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Mashatu

Mashatu’s Matebole Elephant Hide

17th July 2023

Mashatu’s Matebole Elephant Hide

After the experience we had at the Matebole Elephant hide on our last morning at Mashatu lodge, we’re thinking it’s an activity which all dry season visitors to Mashatu should put at the top of their list. After a slow start – observing mostly some birds, a solitary hyena and a couple of skittish zebras who never actually made it to the water – the last hour or so was a thrill ride of epic proportions, if you like elephants.

They walked, ambled, strode majestically and in some instances even ran up to the edge of the water from every direction, practically nonstop between approximately nine to ten that morning. Ranging from solitary males to small breeding herds, including several massive bulls and some tiny youngsters barely able to control and use their tiny trunks. 

In total probably 70-plus elephants graced us with their presence. It was simply mind-blowing to be so close to them, to hear and observe them and to be immersed into their environment to the point of losing the sense of being an observer. It was like being part of the herd, feeling the camaraderie, sensing the empathy and – later on – the power – when one gigantic bull elephant decided to angrily rush off in pursuit of a rival. His action had a ripple effect on all the other elephants, notably a small party of female elephants with youngsters. They took off helter skelter in the opposite direction, instinctively realizing that when two titans clash, everyone else in the vicinity is in danger.

There were just so many memorable moments. One elephant purposefully, and in a very measured manner, projected a stream of water directly at me with its trunk, seemingly offended by the clattering of the camera shutter. A youngster inadvertently slipped off the edge of the water which prompted several of the other elephants to come to its aid. One particular youngish elephant took it upon himself to chase off any and all other species: eland, impala…all had to scatter in the path of the water bully. 

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A Return Trip to Mashatu, Botswana

17th July 2023

A Return Trip to Mashatu, Botswana

In what was a first for both Kathy and myself, we crossed the international border from South Africa into Botswana in a cable car suspended about 30 feet over the Limpopo river, in late June. Not a big revolving cable car like at Table Mountain. A small two or maybe three person cage where you stand up all the way, your luggage at your feet. Our initial apprehension quickly melted away as we gently swung and creaked our way across the greenish Limpopo river, scanning the water for signs of life. It was only mildly disconcerting to see a medium-sized crocodile down below; we were by then well on our way to the docking station on the Botswana side.

Why the cable car? Border crossings at the Pont Drift border post between South Africa and Botswana are usually quite mundane, driving across the mostly dry river in a 4-wheel drive vehicle along a gravel track. Just about always, the road crossing can be done during the entire dry season from May through November. Just not this year. Due to abundant rainfall upstream, the Limpopo was flowing  strongly by late June/early July, which is why we ended up entering and exiting Botswana in such a novel and rather adventurous way. Would we do it again? Absolutely. In fact we might even opt for it over the more traditional vehicle crossing.  

Driving in the direction of Tuli Safari Lodge after having completed the perfunctory border formalities, our first mammal sighting was – appropriately – a herd of elephants. Tuli has about 1,500 or so resident elephants, the most of any private reserve in Southern Africa. No prizes for guessing what mammal we saw next. Impala, of course. This ubiquitous antelope is by far the most abundant of the nine species of antelope present in the area. 

Over the next three days we added an additional 22 species of mammals, including blue wildebeest, bushbuck, eland, steenbok, bat eared fox, black backed jackal, chacma baboon, Burchell’s zebra, African wildcat, plains giraffe, spotted hyena, tree squirrel, warthog, small spotted genet, banded mongoose, rock dassie, leopard, lion, grey duiker, klipspringer, kudu and vervet monkey. As on previous visits, we enjoyed the wide variety of birds, several of which could be seen at the various water holes scattered throughout the reserve. A few of our favorites? The cheeky grey go away bird, Verreaux’s eagle owl, the striking harrier hawk and of course the many kori bustards. 

LOOKING FOR LEOPARDS, FINDING GIRAFFES

Late in the afternoon on day one we were driving along a dry riverbed in search of leopards which – we were told – like to skulk along the edges of natural drainage lines. On this day we didn’t find leopards. What we did find were giraffes. At first just one. Then several. Followed by a bunch more. We ended up seeing close to 50 giraffes in less than 30 minutes. Tower after tower, around every bend in the dry stream bed, there they were. Males, females, youngsters, bold, shy and somewhere in-between. All giving us the giraffe treatment: initially retreating quietly and then turning around and fixating on us with an intense stare. I did say quietly. Over several decades of seeing giraffes in the wild, I have yet to hear as much as a peep out of one of them. 

Back in 1984, 22 giraffes were reintroduced in the Tuli block. There are currently well over 700 of them in the reserve. Judging by all the babies and youngsters we saw staring quietly at us, the actual number may already have crept into four digits. This is an amazing statistic, considering that prior to 1984 giraffes had been locally extinct in the Tuli block for more than a hundred years after having been hunted out.

