This particular visit to my favourite camp seemed to present more opportunities to see the unusual and perhaps even unique sightings.
And it seemed to occur on almost every drive. This is a compilation of some of the highlights.
You won’t believe number 20! But don’t scroll there straight away, enjoy 1-19 first.
1] A Spotted Eagle Owl showing us that she was not happy having us near her nest and the chick that she was raising in it.
2] Put your best foot forward.
It looks like this elephant could do with a good nourishing cream to get rid of the cracks.
3] No, this is not an elephant’s eye, but rather one belonging to a White Rhino.
4] “I believe I can fly”… a Saddle-billed stork ‘fishing’ for a meal and using its wings to cast a shadow over the water.
5] A male Boomslang keeps a beady eye on us as we drive past.
6] This hyaena seemed to have been accepted by a small wild dog pack.
After an unsuccessful hunt, the hyena was tagging along to see if they would be more successful on their next attempt.
7] This is where the wild dog prey ended up…in the jaws of a croc that was waiting in a nearby dam.
The impala that was being chased by the dogs headed into the water thinking she (and her unborn lamb) would be safe in the water. Turns out she was wrong and the croc got both an entrée and a main course.
8] In the morning had found a crocodile eating an impala.
On the afternoon drive the tables had been turned and this small male leopard was found near a waterhole enjoying a meal of crocodile. You know what is said about karma!
9] ‘Tis better to be pissed off than pissed on.
10] Mom and snacklets…
Unusually, this warthog family stood still while we in the vehicle and looked on.
Invariably this species will take off at speed when they spy a vehicle, but not, it seemed, in this case.
11] Don’t you just feel like doing this some days?
12] Is it a rock? Certainly not…
It is a partially submerged hippo.
13] A Red-billed Oxpecker as apposed to the Yellow-billed variety which is more common.
Learn the call of this particular bird species and it might just save your life if you are out walking in the bush.
“Why”? I hear you ask… well, seeing that they are normally found on or in close proximity to dangerous game like buffalo and rhino, knowing their call can stop you from stumbling into a buffalo herd or perhaps a sleeping rhino. ‘Nuff said.
14] Part of an elephant skulls that we found lying in a dry riverbed.
People often are not aware that the skull of this particular species consists mainly of a honeycomb-like structure that gives it strength, but keeps it light.
Could you imagine an elephant trying to lift its head if the skull was made of solid bone?
15] Forget the lion lying down with the lamb.
How about the leopard lying down while a hyena prowled around looking for scraps?
In this case the hyena searched in vain as this particular male was busy mating with a female and food was NOT the first thing on his mind.
16] Leaping leopards…when mating the females’ can become most demanding and eventually the male has to get out of the way of her teeth and claws.
Mating is an intense affair lasting two to five days with copulations occurring every five to ten minutes. Females can be flirtatious at this time even leaving their own territories to actively seek out a male or calling and marking incessantly to attract attention.
17] Just another lazy day in Africa. This cheetah led us around for a while as it hopped up and down anthills all the while keeping an eye open for potential prey…and other predators that could pose a threat to it.
18] After much speculation, and with input from several sources, this was identified as a Conehead Mantis ( Empusa pennata ). Not often seen in the wild, this was yet another unusual sighting for this trip.
19] And so ends another trip to Sabi Sands…
20] But wait! That’s not all. This was probably my most unusual sighting of the trip. We bumped into Sir Richard Branson on one of our evening drives… Cannot get more unusual than that.
iDube means Zebra in isiZulu…
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