Agnes, who stayed with us about 10 days ago, has just sent in some really cool pics of her rhino sighting. It gives a very good perspective of what a rhino sighting feels like on a game driver, when out with our rangers. We get quite close to our rhinos, but of course we keep a healthy distance, but we do get as close as 15-20 m, which is more than enough to observe them in full detail, as they are truly huge animals. I think these photos make that point, this is what you can expect when spotting a rhino with us on our reserve.

 

We see so many of the “usual suspects” that I sometimes forget to mention the dozens of other animals we see on a very regular basis. One of those are hippos, which, for a reason or another, never rank too highly on our guests’ list, but once they see them, they often find them to be one of the most interesting animals they see.

Here a photo that Uyai took yesterday.

And here a spectacular photo that a guest sent in last week. Two hippos fighting!

Speaking of which, hippos: not many know that hippos are the deadliest animals in Africa (with the exception of the mosquito that kills indirectly a heck of a lot more because of malaria), more so than lions, and even crocodiles. The reason why locals are so aware of their dangerous nature is because the human bodies are usually found, as hippos are herbivores, so they kill, leave the carcass and move on. Crocodiles, of course, eat the entire body, so they are more often than not, never recovered. So it is not very clear how many people are killed by crocs, but in the case of hippos, it is a fairly well known quantity. The last number I heard was that about 300 humans are killed each year by hippos, so beware! They are very unpredictable, and despite their plump appearance, they easily outrun humans, running at speeds of 30 km/h, so don’t be fooled.

They stay in the water all day long, as their skin is sensitive to sun exposure. At night time, they go on land and feed there, usually for about 5 hours, and they can eat up to 65-70kg of grass in one night.

Many seem to believe that they are related to pigs/warthogs because of their look, but that’s not the case at all. They share a common ancestor with … whales! It is believed that about 54 million years ago they diverged, with whales adapting to sea life only, and hippos being descendants of a branch that adapted to land life only. Incredible, but true.

Interesting also: In German hippos are called “Nilpferde”, meaning “Nile horses”, and indeed many hundreds of year ago, they were very prominent along the Nile, in Egypt. But they are extinct in that part of the world now, due to human territory encroaching.

Our many lakes are perfect for hippos, and you will definitely see them when on visit here. They are well worth it. They are the third largest mammals on land, after elephants and the rhino. In other words, when you visit here, you will be able to see all three largest mammals roaming the earth, in one go. Not bad.

Gilles and I were fortunate enough to be at one of those iconic cheetah sightings last week, and to have our best camera gear with us. Of course, as pointed out in many earlier blog updates, we see cheetahs nowadays very regularly. Someone who stays with us for 5-7 nights can quasi expect to see them at least once, if not twice. It isn’t guaranteed, but it would be unlucky not to see them within that time frame.

It is estimated that we have at least 5 cheetahs now on our reserve (I personally think it’s the odd one more), and there are plans to introduce 2 more, so the population is steadily increasing. Sad news, it would appear, regarding the cheetah cub we have been seeing on and off for a while: The mother seems to have abandoned him, and by now we assume he (or she) hasn’t made it. That’s truly sad. In wild nature, however, the survival rate of cheetahs is fairly low, so whatever the reasons, this happens. The survival rate is probably about 30%, so for a cheetah cub to make it is hard, and beset by risks and many hazards. The same is true for all cat cubs, by the way, including lion cubs.

Anyway, without any further ado, here is the video! We spotted these two male cheetah brothers right on the edge of “Broken Dam”, basking in the late afternoon sun. After we observed them for about half an hour, our other game driver turned up, and all our guests got to see the cheetahs as well. So, curtain open, here it is! Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlX9VmvSIPg

… is a long convoy of migrating caterpillars. This can be seen occasionally in winter, here in the lowveld. I saw this unique phenomenon a few days ago on our Moditlo River Lodge, on one of the dirt roads on the reserve. Someone had foolishly driven over their convoy, but one can see how they have regrouped again, and continued their slow journey.