LOOKING FOR LIONS, FINDING ELEPHANTS

On a morning drive the following day we were looking for lions and found elephants. Lots and lots of elephants which in their inimitable way are much more entertaining than lions, particularly during daylight hours, when – as we know only too well – lions tend to be somnambulant. On this day, a herd of about 50 elephants had walked into the amphitheater, a small sandy enclave pretty much surrounded by cliffs and low hills. The elephants were feeding on the stems of wild sage plants. Apparently the stems and roots collect a substantial amount of moisture during the dry season. 

Our guide Paul pulled the open Toyota Landcruiser into the shade of a giant Mashatu tree, close to the edge of the open area with a steep rock cliff just meters to our right. The plan was to alight from the vehicle for morning tea. The proximity of the elephants gave pause to Paul’s plans. Just as well. Within minutes, our presence and the potential threat which it posed, had permeated throughout the herd. Communicating in a manner imperceptible to us, the herd tightened up, closed ranks and bunched together tightly as they rushed out of the enclave, all to protect their babies. It was an insightful event, clearly demonstrating elephants’ uncanny ability to communicate using low-frequency sounds, below the range of human hearing. 

FINDING LEOPARDS – MORE THAN ONCE

Mashatu is known as a big cat destination and it cemented its reputation on this trip. On our second afternoon we had our first leopard sighting, which was repeated under very similar circumstances the next day, and then again on our last morning outing. All three sightings were of female leopards walking through a fairly dense forest, seemingly oblivious to our presence. They would turn this way and that, checking for scent, scent marking as they went, totally relaxed and confident. Other than visually, their progress through the forest could be tracked by the chorus of alarm calls kicked up by tree squirrels and birds. If ever there was a collective ’watch out!’, this was it. 

Twice, we stayed with and watched the leopards until they disappeared into thickets, happy to have spent some time in their company. Yet another leopard sighting was of a powerful male patrolling a hillside, scaring off a couple of klipspringers which came bounding past us. Clearly Mashatu is a reliably good destination for photographers and other keen big cat aficionados. Cheetahs are also frequently seen at Mashatu but they do tend to move into and out of areas depending on how threatened they feel due to the presence of lions, leopards and hyenas. This time around, we did not see them because the cheetah group which had been seen until just a few days prior to our arrival had walked into a neighboring area.  

LOOKING FOR AND FINDING LIONS

As I’ve remarked more than once before in this newsletter, nobody wants to return home from Africa only to say ‘no’ to the inevitable question: did you see any lions? If Mashatu is part of your Africa itinerary, chances of this most unwanted scenario becoming a reality are in the slim to none category. There are two sizable prides which spend most of their time in the reserve: the Motloutse pride in the west and the Majale pride in the east. Spend five or six nights in Mashatu and chances are good that you’ll bump into one or the other, sooner or later. 

We came upon nine members of the Majale pride one morning while they were still relatively alert and active. There was a little bit of sibling rivalry, a lot of sisterly affection and an abundance of star power which is of course what lions take with them wherever they go. They are the true kings of their domain. Unless lions are in hunting mode, or interlopers in another territory, they make no attempt to be secretive or elusive or any of those adjectives heaped on practically all other big cats. 

On the day we observed the pride for perhaps 20 minutes or so, took lots of photos, and realized once again how fortunate we were to be in their presence in a true wilderness environment. We were to see various members of the pride again over the next couple of days, including one of the males feeding on a zebra. 

HYENAS, CROCODILES AND MORE

Over the space of a short 4-night stay, Mashatu delivered several other superb sightings, including these: 

Two juvenile hyenas playing and mock fighting right around our vehicle. For a good 10 to 15 minutes, the two sub-adult hyenas played with sticks and twigs, one running with it and the other following in hot pursuit, kicking up plumes of dust. It was playful and entertaining – two youngsters simply having fun. 

Observing several monstrously big Nile crocodiles on the edge of the Limpopo river, close to its  confluence with the Shashe. Walking down to the edge we surprised three of them, who then moved with alacrity, plunging into the Limpopo as fast as their short legs could take them. 

Several more giraffe sightings of sizable towers numbering in excess of 13 animals of various ages. It was obvious that the Mashatu giraffes were doing remarkably well. All one has to do is count the babies.

A clan of black-backed jackals and several white-backed vultures interacting in the aftermath of a lion kill. A male lion belonging to the Majale pride had walked away from a zebra kill, leaving some skin and bones behind. A clan of black-backed jackals were quick to move in, having been lurking on the periphery of the kill. They were soon joined by a bunch of white-backed vultures and it didn’t take long for the two species to start competing for the leftovers. 

