When we all came piling out of a long, hot, stuffy van ride to Marc’s Camp near Kruger, it was also a steamy day at our arrival point. Some of us pooh-poohed the idea that we would ever need to use the wool blankets and comforters piled on our beds in the Tree Houses, particularly when they were found on beds draped with mosquito netting. Tonight, we look forward to the soft, heaviness of these creature comforts.
At breakfast, Bongani recommended we bring along a raincoat for the day as he commented that “the weather is changing and we will be near the mountains.” Like a vulture prophet, our guide proved to be dispensing very good advice indeed.
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| Meet you at the Breakfast Nook. |
The first stop of the day was to Moholoholo Wildlife and Rehabilitation Centre run by the charismatic Brian Jones. He spoke intelligently and passionately about the moon, stars, and planets and what it all has to do with the birds and animals of Africa .
From his presentation we learned that the earth, mankind and the animals around us form an inter-dependent web which is capable of functioning more accurately than an atomic clock. He also gave some heartbreaking examples of how inhumane and destructive man can be to our fellow creatures and their habitat. We then set off on a tour of his facility and the residents who have come to live their by chance or by fate, for a short time, or forever.
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| Dennis feeds a vulture |
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| Sue and her new friend, a baby rhino |
Our first new experience was personally meeting Bullet, an adolescent Cheetah in training to be a ‘wildlife ambassador,’ also known as a wild animal you can actually touch, under the constant vigilance of his handlers. The “nice kitty” treats helped too! We met several lions, a leopard and a half, various species of fascinating raptors, a muddy-leather skinned baby rhino (not a giant warthog), one grumpy hyena, the crafty honey badger couple and my personal favourite… the gregarious wild dogs, happily chewing on elephant rib bones, wagging their tails and rolling in the grass.
Our timing got a little off track at lunch since some of South Africa operates on “African Time” and the other on “International Time,” but we eventually made it to the start of our evening game drive. It seemed odd with rain threatening that we would go out in an open-topped kombi, but by now we trusted Bongani – 55 years worth of experience, although he doesn’t look a day over 45! After his great results finding animals on Friday, our expectations were tempered, plus the weather didn’t look so promising. This evening’s drive elevated his status from amazing to awesome.
Before the ride was over a few hours later, he had located three of the Big Five (name dates back to the time of the great white hunter, when shooting at these beast you had only one chance – kill or be killed). There was a large herd of water buffalo carefully watching us, black rhino spoor (footprints) and an “introduction” to white rhino (which in Bongani-speak means we saw them, but from quite a distance). The acme of the evening came after dark at a time when many of us were tired, cold, wet and huddled under two very popular tablecloths – that’s right, they’re rarely marketed as such, but handmade South African tablecloths do repel rain!
Ahead in the darkness of a more densely wooded area, two lioness’ and two cubs stopped us in our tracks. Another female sheltered under a nearby tree, waiting out the sudden cloudburst. The rain didn’t dampen our enthusiasm at seeing this most fascinating family unit, and we happily snapped away taking photos and gushing over the wee babies. Bongani estimated them to be two months old since he saw the mothers carrying them in their mouths roughly six weeks earlier.
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| Another beautiful African sunset |
Every day Bongani comes to the bush to find animals, and today we did just that!