It is not a 100% clear as to why they do this, but it is thought that maybe it gives them the appearance of a snake, and hence they are less likely to be attacked. Maybe.

They follow a very thin silk thread (you can see it on the photo, if you look closely) on the ground that the front caterpillar produces. This is a slow-moving thing, bumper-to-bumper, so it can take up to half an hour to cross a relatively small road.

So once they arrive in the bush, they turn eventually into chrysalis, and then butterflies.

See the photos of this uniquely bizarre phenomenon. Only in Africa!

And here a video I took:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heBs4Y-mQK8

Bob stayed with us a few weeks ago, and had a grand time. Well, allow me to just copy-paste the email he sent to me (I got his authorisation!).

“I spent one of the best holidays ever with my best friend at the Vuyani lodge. Not only the game drives and the scenery made it so special, but also the great Vuyani-team! They do everything just to make you feel comfortable.

Every single game drive was exciting because you never knew in advance what animals you would have the chance to spot. Have a look at these pictures all shot at the Moditlo Reserve at the beginning of May 2014. It was amazing to see all these animals in their natural environment. We were very lucky to see the lions a few times and very close. One of the most exciting moments was when we got off the Landcruiser to observe the cheetahs laying (approx. 30 meters of distance from us) in the dried river bed. A few days later we saw them together with a cute baby-cheetah! The monkey on one of the pictures came along when we were sitting near the pool and he finally sat on the top of the roof of the lodge, the other ones were hanging on the trees around. Another picture shows Savanna, the wild cat living at the lodge.”

 

Speaking of which, photos: Here some of the best shots Bob was kind to email me. They are all real gems!

Many thanks to Bob for allowing me to share them with all our fans and future fans (hopefully there will be many more!)

About 4 days ago I went out for a game drive myself. On one of the many open fields, we ran across some beautiful rhinos. They are usually never in this area, so it was nice to see them out on the open. Our rhinos are closely monitored, and they are now de-horned, so they have no value to poachers.

I believe the photos I took reflect of the most iconic African atmospheres you can get in South Africa. Raw nature, crisp skies, against the dramatic backdrop of the Drakensberg mountain. Took my breath away!

And here a little video I took as well:

 

Here the first shot from the air of the Vuyani Safari Lodge. It surprised me also how the camp looks from all the way up there.

At the left you see the 2 river suites, then also the 2 honeymoon suite chalets, and the main building, which houses our 3 luxury suites.

Please click on the photo to see a sharp, high-definition version of the photo.

Enjoy!

 

We know the stereotypes: Leopards climb trees easily, lions kind of can, but they don’t like it and they are not good at it, and cheetahs never climb trees (their long legs are suitable for speedy running but not for climbing, unlike the leopard’s body shape).

Well, this is almost always true, but exceptions confirm the rule. Also cheetahs climb trees, but it is a super rare thing to see.

This Cheetah was spotted in the Muruti part of the reserve two days ago – the one male jumped in a low lying Marula tree, looked around a bit then jumped off again and joined his brother in the tall grass. All of this happened right in front of our guests, everyone was speechless.

A sighting like this is like finding a precious gem stone in your garden. It isn’t supposed to happen, and both our ranger and our guests will never forget this unique moment.

If one considers that only about 300 cheetahs are resident in the wild in South Africa, such as on our reserve, in a country twice the size of France, then one can only begin to imagine what a privilege it is to witness such beautiful moments. What an animal, what beauty. There are many types of cats, but cheetahs are a very special kind and the very rarest of them all, and I would say it is difficult to see them anywhere more regularly and close-up than here at the Vuyani Safari Lodge.

Enjoy the photos, it is unlikely any of our fans will ever have seen such footage!

by: Agnes and Anselm Tandler

Savannah is maybe the youngest resident at Vuyani lodge – the three year old African wild cat mix is famous for her loyalty and survival skills.