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Mashatu: The Camps

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Mashatu: The Camps

The Mashatu Game Reserve in the Tuli Block of south-eastern Botswana remains high on our list of safari recommendations as an enjoyable, animal and bird-rich destination where off-road driving and night safaris are possible. Mashatu has a choice of properties ranging from classic tented rooms to deluxe air-conditioned villas, as well as an unrivaled range of ‘out of the vehicle’ activities including photo hide sessions, foot safaris, mountain bike safaris and horse-back safaris. There is also the exciting WalkMashatu foot safari option, which can be customized to include any variety of lodge walks, lodge to lodge walks and fly-camping. 

Since our last visit to Mashatu a few years ago, there’s been some significant changes, not the least of which is the addition of several new camps, most notably Mashatu Euphorbia Villas, the reserve’s new flagship property. Another notable addition is Tuli Safari Lodge Mashatu, a beautiful 9-roomed – mostly tented – property in the southern part of the reserve. There’s also a new luxury homestead – Kolokolo – which is an ‘exclusive use’ property in the far eastern part of the reserve. I’ll provide a bit more detail on each of the properties here.

TULI SAFARI LODGE

Tuli Safari Lodge simply has the best location and camp site of any of the Mashatu camps, with the rooms and main lodge buildings spread out among some massive trees in a stunningly beautiful spot. Literally tucked in between the riverine forest along the Limpopo and rocky outcrops, behind one of which you will find the camp’s sparkling pool.  It doesn’t take an extended visit to realize that Tuli Safari Lodge has a competent, tightly knit staff complement and the best food! I can see it fitting into many future trips being child-friendly and offering dedicated night drives. Plus one can walk right out of the camp to a nearby hide overlooking a pond, which is ideal for photographers and birders. The camp is also within an easy walk to the banks of the Limpopo River, providing yet another option for exploration. The hybrid tented rooms at Tuli Safari Lodge check all the classic safari boxes: beautiful to look at and exceedingly comfortable and stylish with tons of space, a great big bath with plenty of hot water as well as a huge walk-in shower, two vanities, more than adequate lighting, lots of storage space.  What’s not to like? 

On the day of our arrival we enjoyed an excellent brunch at Tuli. Served al fresco, guests could choose between a lemon & fresh herb chicken burger with french fries, penne pasta with olives, cherry tomatoes and spinach, or spiced pumpkin fritters with Brie cheese, crispy bacon and orange cardamom syrup. If none of that sounded enticing, you could settle for a full English breakfast. And don’t forget about the dessert: your choice of a fruit platter or a scoop or two of Tuli’s house made ice cream.

MASHATU EUPHORBIA VILLAS

In its completed state, Mashatu Euphorbia Villas bears about as much resemblance to the initial artist’s renderings as the modern world does to the Big Bang. It’s truly a work of art and I am sure that many guests will look back upon a visit there as being  a magical experience. I certainly do. It all starts with a winding drive up a steep hill into the most atmospheric euphorbia forest you’ve ever seen in your life. These stark, foreboding cactus plants – sometimes referred to as candelabra trees – loom alongside the drive into camp, a harbinger of what is to come. Crest the hill and suddenly you’re looking at about as dramatic an entrance as there is to any safari camp in Africa. The experience builds from there. The most stunning lounge and dining area – not to mention the outdoor space, the boma and the nest seating area, perched on the edge of a 30-meter high cliff. The view? You just have to see it in person.  

Much of what Euphorbia is about is bringing the outdoors inside, with accents and design features incorporating acacia leaves, euphorbia branches, tree sticks, mopane leaves and seeds, all in a tasteful and playful manner. The rooms are spacious and thoughtfully designed, with an ideal indoor-outdoor balance, and the most comfortable bed (and cushions) we’ve experienced in a very, very long time. I can’t think of enough superlatives to describe our all too brief stay. The couple of meals we had were impeccable.  

MASHATU LODGE

At Mashatu Lodge the main lodge add-ons and repurposing works admirably well, now with an excellent boma for evening dinners around a substantial central fireplace. The lodge has lots of open seating spots for the warmer months, a cozy breakfast room for the chilly winter mornings and it was great to see the Discovery Room in a prominent spot which it absolutely deserves. Serendipitously, we got to spend a few minutes there with Mashatu professional guide Tjandapiwa Lesifi. Better known as TJ, she answered several questions we had and we considered ourselves fortunate to meet her.

The rooms at Mashatu Lodge are perfectly fine (good air-conditioning/heating!) and spacious but they do have their limitations in terms of design and overall aesthetic impact. There’s just so much one can do with rooms which were clearly designed several decades ago. At the price point they offer fantastic value and there’s nothing intrinsically deficient; it’s simply a matter of not being ‘special’ in the way that the other camps’ rooms are. The food at Mashatu Lodge was perhaps a bit more uneven than elsewhere: on one day dinner (served in the boma) was excellent, the next day not so much. Even so, the brunch served on the lawn on the day of our departure was stellar – and so many choices!

