Interactions between species make for some of the most thrilling game viewing. When prey species ingeniously evade predation, one is left marvelling at the distinctive adaptions to each animal that make survival possible. Let me share one such sighting with you - a sighting that has gone viral on almost every social media platform! View the video at the end of this blog.
Time flies… we are already 25 episodes into the 'Rangers in Isolation' series and it feels like we started yesterday. From the pristine bushveld of South Africa’s original private game reserve to the comfort of your living room, we have been able to share amazing sightings of the incredible wildlife at MalaMala!
The aardvark (or ant bear as it is also known) is arguably one of the most peculiar creatures on MalaMala Game Reserve and it is probably the one that you are least likely to see. Most people don’t know very much about this odd looking animal besides the fact that its name is always the first word in a dictionary and that it has often been portrayed in kids cartoons over the years.
Owls are synonymous with darkness and for this association they have bared the brunt of human superstition in several cultures. These birds are shrouded in mystique and myth but once you start to unravel the truth of their biology and understand the essence of the owl, you will soon become enchanted by their charms.
A series of repeated low grunting notes, not unlike the sound of a distant lion, greets the sunrise and adds some bass to the dawn chorus. A flock of prehistoric-looking birds emerge from the thickets into open grassland and stalk across the ground like undertakers at a funeral, their bright-red necks a startling contrast to their solemn black bodies.
With the onset of our dry season MalaMala has become quite… well, dry. And dusty. The rains will only fall again in November and so, in the coming months, animals must endure ever increasing hardships. These include less water availability as well as significantly reduced grazing and browsing opportunities.
We are entering the dead of winter. Mother Nature has discarded her lush green summer dress, slipped into a brown winter robe and climbed under a thick dusty blanket. At first glance one may find it rather drab but we’ll argue that there is just as much beauty in the current landscape as there is in summer.
June 5th. 3 lion sightings: we witnessed yet another double buffalo kill today as the Eyrefield pride and 2 Matshapiri males brought down a cow and calf north of Rattray's Camp. The Sand River pride and the Toulon male are still feeding off their 2 buffalo kills.
May 29th. 2 lion sightings: the Eyrefield pride and the 2 Matshapiri males were on a buffalo kill at Lion Waterhole. 3 members of the Marthly pride were hunting impala south of Main Camp. 2 leopards: the Tamboti female was also just south of Main Camp and the DOKF 3:3 had an impala kill west of Campbell Koppies.
