Kruger National Park
South Africa
South Africa
Trip Report: Leaf Leopards & Stone Lions: Kamping in Kruger
Talamati Bushveld Camp
cont'd
cont'd
We didn’t get on the road until late - around 8 or so. I walked over to check the blind when I got up at 5am but there was nothing but wildebeests in the distance. We had walked the perimeter the afternoon before and it is a nice small camp with a sunken dry river on its northern and eastern border with all of the bungalows backing on to it in a L shape. Bushbuck liked the trail as well – both outside the fence and inside. The bird hide is in one inner corner facing a wetland and the waterhole and hide are at the other, opposite the reception. Overall very nice but it lacked the entertainment of the river that Shimuwini and other camps have. I had great hopes for the waterhole. I think everyone else in camp did too as it was a popular stop.
We had been close to this area last year with 2 nights spent at Hamilton’s in the Mluwati Concession 10 – 15kms to the southeast, after our initial 4 nights of public Kruger. It was May and the whole area was drought-devastated with little grass anywhere. Dry, dry, dry. We had good game sightings but the Hamilton’s guide had to really work it. So it was great to see that the area was green again. It did seem sparser from a game standpoint than the south.
Anyways, we set out with a smattering of wildebeest around in the field south of camp. One was co-operative.
We had been close to this area last year with 2 nights spent at Hamilton’s in the Mluwati Concession 10 – 15kms to the southeast, after our initial 4 nights of public Kruger. It was May and the whole area was drought-devastated with little grass anywhere. Dry, dry, dry. We had good game sightings but the Hamilton’s guide had to really work it. So it was great to see that the area was green again. It did seem sparser from a game standpoint than the south.
Anyways, we set out with a smattering of wildebeest around in the field south of camp. One was co-operative.
Further west on S145, we saw some elephants off road in the bush, which gave us our daily dose of elephants, but they were too buried to photograph. Bumping slowly along, we met a car and the driver and I compared notes. (That’s one of the things I love about Kruger: the comradery displayed by many.)
His report was better than mine. Much, much better. He said two of the magic words of Kruger:
WILD DOGS
On S36 just a kilometer or two north of the junction. Only 3 or 4 kms away. Yeah baby! Off we went . . .
And then, with adrenaline pumping, just a kilometer after we turned on from S145, we saw 2 dogs walking into the bush 300m ahead. Bingo! By the time we got up there however, they had melted in. I slowly drove up the road a kilometer or so while we carefully scanned the bush.
Nothing. Nada. Rien.
So I turned the Beast around and we headed back very slowly.
Then coming around a corner . . .
His report was better than mine. Much, much better. He said two of the magic words of Kruger:
WILD DOGS
On S36 just a kilometer or two north of the junction. Only 3 or 4 kms away. Yeah baby! Off we went . . .
And then, with adrenaline pumping, just a kilometer after we turned on from S145, we saw 2 dogs walking into the bush 300m ahead. Bingo! By the time we got up there however, they had melted in. I slowly drove up the road a kilometer or so while we carefully scanned the bush.
Nothing. Nada. Rien.
So I turned the Beast around and we headed back very slowly.
Then coming around a corner . . .
Yes, a pack of about 13 wild dogs was coming right at us trotting on the road. With our cameras snapping wildly, the pack split when it reached us with dogs going either side of the SUV, seemingly completely and absolutely ignoring our presence. I saw them looking at us or at least at the White Beast but they didn’t care. We were not a threat and we weren’t tasty enough.
So I turned the Beast around and we followed them very slowly. Just us and the dogs alone on the road. The core kept moving slowly ahead – stopping occasionally to mill around - while others went into the bush and looped back out. Acting . . . well . . . just like you would expect a bunch of dogs to act.
So I turned the Beast around and we followed them very slowly. Just us and the dogs alone on the road. The core kept moving slowly ahead – stopping occasionally to mill around - while others went into the bush and looped back out. Acting . . . well . . . just like you would expect a bunch of dogs to act.
At the bottom of the hill, one found something smelly off to one side and just like any domestic dog, he promptly rolled in it. And several of his buds took turns rolling in it while others watched with interest.
We followed the pack for a kilometer or so, finally joined by another car with a solo driver coming up slowly behind us. He kept pace behind me as we ‘herded’ the pack. At least 2 of the dogs had tracking collars. The park keeps track of the dog packs because of the danger of canine distemper or rabies outbreaks. They have had to eradicate some infected packs to keep disease out of the park.
Another car appeared at the top of the next hill and the pack decided it was time for a rest and the leaders promptly lay down on the road while others went off into the bush to investigate things.
By the time we left, we had spent over 30 minutes with the dogs. What a rare event! It certainly boosted our (my) spirits that had been flagging due to the lack of cat sightings. Other than the lions on our first day we were really short on predator sightings. This one was a big WOW!