MASHATU TENT CAMP

On this trip, we did not overnight at Mashatu Tent Camp but did a thorough site inspection; we’ve stayed there twice before. From what I could see, nothing much has changed and that is great. It is still a small, intimate tented camp with a peaceful, ‘close to nature’ feel, where keen photographers and birders can walk – sight unseen – into a covered hide and spend as much time as they wish, observing the comings and goings at the waterhole. The camp has a particularly nice pool for the summer months. The rooms are quite small by comparison with the others, but they have doors (so no struggling with zippers) and there’s an open space behind the actual room, leading to the outside but safely enclosed bathroom & toilet.  

SHA-LIMPO AND KOLOKOLO

We made the trip all the way out to Sha-Limpo and Kolokolo, two new additions to the Mashatu portfolio, close to the confluence of the Shashe and the Limpopo, on the far eastern edge of the Tuli Block. Kathy and I really liked what we saw and experienced at the Kolokolo homestead, an ‘exclusive use’ property with 4 rooms, each with its own en suite bathroom. The beautifully renovated one-story property has an ideal location on high ground overlooking the Limpopo floodplain. A prominent feature is some impressive leadwood trees, with two giant specimens seemingly tucked in right along the western side of the house. Kolokolo has space in abundance, inside and out, with an added bonus of pleasing ‘white noise’ from a nearby weir in the Limpopo River. Which of course won’t be audible when the river isn’t flowing but it was when we were there… Kolokolo would be an ideal choice for a party ranging from around 6 to 8 persons and one could combine it with a stay at Tuli Safari Lodge or Euphorbia.

The bottom line about Mashatu: reliably excellent game-viewing, professional and experienced guiding and a range of accommodation to suit every taste and budget. Relatively easy to reach from South Africa, even if and when the journey ends with a cable car ride across the Limpopo. Call us at 1-800-513-5222 or email me at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com to talk about making your first or return trip to Mashatu. 

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African Painted Dogs And Where To See Them

28th May 2021

African Painted Dogs And Where To See Them


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Cape Cadogan – Hotel Exterior View

African Painted Dogs And Where To See Them

My first vivid recollection of African painted dogs is from my childhood, when my siblings and I first started to see these fascinating creatures on self-drive safaris with our parents,  inside Kruger National Park in South Africa.  Even that many years ago, the painted dogs – also known as ‘wild dogs’ or Cape hunting dogs – were scarce and thinly spread and to see them was a special treat.  The park authorities encouraged visitors to report all sightings – which we duly did.  We spent a couple of weeks or so in Kruger Park almost every winter for several years, yet I can only recall seeing the ‘wilde honde’ – Afrikaans for wild dogs – on a handful of occasions.  


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Most memorably, we saw a small pack of painted dogs one afternoon – in the northern part of the park – encircle and attempt to bring down an adult sable antelope.  Those of you familiar with sable antelopes will know that these animals possess an impressive pair of long, curved horns with sharp tips.  On this day, as we kids and of course mother and father, were watching totally spellbound, the sable antelope wedged its vulnerable hind quarters into a thick bush and faced off the repeatedly charging painted dogs.


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Every time one of the dogs would stray a little too close, the sable would viciously swing at it with its scythe-like horns, evoking quick evasive moves on the part of the dog.  One after another, the painted dogs would dart in and out, apparently trying to rattle the sable into bolting.  We realized early on that this hunting attempt was doomed to fail, with an adult sable antelope simply being too much to handle for a small pack of painted dogs.  The dogs figured it out too and after a few more desultory charges, they gave up and trundled off into the bush.


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Memories like these go into the ‘indelible’ category and witnessing this play out in front of your very own eyes is what makes wildlife observation – particularly in an African setting with the interaction between predators and prey – as popular and enduring a pastime as it has proven to be.

Seeing and enjoying – and helping to protect and conserve these endangered mammals – continue to be a part of what motivates and inspires many of us in the photographic safari industry.

African painted dogs have been listed as endangered since 1990, with an estimated total population of just over 6,000 of these animals surviving in about 40 subpopulations, all threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, human persecution and disease.


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Painted dogs in Botswana

Most of the painted dogs that can readily be seen in the wilderness, are to be found in Southern Africa and more specifically in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. In Botswana, their core area is Ngamiland which includes the Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe National Park.  There are estimated to be about 40 or so packs of painted dogs in Northern Botswana, containing around 450 to 500 animals in total. 


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Some time ago, on a game drive out of Dumatau, the Wilderness Safaris property in the Chobe-Linyanti area, we experienced what one might describe as a typical african painted dog scenario:  Our afternoon game drive with our Dumatau guide started on a high note. Not long into the drive, we came across an african painted dog pack of nine, resting up and lolling about in a loose group, a couple of the younger ones coming right up to take a look at our vehicle. Over the following few minutes their demeanor changed from relaxed and inquisitive to alert and focused as they started hunting.


