Magnificent encounters: A giraffe with its long neck is able to browse high in the acacia tree in the Kruger National Park. Picture: Liz Price
Sunday, June 22, 2008
WE STARTED with three trackers and three rifles, and ended up with one tracker and one rifle. The other two had disappeared. It was night time, we were sitting in an open-top and open sided jeep, and there were wild animals in the area — elephants and lions being the foremost on our minds. We were worried for ourselves, but were more concerned for the missing trackers.
Earlier in the evening they had picked up some fresh spoor of elephants and had set off on foot to search for the creatures.
We were at Timbavati on the edge of Kruger National Park. Kruger is the largest game park in South Africa and is home to 147 different species of mammals. I had spent a few days within the park, and had been lucky enough to see the Big Five within the first 24 hours: buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros. They are so named because they are the most difficult and dangerous animals to hunt.
I had seen so many animals in Kruger, but my favourite were the giraffes with cute faces with huge eyes and long eyelashes. With their long necks they are able to browse high in the acacia trees.
We set off for a night drive in an open jeep with two rangers and one tracker. The tracker had a special seat which is situated almost one metre in front of the bumper, designed to give him a good view all around. All we had seen were antelopes and one hyena. After a while the tracker spotted elephant tracks. They already had confirmation by radio that a herd of nine elephants were in the area, so the tracker and one ranger set off to look for them.It was a really nice night with a full moon.
After a while we went to collect our trackers at the prearranged place. They weren't there. We drove around and couldn't find them. The driver hooted the horn, and shone a powerful lamp to attract their attention. No response. They were lost. The area is divided into blocks or grids, and they were supposed to stay within that grid. The driver radioed to base and another tourist jeep came along and they joined in the search. Suddenly this huge grey object loomed up in front of the headlights, it was an elephant walking down the track in front of us. It seemed oblivious of the lights. Beyond, we could hear other elephants in the bush, they sounded so close and yet we couldn't see them, even with a powerful spotlight.
We continued our search and saw nothing else except bushbabies. Suddenly the quiet of the night was shattered by the static of the radio, and a message from the other jeep to say our missing trackers had been found. We turned a corner and there they were... up a tree.
Our big tough guides cowering up in the branches of a tree. It was highly amusing. Apparently after following the elephant tracks, night had fallen and they had been scared off by hyenas which were following them. So they had no option but to climb a tree, intending to stay there all night if necessary. One of them had managed to fill his pocket with stones as ammunition, and had tied himself onto the tree using his belt.
They were very sheepish as we drove back to camp. As we had dinner that night we could hear the lions roaring nearby. We settled down for the evening by the camp fire, and our trackers said goodnight and set off home. Shortly after their headlights could be seen returning to camp. They had news for us, two lions were lying on the road just outside the camp. We all ran to the jeep, intent on seeing the lions.
And there they were. Two magnificent lions sitting on the road. We drove right up to them and they took no notice. It was amazing. The ranger sitting in the "hotseat" of the jeep was a mere 5m away from the nearest lion. I was scared sitting in the back. Despite the strong search light being shone at them the lions just sat. It was hard to believe they were wild creatures. The front one blinked at us, yawned and rolled over and laid down.They were huge animals, their bushy black manes made them look even bigger. And there we were, in a totally open vehicle sitting just a few metres from the most powerful predator in Africa.
After a while the lions sauntered towards the jeep, approaching on my side, and my heart was racing. Before they reached the jeep they turned and strolled off into the bushes and were gone.
What a superb end to a wonderful African safari.
The Brunei Times
Earlier in the evening they had picked up some fresh spoor of elephants and had set off on foot to search for the creatures.
We were at Timbavati on the edge of Kruger National Park. Kruger is the largest game park in South Africa and is home to 147 different species of mammals. I had spent a few days within the park, and had been lucky enough to see the Big Five within the first 24 hours: buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros. They are so named because they are the most difficult and dangerous animals to hunt.
I had seen so many animals in Kruger, but my favourite were the giraffes with cute faces with huge eyes and long eyelashes. With their long necks they are able to browse high in the acacia trees.
We set off for a night drive in an open jeep with two rangers and one tracker. The tracker had a special seat which is situated almost one metre in front of the bumper, designed to give him a good view all around. All we had seen were antelopes and one hyena. After a while the tracker spotted elephant tracks. They already had confirmation by radio that a herd of nine elephants were in the area, so the tracker and one ranger set off to look for them.It was a really nice night with a full moon.
After a while we went to collect our trackers at the prearranged place. They weren't there. We drove around and couldn't find them. The driver hooted the horn, and shone a powerful lamp to attract their attention. No response. They were lost. The area is divided into blocks or grids, and they were supposed to stay within that grid. The driver radioed to base and another tourist jeep came along and they joined in the search. Suddenly this huge grey object loomed up in front of the headlights, it was an elephant walking down the track in front of us. It seemed oblivious of the lights. Beyond, we could hear other elephants in the bush, they sounded so close and yet we couldn't see them, even with a powerful spotlight.
We continued our search and saw nothing else except bushbabies. Suddenly the quiet of the night was shattered by the static of the radio, and a message from the other jeep to say our missing trackers had been found. We turned a corner and there they were... up a tree.
Our big tough guides cowering up in the branches of a tree. It was highly amusing. Apparently after following the elephant tracks, night had fallen and they had been scared off by hyenas which were following them. So they had no option but to climb a tree, intending to stay there all night if necessary. One of them had managed to fill his pocket with stones as ammunition, and had tied himself onto the tree using his belt.
They were very sheepish as we drove back to camp. As we had dinner that night we could hear the lions roaring nearby. We settled down for the evening by the camp fire, and our trackers said goodnight and set off home. Shortly after their headlights could be seen returning to camp. They had news for us, two lions were lying on the road just outside the camp. We all ran to the jeep, intent on seeing the lions.
And there they were. Two magnificent lions sitting on the road. We drove right up to them and they took no notice. It was amazing. The ranger sitting in the "hotseat" of the jeep was a mere 5m away from the nearest lion. I was scared sitting in the back. Despite the strong search light being shone at them the lions just sat. It was hard to believe they were wild creatures. The front one blinked at us, yawned and rolled over and laid down.They were huge animals, their bushy black manes made them look even bigger. And there we were, in a totally open vehicle sitting just a few metres from the most powerful predator in Africa.
After a while the lions sauntered towards the jeep, approaching on my side, and my heart was racing. Before they reached the jeep they turned and strolled off into the bushes and were gone.
What a superb end to a wonderful African safari.
The Brunei Times
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