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Game viewing in the Kruger National Park |
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There's an unspoken tradition followed by all visitors to Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa's oldest and largest game park situated in the north-east of the country, near the border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe. An integral part of the excitement of this modern form of hunting - better known as game viewing - is the custom of sharing information about animals and their locations with other visitors to the park.
Without this courtesy, two adults and two lithe teenage boys would not be trying to cram their inelegant bodies like sardines into the confines of the driver's side of the car … prodding with elbows for the best view, straining eyes (and other body parts), to be the first to sight the pair of pythons we had reliably been assured were up ahead. "They're up in the trees - you can't miss them," the friendly driver of a passing car had just told us.
Binoculars bumping, we're thinking: "Yeah right, can't miss them, huh? Besides who has heard of pythons up in a tree?" All the while scanning the likely-looking thicker branches - branches one would expect could support the weight of an adult python.
After a few minutes Donald flops back onto his side of the passenger seat with obvious disappointment. He's given up looking - but then shouts: "There they are!" He's pointing excitedly to a tangle of thin, bare branches high off the ground … and intricately laced and entwined in these unbelievably thin branches was one curled python, and a little further right, in a tighter ball, the second huge reptile that we'd been told to look out for. Sure can't miss them, even with their camouflage black, brown and tan markings! We laugh sheepishly at our poor sighting skills, wonder aloud what pythons are doing up in the tree … and then move on.
As we motored slowly, at the recommended 30 km an hour, through the reserve towards the central elephant country of KNP and Letaba camp, we were fortunate to see numerous elephant - but one encounter stands out above the rest. One particularly large and indolent looking bull came plodding towards us. He was walking slowly, but directly towards us as though he had a homing beacon fixed on our car. At first, watching others in the herd, we were only vaguely aware of the approaching pachyderm … but it soon got our undivided attention.
It's not clear who was more disturbed. Said elephant by the intrusion of modern technology into its quiet domain, or the occupants of the modern technology, also known as a car, who were either hurriedly turning the keys in the ignition, or wildly encouraging the driver in his endeavours to start the engine.
The bull continued to head straight towards us, and pandemonium was barely averted as we debated whether we could reverse fast enough to stay out of trouble … or if we should break park rules and veer off the road to save our lives … when the elephant suddenly wandered off the road and into the bush just in front of us.
It was a relief - partly from our elephant escapades, but mostly because we could stretch our legs and escape the confines of the car - to move into our secluded safari tent under the shady Mopane trees at the far end of Letaba camp.
The swimming pool proved a fountain of delight for the boys, who splashed and played the remainder of the hot afternoon away, joining us to settle into comfortable chairs and watch the sun set over the tranquil Letaba river with gangly saddle-billed storks, and graceful water buck and impala to admire over a sundowner.
A balmy evening followed as we absorbed the smells of the African bush, and delighted in the quiet sounds of the growing night. At twilight, while we were cooking our meal, we caught a glimpse of a hyena's sloping shadow moving quite quickly. And then it was gone; off on its evening business. Much later, as we gazed up at the starlit skies, we briefly caught a glimpse of the hyena loping back just off the perimeter of the camp fence.
Breakfast needed no announcement as a motley flock of birds descended to share our meal, gratefully chattering and arguing among themselves over who deserved which scraps of bread. We had common quails, redwing starlings, glossy starlings, red-eyed bulbuls, doves and yellow billed hornbills eating with us around our outside dining room table.
One redheaded weaver was brave enough to feed out of Duncan's hand, and the birds were soon joined by squirrels and some shy bushbuck, which eventually accepted offerings of leaves from tenderly outstretched hands.
Somewhat uncharacteristically, Donald read every word of the well presented elephant lifecycle exhibition at the Letaba museum in the camp - and regaled us with stories as we set off for another day of viewing en route to our next camp.
Compared to the previous day, life in KNP was relatively uneventful for the four of us. We saw more elephant, some giraffe and buck and discovered ilala palms, sausage trees, sjambok pod trees as well as the famous upside down tree - the thick-trunked baobab with its root-like branches.
The adults, who are more appreciate of birds and birding, enjoyed a brief sighting of a tall and elegant secretary bird picking its way delicately to an unknown destination, and got fairly excited at seeing two ground hornbill stomping through the veld. These birds appear on the red data list of endangered species.
Binoculars down, and having just set off again, we passed a car going in the opposite direction. True to the KNP tradition we told them about the ground hornbills. "They're on the right, a few metres ahead, stomping through the bush. You can't miss them," we said in unison, willing the birds to be seen, although a little uncertain that they'd really still be there.
As with any game reserve, the creatures that you see at KNP are determined by being in the right place at the right time. There's no guarantee of the big five or whatever your elusive quarry might be. But one thing is for certain - you won't miss having a wonderful experience. This article by Sharon Davis appeared in Explore SA.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 25 July 2009 )
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