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We followed the main group as they rambled through the bush, slowly increasing their speed to a steady trot. Soon, the dogs were moving rapidly through fairly dense woodland, changing direction once or twice, but heading in the general direction of the floodplain. Two hyenas could also be seen, following the dogs, in the hope of a ‘free meal’, no doubt. By this time, there were two vehicles in radio contact ‘working’ the hunt, one trying to maintain visual contact with the dogs, and the other one anticipating the direction and speed of the chase. As it happened, we were in the lead towards the end.


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As we emerged from the tree-line and descended onto the edge of the floodplain, in a cloud of dust, we came upon the painted dogs just seconds after they had brought down an impala ram. It was a scene of primeval intensity as they devoured their prey, the sound of their teeth tearing the skin and ripping at the sinews all that could be heard other than our muttered exclamations of amazement and awe. Within the space of just five minutes or so the impala was reduced to little more than backbone, skull and horns. We sat there for the longest time just taking it all in, waiting for the last light of dusk to fade away before we slowly made our way back to camp, for dinner”.

Legendary Lodge


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Some time later, we were back at Dumatau and on the drive from Chobe airstrip to Dumatau, one of the other passengers mentioned to our guide Ron Masule (head guide at Dumatau) that the only signature Botswana species which I had not seen thus far on my trip, was painted dog. So, he said, ‘Ron better find us some dogs…!’ It didn’t take long. Just after tea we headed out of camp to a spot where the painted dogs had been spotted the previous day. Within 20 minutes or so, I had my first view of what turned out to be a pack of about 7 of these magnificent animals. After negotiating some very rough terrain we stopped on the edge of a small seasonal waterhole where the painted dogs were resting up and settling in for the night. In the fading light, I was happy to get a few good photographs.


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Something interesting which I learnt that day, was that various birds, notably the bateleur eagle and the hooded vulture, are closely associated with painted dog sightings.  The bateleurs because they want to snag a morsel of meat left behind from the kill, the hooded vultures for a rather more obscure reason.  They are coprophagic so the high-protein droppings of the painted dogs are simply a food item to them.  Whatever.

Villa Maua

Sanctuary Retreats


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On another visit to Botswana, on a game drive out of Kwando Safaris’ Kwara Camp, we had been looking for the painted dogs for nearly two days solid, finding and then losing their tracks repeatedly.  On our last morning there, we were hot on their trail again, but somehow, frustratingly, could just not close the gap.  

At around 3:00 pm or so, we stopped at a small pond for a tea and coffee break.  Having gotten out of the vehicle, we were standing around chit-chatting when, from the corner of my eye, I noticed one and then several wild dogs running out of the woodland towards the water. The wild dogs had found us! We spent the next hour in their company. There were six in total, which is about average for a painted dog pack.


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Having followed the six wild dogs for a while, we saw them resting up in a grove of Kalahari apple-leaf trees. There were 2 females and 4 males. Again, typical of a painted dog pack which is almost always ‘male-heavy’ as it is the females which leave the pack, when it gets too big or when conditions merit, to become the founder of a new pack.  The males stay put.  These very handsome animals were quite oblivious to our presence. As is their habit, they engaged in some horseplay, or perhaps more correctly – canine capers. I recall shooting about 200 mediocre shots of African painted dogs. A couple or so turned out ok.


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Painted dog behavior and social structure

A Botswana property where we had seen the African painted dogs on more than one location, is Lagoon Camp, which lived up to prior billing as ‘the’ wild dog camp in N. Botswana. We twice bumped into a large pack of dogs there, watching them feed on an impala and observing their strict but amiable social structure, with the pups eating first, then the alpha dogs and finally the others.


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This is typical behavior for the painted dogs, which are highly social animals.  Breeding is limited to the alpha female, who stays close to the pups in the den, and who discourages pack members from visiting them until they are old enough to eat solid food at three to four weeks of age.  By the time the pups are about five weeks old, they start to eat meat regurgitated by pack members.  When the pups reach the age of about 10 weeks, the den is abandoned and the youngsters – who by now resemble adults in every way – follow the adults around on hunts.  This is when they are allowed to eat first, until they are about a year old.


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Together with cheetahs, the African painted dogs are the only primarily diurnal  large African predators. We’ve seen them hunt well past sunset, as well.   African painted dogs have a high hunting success rate and their average of kills as a percentage of attempts exceeds that of both lions and leopards.  The species which feature highest on the painted dogs’ menu are kudu, impala, Thomson’s gazelle (east Africa), bushbuck, reedbuck, lechwe and blue wildebeest.  We have personally observed them taking a hare, proving that they will kill pretty much anything they come across.


