhere near camp and soon another will enter camp and the pattern will just repeat.

The S145 was quiet and so was the S36 until we reached Rockvale where some hyenas were curled up and it looked like 1 overgrown junior was still suckling.