The bush comes full circle

It seems like I have come full circle with regards to seasonal changes in the bush. I started my wild adventures as the 2015/2016 droughts took effect and have now experienced my first set of floods.

The rains have subsided and the rivers are slowing down. It was incredible to see the bush respond to the amount of water moving about. A lot of our gravel roads were damaged and destroyed, but thankfully very little infrastructure damage.

I have finally managed to get my camera out again and started enjoying sightings in drier conditions.

The Boulder’s leopard cub is growing up at an alarming rate. I spent the last day trying to track her down with no luck. She eventually decided to grace us with her presence the next day, casually posing ontop of a termite mound.

Another leopard that has been stealing the show recently is Tisela. She has been moving around the greater lodge area. She has grown on me and I always have a unique connection with her as she was born just after I arrived in the area.

The past two days I managed to have separate sightings of her moving through the bush and heading back to where we assumed she may have a meal stashed in a tree. The next day we managed to locate where she hid her meal, but she lost it to her brother, Hlambela and then to her father, Ravenscourt.

The general game are absolutely loving life at the moment. The rains have flushed a new growth spurt and food availability is sky high. Sometimes while watching general game, they may instantly change their behaviour. These impala caught wind of something and as I moved further down an open area I found what they were alarmed about.

Two spotted hyenas were tugging into an impala. They too seemed a little on edge. I cannot confirm whether they scavenged it from another predator or hunted it down themselves. They kept moving off the meal and then returned to it.

I have thoroughly enjoyed a morning spent with Thamba male leopard. Every time I see him, it feels as if he has doubled in size. He marches around with all the confidence in the world and does not hesitate to put on a show.