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Painted dogs elsewhere in Africa

Two other areas which are good for African painted dogs are the greater Kruger Park in South Africa and Zimbabwe, notably in Hwange National Park and also Mana Pools National Park.  Some of the best camps in the Kruger Park area to visit, to give yourself a decent change at coming across the dogs, are MalaMala, Kirkmans, Singita, Savanna and Dulini in the Sabi Sand Reserve, as well as Kings Camp, Tanda Tula and Kambaku River Sands in the Timbavati Reserve.  In Zimbabwe, we have encountered the painted dogs on game drives from Little Makalolo, Linkwasha, Bomani in Hwange and Chikwenya and Ruckomechi in Mana Pools.


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In our blog post next week, we will take a look at a few of our ‘Groundhog Day’ properties in Southern and East Africa.  Places where we’d be happy to wake up every morning, for the rest of our lives…

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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The WalkMashatu Foot Safari, Botswana

12th November 2020

The WalkMashatu Foot Safari, Botswana


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The WalkMashatu Foot Safari, Botswana

As one part of a multifaceted trip which also includes game drives and some water experiences such as boating or canoeing, a foot safari is for many the purest form of experiencing the African wilderness.  Free of the noise and intrusive impact of a vehicle and free to go just about anywhere, a walking safari is open-ended and unpredictable.  It is as close as one can get to the wilderness on many levels:  feeling the ground under your feet, touching the surrounding vegetation and listening for sounds while observing signs and tracks.  Being out of the vehicle adds a sense of vulnerability which is exciting and at times challenging.  Of course, you are quite safe in the presence of a careful, experienced, armed guide yet the possibility of an unplanned, unforeseen encounter is always hanging in the air.


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For our guests visiting Southern Africa, we recommend walking safaris in Zimbabwe (Hwange National Park), South Africa (Kruger National Park) and in the Tuli Wilderness area of south-eastern Botswana.  Having experienced the bush on foot in these and several other areas over the years, we put the 3-night WalkMashatu safari with specialist walking guide Stuart Quinn, at #1 on our list.  Stuart’s enthusiasm and passion for the Tuli area and all of its beauty and wildlife become evident from the moment you first meet him.  An affable, lanky professional guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the Tuli Wilderness, Stuart imparts knowledge in a low-key, yet highly effective manner. Stuart’s infectious laugh and great sense of humor make him a fun person to be around.  We’ve done two foot safaris ourselves, with Stuart in charge, and will be returning to the Tuli Wilderness in November, for an update on conditions and facilities.


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A foot safari always starts with the ground rules:  walk in single file, take turns to walk in front just behind Stuart and keep the volume down.  Follow the head guide’s instructions at all times. Most importantly – in the event of something untoward happening – don’t run!  The overall objective of a foot safari is to experience nature in its totality. You would not be simply driving through it in a loud, intrusive vehicle.

Over the course of two different outings with Stuart, there’s been many highlights, some of which are the following:


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Sleepout at the Kgotla & Creeping up on Elephants

For many of our guests, the sleepout at the Kgotla is the high point of their entire Botswana trip.  We can understand why, having done this on our very first night on our very first visit to the area.  From the border post, it was about a 40-minute drive in an open 4-wheel drive vehicle to the overnight site, a circular open-air enclosure – the Kgotla.  En route we observed giraffes, kudu, impala, and elephants.  We knew that the six of us together with Stuart and his wife Julie would spend the night sleeping out.  We just didn’t know quite where and how.


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Our questions were soon answered and our fears allayed, once we arrived at the Kgotla. Previously a communal meeting place, the Kgotla is open to the sky but safe and secure for guests, with an impenetrable ‘wall’ of solid tree stumps keeping out unwanted visitors.  It made for a fun and totally novel experience to have a communal sleep out in such a quiet, peaceful spot with nobody else around.  It’s the bush, so naturally there was a campfire.  Slowly moving our camp chairs closer to the red-hot coals as the day’s warmth dissipated, it turned into a perfect night on safari.  With the flickering flames setting the scene, there was plenty of good conversation over a tasty, wholesome, ‘home-cooked’ meal, with a couple of glasses of nice wine.  Soon enough, we were all ready to retire to our small cots, spread out in a circle around an open fire, under a massive mashatu tree. In a light breeze with the cool air gently blowing across our faces, we fell asleep as peacefully and naturally as is humanly possible.  Sleeping in the open with nothing but the Botswana sky and stars above was exhilarating then, and lives on in our minds as a small jewel in our collection of memories.


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Not even the sound of a passing aircraft disturbed the natural rhythm. Not that it was always quiet.  Sometimes strident bird calls and other noises were enough to keep one guessing. Kathy had been somewhat ambivalent about this ‘sleeping outside’ business but in the end she was the biggest convert.  She slept so soundly that she totally missed two lions roaring nearby, very early the next morning.  The Kgotla has ‘his and hers’ showers and toilets which can be safely reached at any time. 

