Well, hello there. I do hope that you are fabulously well after another fun filled weekend. Here in the Luangwa it’s been non-stop with fantastic sightings, including wild dogs making an appearance while guests were having breakfast at Tena Tena. Take a look here: Breakfast with some wild dogs. Their timing could not have been better considering today it is World Wild Dog Day!
For this week we are going to hear from Bianca our Luangwa River Camp host who recently had some time off and what better to do with her time but to get out in the park and enjoy some game drives. So, Bianca over to you:
“Coffee by the river is always the best way to start the day followed by jumping on a game viewer not knowing what the day ahead holds in terms of sightings. It was not long until we were surrounded by life whether it be birds or antelopes followed by zebras and vervet monkeys.
Suddenly as if on cue all the animals stop and start looking pointedly in one direction, this can only mean one thing – a threat. Turning around and scanning the area we finally see what is causing the alarm and after weeks of not having been in the Nsefu sector there were the Wild Dogs. We found the wild dogs!
Excited we head off to try and catch up with them, but they are on the move, not done with their hunting attempt yet. We find them in the road walking towards us. Then all of a sudden, they stop, almost as if they were talking game plan, then they are off. Into the open valley area off they go and through the bushes we see they are attempting another hunt, and we need to catch up with them quickly but trying to keep up with a pack of hunting and running dogs while sticking to the road is a challenge itself. Eventually the dogs settle for the morning, and we count a total of 8 dogs.
Seeing as they’ve settled, we decide to go have a break for ourselves and head on off to camp, we will return in the afternoon to see if we can find them again. Before we end the morning our guide, Sebastian, spots some Tree Hyraxes in a tree they seem to be staying in. This is a first for me and I am like a child in a candy store. I’ve seen Rock Hyraxes but never before Tree Hyraxes and they are super cute. Right, back to camp for lunch and camera battery recharge before we head out for the afternoon.
In the afternoon we set out and start off with a small herd of elephants drinking water in the channel. The hippos don’t seem too impressed being pushed into a corner while the giants drink and start showing off their tusks. Another young elephant shows us how to sand bath while standing next to the vehicle loosening the soil with his foot then picking up a bit and throwing it on to himself. Then we decide to leave them as they head on into the bushes.
A short time later and we find the wild dogs right where we left them. It doesn’t take long before the dogs get up and start interacting with each other and then set off however having learnt from past experience Sebastian knows not to even attempt to keep up with them instead it’s time to find a spot for sundowners and a glimpse of the wonderful leopard Olimba. She was on a mission, so we didn’t see her particularly well however the following morning there she was lying on the edge of the ridge overlooking an area of the Wafwa in the tall grass in some shade. All of a sudden, she quickly sits up while looking out at the open plains and her tail starts flicking. She’s seen something. When finally in our sights we can see she is watching some impala approaching, but they are still too far for her to take a chance in the open area, so she patiently waits. A female puku is busy grazing amazingly unaware that she is being watched and as she gets closer Olimba goes down to the ground making herself as flat as possible to avoid detection. Both from the puku and us so once again no following of a hunt instead an amble back to camp for some lunch and a rest.
My last game drive that afternoon was to prove as fruitful as all the others with so many hippos and elephants that I lost count along with a large herd of buffalo and let us not forget yet another leopard sighting. This surely is a very special part of Africa.”
Wow thanks so much Bianca this is amazing. Nothing more for me to add from my side I think that Bianca has covered it all except to bid you all a very fond farewell and have a fabulous week ahead with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after one another.