When Uyai, the tracker, moved to Vuyani Lodge, he was up for a surprise – in his old workplace he had raised Savannah, an African wild cat mix, from when she was a little kitten. Cats are territorial, so when Uyai left, he did not expect to see her again. But unlike other cats, Savannah turned out to be so loyal to her master that she searched for Uyai for weeks. Finally, she found him on the other side of Moditlo Game Reserve and stayed with him for good.

Cute, loving and adventurous , the African wild cat mix combines the best of wilderness and civilisation. With her large emerald-coloured eyes and her cheetah like fur on her belly she is a favourite with the guests at Vuyani lodge.

Uyai, a mild mannered man from Zimbabwe, had raised many other wild and semi wild animals – amongst them a tree squirrel and a caracal called Pixie. He had grown very fond of Savannah. “She used to sleep in my bed and came running to me to greet me. “ Like Uyai, Savannah has a story of her own: At first glance, you would be forgiven to mistake her for an ordinary house cat, but look a bit closer and you see that Savannah is indeed quite a different type. One of her ears is bend and torn from a fight with a caracal, the desert lynx, with its long tufts at the tip of the ear that stick out like antennae. The bush can be an unforgiving place. Ujay, the tracker, remembers that he woke up one night to a loud fighting noise outside the lodge: it was Savannah who had come under attack from a caracal – one of the many wild cats roaming around the lodge at night.

“When I came out, I could only see Savannah. She was badly bruised and wounded”, remembers Uyai. “I had to take her to the vet. Her right ear was bent and bleeding.” The vet told Uyai that a cartilage had been damaged and would never grow back again. After the vicious attack Uyai nursed the injured Savannah back to health. At first, the experience left her a bit skittish and standoffish. She did not enter the lodge and just stayed outside the premises shying away from guests and staff alike.

Not any more. Savannah is now enjoying her days on the sofas or in the office on her favourite, grey wool blanket. She has become a serious purrer, loves to be stroked and cuddled basking in the attention of the guests. Surprisingly, unlike domestic cats, Savannah has never caused allergic reactions to anyone. The three year old feline carries her bend ear like a badge of honour. “Now she does behave like she does not know me any more”, says Uyai.

When she is not busy charming the guests, Savannah enjoys going on hunting trips. Although she likes to eat from a huge bag of dry cat food , there is nothing more exciting than chasing lizards, mice or Franklin birds. “Sometimes we spot her a kilometre away from the lodge”, says Uyai. The avid hunter also goes after skinks, small reptiles, on the swimming pool deck. She once got stuck in a safety net on the roof of the lodge when she was on a chasing tour and had to be rescued. Uyai climbed up the roof and entangled the enraged cat who was furious of being captured. After all, Savannah is still a wild cat.

 

I went out again with tracker Uyai and ranger Themba yesterday, and we were on the outlook for the lions. We knew roughly where they were, and soon Uyai was following their tracks. We knew we were close when we saw a gruesome sighting of a killed warthog. It was a young animal, so poor her … it seems that it was an opportunistic kill, as they had just taken a bite and moved on.

About 10 minutes later we spotted a lioness dashing behind a small hill, with a growl (which sounds more like a loud bark).

It took us quite a while to get closer to them, as the bush was thick and access was difficult. But finally we got there, and what a sighting! We sat there for a good 20 minutes watching the 3 lionesses rest and digest a big (and recent) meal. They were very calm, and we all had a great time. One of our guests remarked how huge they are, and it is true, they are so much bigger than one imagines them. One has to visit here and see them right in front of you, and one sees how much bigger they are than they appear to be on photos.

We left satisfied after seeing the other two vehicles from the other lodge arrive with their guests. We will try to find the male also in the coming days, fingers crossed! I’ll keep you updated.

On the way back I took this photo of the reserve, as seen from the top of a hill. This spot always causes our guests’ jaws to drop, for good reasons.