The following day we hiked to the Motloutse River where we saw about 30 to 40 elephants drinking and mud-bathing. Soon enough they were joined by first one, then another and yet another herd walking out of the bush on the other side of a very wide expanse of sandy gravel, making up the river-bed. Crouched down so as not to break the sky-line too much and alert them to our presence, we crept closer for some great views of these imposing beasts. As always, it was endlessly entertaining to watch their interaction and particularly to observe their dominance displays.


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By the time yet another herd approached the scene and started moving towards our right (the others were in front of us and to our left), Stuart wisely decided that it would be safer to move away from the river, just in case we got surrounded by elephants. Which would not nearly be as much fun as just observing them from a safe position.

We cut through a marshy (yet dry at the time) area with lots of elephant foot holes, through a very thick patch of bush and then on to the Mmamagwa Ruins and Rhodes’ Baobab, which we reached just as the sun was setting. The views over the valley, with the sun setting right in front of us, were superb. A tiny rock elephant shrew entertained us, scampering out from its rocky shelter right to our feet, quite unafraid of our presence. We had worked quite hard getting up the slopes and enjoyed a well-earned sundowner drink and some salty snacks there before we made our way back to camp, this time by vehicle.


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Mohave Bush Camp & Eagle Rock

Mohave is a tiny bush camp with just three basic bungalows next to each other and a thatched lounge and dining area as well as a small lapa overlooking a waterhole on the Mohave River. This is what safari is all about.  Great atmosphere, quiet, remote and wild.  True wilderness.  Mohave is known for often having lions around – we heard some – as well as elephants.

Afternoon tea this day was special with koeksisters and seasoned ground beef empanadas.   Just what the doctor ordered before we set off for Eagle Rock, a hike of about 90 minutes or so.  We encountered a few patches of heavy going sand along the way, but mostly the walking was fairly easy over flat terrain.


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The walk up to the top of Eagle Rock didn’t take much more than 10 to 15 minutes or so and can be done by almost anybody who is moderately fit and mobile.  Eagle Rock is an impressive promontory with a near 360 degree view over parts of the Limpopo valley, with the Motloutse River in the foreground. Up top, we promptly saw a Verreaux (Black) Eagle take to the sky. Several of its favorite prey animals – dassies (also known as rock rabbits) – could be seen scampering away.  From up there, we enjoyed great views over the surrounding countryside, the river and the distant hills.  It was a beautiful sunset.

Along the way up and down, Stuart pointed out various interesting geological features. Much of the rock was sandstone, with very visible ‘globules’ to be seen. These were round knobby protrusions or holes, depending upon whether the matter which caused their formation was softer or harder than the surrounding rock. If softer, the globule would wear away faster, causing a round hole; if harder, it would take much longer to erode, resulting in one of the knobby protrusions.


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From there we made our way to the next overnight stop but not before a most interesting encounter with the rarely seen brown hyena. Stuart had mentioned the presence of the animals in a particular spot – a large overhanging rock which formed a wide shallow cave of sorts. We crept up to the area through a narrow rock canyon, hoping to surprise one or more of the brown hyenas near their den. As it turned out, we did not surprise them: they had heard our approach and were lurking on the ‘exit’ side of the canyon. Kathy saw the brown hyena first as it bolted into its escape route, and Stuart and I also caught a glimpse of the dark shape as it slipped away.

As interesting as the sighting itself was the brown hyena clan’s boneyard. There were in excess of 40 to perhaps even 50 different bones – mostly skulls – lying around right in front of the shallow cave entrance. Most were impala horns with the top of the skull still attached, others were baboon skulls – even a much larger skull of a young elephant could be seen. The older ones were ivory white, while more recent scavenging finds such as a fairly fresh set of impala horns still had a pinkish tinge at its base, the animal having lost its life not very long ago at all.


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During dinner that night a large elephant bull came to the water hole at Mohave around 9 p.m. It was a real ‘great grey ghost’ scenario and everybody loved watching the elephant drinking quietly and then slipping away into the darkness, almost soundlessly.

Stargazing is amazing here with an incredibly clear sky.  Hanging over us as vividly as any of us had ever seen them were planets, stars, galaxies and the Milky Way.   Dinner – under the stars of course – consisted of butternut squash soup, garlic bread, chicken fried steak and cheesecake for dessert.  The food is home-cooked with no pretensions to be cutting-edge or fancy.  It is wholesome, tasty and nobody goes hungry.  We enjoyed a peaceful night.


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Walking into Lions

Our mission one morning was to track and find some lions which we had heard calling the previous night from camp. Stuart picked up their tracks soon enough but as it turned out – unknown to us at the time –  we had scared them away from where they were sleeping. 

Later on, having picked up the tracks again, we could see where the lions had crossed right over our tracks in several spots. Which meant that they were close but also that they were alert to our presence.


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This is what makes a walking safari such an interesting and ultimately fascinating experience.  You can seek out predators by following their tracks – which is what we did – only to find out that they are better at that game than humans.

