Well, hello there. I do hope that you are as always fabulously well and are sitting ready for this week’s update to find out what it is that we have been up to over the last week. It has been non-stop this end, the only animal that seems to be doing very little is a terrapin that we have residing in the Nkwali lagoon who can be seen just chilling on top of the Nile cabbage whilst everyone else rushes around it! As the temperatures are rising the guests are starting to enjoy the cool temperatures of the swimming pool and the elephants are starting to come more regularly to drink from the lagoon – it’s a winning combination and one that never fails to put a smile on a face.
However, we are not focussing on Nkwali this week, instead we are zooming up to Tena Tena to hear from the team there, about what they have been up to and who has been hanging out in camp. Tena Tena appears to have a resident bull elephant – the same very relaxed male keeps on coming into camp and enjoying sucking up ALL the water from the bird bath in one trunk load. Apparently, he is yet to find Bertie’s newly made watering hole, but I am sure that as soon as he does, he will become a regular visitor as the team are struggling to keep up with filling the bird bath! He seems to be very relaxed and regularly pops a trunk around a corner and kick up sand on the beach in front of camp.
Less relaxed however have been the local troop of baboons as they lost one of their members to a young leopard in the ebony grove behind camp. The guests had a front row seat to the absolute mayhem that unraveled in front of them as the entire troop screamed and barked and generally got really angry.
A few days later though the young leopard was paid back as he wandered nonchalantly too close to the wild dog den and the pack was simply having none of it. They chased him up into a tree where he stayed for a few hours before tentatively climbing down to get away, but the dogs were keeping a beady eye on him and no sooner did his paw touch the floor did they lay chase again and chased him up the next tree. For the entire day the poor leopard was stuck up a tree waiting for the dogs to get hungry and set off hunting. He eventually managed to get away and I am sure will not be taking that route again any time soon.
Whilst on the subject of the wild dogs we have been incredibly lucky to have them denning right behind Tena Tena. We have had all the roads closed off so that no one would go there because the last thing we want to do is disturb the pack and they move, or something happen to the puppies. Finally, after great patience the guides have been rewarded as the puppies venture further and further out of the den playing their favourite games like chase the vulture or tug of war with vulture feathers. Like all children they are full of mischief and cuteness all at the same time and it has been such a reward for everyone to be able to see them.
It’s not just the predators though we have had some wonderful sightings of kudu who miraculously pop up out of a bush as they seem to be so incredibly well camouflaged. And even a journey of 34 giraffe all together which was certainly a sight to behold.
Its been non-stop and whilst I could continue to natter away, my time for this week is up, so I shall bid you all a very fond farewell. Hope that you all have a wonderful week ahead with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after one another.
