The early morning silence is broken by a quiet knock on the door…
Time to get up, but more often than not, I am up and dressed by the time the knock comes.
Over the years visiting bush destinations, I have learned to lay my clothes out the night before and that means I can dress in the dark without waking my wife.
Some time ago, at a different camp, I was dressed and ready to leave when I heard the footsteps of the guide come crunching up the gravel path to my chalet door.
With perfect timing, I opened the door as his hand descended to knock. A surprise for us both as he was not expecting me to be awake (all the lights were off) and I was expecting a different guide. Lots of early morning laughter ensued and a fun story to share at the coffee stop later.
The lights above the coffee machine were already on as those of us going out for the morning drive gathered to have a hot drink and a snack before we set off.
These hot water bottles were most useful at the beginning of the drive and it was quite chilly until the sun rose.
I do wish that more reserves would use these.
In the background, you can see the coffee machine and the two containers of baked goods.
Our ride awaits…
So many people head off into the bush with major expectations and are often disappointed when those are not fulfilled.
I go with NO expectations. All I hope for is to see something different on every drive.
It could be something large with teeth and claws or horns and hooves.
Or it could be an insect or bird I have not seen before.
I am grateful for each sighting.
Yes, I know these are as common as dirt, but they are beautiful.
Stop, take a moment and enjoy a herd of impala being just that…Impala.
Did you know?
They can jump up to three times their height and run over 90 kilometres per hour.
They use their bounce and speed to escape predators. Impalas play an important role in their ecosystems as they are an apex prey species for lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas. Even large male baboons have been known to take impala young.
Here at Mziki they only have to be concerned about the recently arrived cheetah and the others that might follow soon.
You have no idea how large the African elephant is until it is this close to you. And remember we were in a vehicle. The same sighting while on foot makes you stop in wonderment.
BTW, This is the only animal that cannot jump.
The wildebeest, an antelope designed by a committee…
It has the horns of a buffalo, the tail of a horse, the stripes of a zebra, the stance of a hyena and the brain of a guinea fowl.
There is a reason that the collective noun for wildebeest is a confusion.
Time for a welcome morning beverage stop…
Nothing like a strong cup of coffee or a hot chocolate to warm up guests who have been out for a couple of hours at this point.
“Here’s looking at YOU kid” or that is what this Red Hartebeest seems to be thinking.
A plains game species not usually seen in Highveld reserves.
Fun facts about this species?
There are thought to be 130000 of this species living in the wild.
They are extremely fast runners and can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h and have the stamina to maintain this over a long distance.
Someone HAS to say it…
This is a zebra crossing.
In many African cultures, the zebra is revered for its symbolic representation of balance, harmony, and unity.
The black and white stripes are often seen as a reflection of the dualities and interconnectedness of life, such as light and darkness, yin and yang, and good and evil.
Did you know that Waterbuck have a nose shaped like a heart? It is the only species to have that feature.
Waterbuck have a lot of hair around their necks neck making them look as if they should be living in much colder climates, but there is a functionality to this hair as it is all hollow.
This allows for extra buoyancy when swimming, helping the waterbuck to keep their heads above the water.
In today’s tough economy, I believe that humans could do with a ruff of fur to keep our heads above water.
Sable…once so numerous that farmers used to shoot them to feed their staff.
Now sightings of these animals are greeted with gasps of excitement and wonder.
Sable antelope have ringed horns which arch backwards. In females, these can reach nearly 1m, while the horns of the males, can reach almost 1.5m and are significantly more curved than those of females.
Unusually, both males and females reach sexual maturity at the same age.
A pair of ostriches. The darker one is the male.
Back in the day, there was a thriving feather business centred in Oudtshoorn in the Cape.
There is a building in Port Elizabeth named the Feather Market Hall where feathers were traded by fashion buyers, who would incorporate them into the top fashion designs of the day.
Today it seems that the predominant use for the feathers is for household dusters.
Ostriches can reach speeds of nearly 70kph and are the world’s largest flightless birds due to the structure of their breastbone.
They make the largest eggs in the world. One of their eggs is said to be the equivalent of 24-28 chicken eggs.
Their kick is strong enough to kill a lion.
In the mating season, the males can become aggressive and have been known to attack humans.
An evening drinks stop…usually with snacks even though there is dinner waiting back at the lodge.
The most recent addition to the reserve. This cheetah was brought to South Africa from Australia!
Edie, born at the Wild Cat Conservation Centre in Sydney in 2022, has completed her phased return to the wild at Mziki.
The reserve’s unique environment, free from lions and hyenas and with a low leopard population, provides an ideal setting for Edie’s reintroduction.
Read the full story here. https://www.mziki.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cheetah-WCCC-Media-Release-Edie-Returns-to-Africa-March-2024.pdf
Happy guests heading back to the lodge for dinner.
Buffalo ALWAYS look at you as if you owe them money.
For my money, they are the most dangerous of the Big 5 as they will attack seemingly without provocation.
If you think they cannot overturn a vehicle like an elephant or a rhino, search YouTube and see the clips published there.
In many African societies, the buffalo symbolizes strength, courage, and unity.
That being said, Mziki has never had any instances where guides or guests have been placed in danger.
Diverse sightings on every drive, which made all the guests, local and international, very happy indeed.
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“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?”
Edgar Bergen
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