It is time to celebrate my return to not only Madikwe Private Game reserve, but to Tau Game Lodge as well. This will be our 4th visit to the camp and during the intervals between our visits the camp has changed and been refurbished more than once.
It always amazes me that more of the visiting international guests do not know about Amarula and how delicious it is. On a morning game drive, it pairs well with coffee and in the evenings, it can be enjoyed neat.
“There’s a place I know about where the dirt road runs out
And we can try out the four-wheel drive Come on now what do you say Girl, I can hardly wait to get a little mud on the tires”.These lyrics from a song by Brad Paisley / Chris Dubois resonated with me when I look at this image.
I normally do not head out on a game drive when it is raining, but on our upcoming trip I have decided to break the mold and if it is a light drizzle, then I will use the opportunity to take photographs of wet animals…something I do not usually do.
Dinner is about to be delivered? In this particular instance this lioness showed herself too soon and the heard of wildebeest that were her intended prey were able to take off to safety without any being left behind.
This wildebeest was NOT so lucky. We found this lion hidden in a thicket enjoying the fruits of his labour by himself and not having to share with a pride.
His low growls as he devoured this meal, kept us at a distance so not interfere and chase him off the carcass.
Hold my (trunk) calls? Does anyone remember trunk calls? Pre-digital and certainly not for Millennials or perhaps even Gen Z. And for those who don’t know, Generation Z were born between 1995 – 2012, and are slightly younger than Millennials, born between 1981 – 1996.
“When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers” – Kikuyu Proverb.
A lone Impala ram walks through the bush.
I am in awe of this apex prey species that juts goes about his business, not worrying about what tomorrow will bring.
They live one day at a time and face the challenges as they arise. All this one has to do to survive, is to run faster and jump higher than the rest of the herd.
When I find Impala during a morning game drive, I will always congratulate them on making it through the night.
Soft eyes that can lull guests into a sense of security and the feeling that they can lean out of the vehicle and stroke its mane.
“With each new day in Africa, a gazelle wakes up knowing he must outrun the fastest lion or perish. At the same time, a lion stirs and stretches, knowing he must outrun the fastest gazelle or starve. It’s no different for the human race. Whether you consider yourself a gazelle or a lion, you have to run faster than others to survive”. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
There are leopards in Madikwe, but they can be difficult to find. I am hoping that the upcoming trip proves us with memorable sightings of this elusive cat.
There is beauty wherever you look. Big and small, you can find them all.
“The world is a fascinating place. How could anyone be bored? Look around and there are a hundred amazing things to investigate.” ―
Much like ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, this wild dog pup was enjoying the liver of a 6-month old buffalo calf. But not a Fava beans or Chianti to be seen.
All proteins, and not a vegetable on the menu.
This particular incident was the very first kill that I had watched, start to finish. Many people ask me why, and my answer is always the same. Because this is what wildlife photographers look for. Was it easy to watch, certainly not, but this was the first tike that the pups had killed for themselves and as such was an important milestone in their development.
Sadly, the entire pack of 36 was wiped out by canine distemper brought into the park by dogs from the rural villages close by.
There are no Spotted Hyena in Madikwe, but there are the more shy and elusive Brown cousins to be seen and enjoyed.
Fun Fact: Unlike their noisy, very vocal spotted cousins, they are usually silent, although they can growl quite loudly and will squeal during neighbourhood territorial disputes.
Cheetah brothers take a moment to enjoy each other.
This particular pair gave us a laugh at the expense of our field guide…
He had hopped out of the driver’s side and squatted down in the sand to get a closer look at what seemed to be a series of fresh prints.
“These could be hyena or they could be cheetah”, he proclaimed with a quizzical look on his face.
“They are cheetah”, I replied from the safety of the vehicle.
“How can you be so certain while sitting so far away”?
“Because two cheetahs are lying in the grass on the passenger side of the vehicle”, was my response.
And, sure enough, these two brothers were in the grass, not 20m from where our vehicle had stopped.
It was a sort of “was my face red” moment for the guide but it did allow us to spend time with them as they ignored us and played with each other.
This is our destination for this trip. To find out more about what the Lodge has to offer, click on the logo above.
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