In the end the chase was almost just as good as the catch. In our mind’s eye we could see the lions bounding towards us in slow motion just like in a National Geographic documentary. Perhaps the imagined version of walking into lions – which is what we were trying to do – is better than the real McCoy. There’s always another time!


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Serolo Tented Camp & the Hyena Den

For many WalkMashatu trailists, the last overnight stop on the trail is Serolo tented camp which was located on an elevated ridge above the floodplain, close to the then dry Limpopo River. There is a small waterhole just below the camp, a cozy lounge and dining room area and five en-suite tented units each with two three-quarter size beds, a separate shower and toilet and a powerful fan.

On the day we arrived there, we enjoyed afternoon tea with some vegetarian quiche and mini brownies.  Then we set off on the afternoon activity, a drive along the Limpopo River, at the time reduced to a dry, sandy riverbed.  A few kilometers further on we reached a rocky outcrop where we made our way to a hyena den site.  Much to our surprise – and delight – there were four babies to be seen, a couple of which were really curious about our presence and came right up to us to get a whiff of our smell.

The light was perfect and I managed a few good captures of the hyenas acting out and staring at us.


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They were awaiting the return of the adult hyenas who would be bringing them some food. Just then, we heard two lions calling each other.  It sounded close and getting closer.  Hot footing it back to our vehicle, we drove out to the nearby main road and less than 500 meters from where we had parked, we saw one and then another lion in the road. We sat and watched, pretty much spellbound as the two spectacular male lions walked towards each other.  Through binoculars and from behind our camera lenses we watched as they performed a brief re-introduction ritual consisting of rubbing noses. Then they promptly flopped down for a snooze right in the gravel road. Happy and content we made our way back to Serolo camp for drinks and dinner. 

Everybody agreed that it had been a very special day.

In next week’s blog we will talk about another kind of foot safari – a gorilla trek.  How does a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda differ from a similar trek in Uganda’s Bwindi National Park?  Check in with us next Friday for our perspective on that, and more.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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Elephants: Everybody’s Favorite

23rd October 2020

Elephants: Everybody’s Favorite


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Elephants: Everybody’s Favorite

As a native of South Africa and someone who was fortunate enough to start going on safari as a child, I probably saw my first elephant in the wild before I was even 5 years old.  As kids in the back of the VW Bus driving in the Kruger Park in South Africa, my sister and my brothers and I would literally shriek with delight when we came across a herd of elephants.  We would stare at their giant tusks in awe, comment on their amazing ears, marvel at their versatile trunks, laugh at their antics, coo over the little ones, and just generally be delighted to be in their company.


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Having seen literally thousands of them since then all over Africa, one thing remains the same.  Every elephant sighting remains special.  It is never ‘just another elephant’, or’ more elephants’, no matter how abundant they may be where I find myself.  Elephants are fascinating creatures on so many levels and they have an almost visceral impact when you see them in the wild, especially close up.


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Of course, there’s the sheer size of them, their massive bodies making an unequivocal statement as to who is the real king of the African wilderness.  Hint:  it is not the lion.  I’ve seen enraged, trumpeting – sometimes even shrieking – elephants scare off lions many a time.  Given a certain set of circumstances elephants are afraid of nothing and very little will stop them.


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Mostly though elephants are adorable, much loved creatures who are always busy doing something.  Mostly eating.  The leaves on trees, shrubs, grass, bark, fruit, seed pods –  pretty much any edible plant material.  Another favorite elephant pastime:  drinking.  It is endlessly entertaining to watch elephants drink.  They cannot go without water for extended periods of time and are almost always to be found within striking distance of a known (to them) source of water.  Which means that on safari in Africa, one of the best places to find them – particularly in the dry season – is at a water hole, along a river, in a dam, a swamp or marsh.


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Over the years, we have experienced many particularly interesting or satisfying elephant viewings, and every now and then have gotten lucky with a photograph.  Here are a few of them with some of our notes and recollections.


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Chyulu Hills, Kenya

One of my personal favorite elephant photographs is this one, taken of several elephant bulls at a small water hole right below Ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills.  What made it special to me at the time – and what I tried to capture – was the seemingly invisible turf battle going on.  These big bulls were in fact barely tolerating each other’s presence.  Their ‘togetherness’ was simply the result of none of them being substantially bigger or more powerful than the others.  Reluctantly, by the looks of it, they granted each other just enough room to get some water, and then move on.  Nobody dominated, and everybody benefited.


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Amboseli Swamps, Kenya

Amboseli is one of the best places in Africa to see elephants.  Amboseli is a small national park which is famous for its elephants and its perfect view (cloud cover permitting) of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  The Amboseli elephants are special because of the size of their tusks, their approachability, and their daily pattern of walking out of the woodlands to the swamps and then back.  It is an arid area so they almost always kick up some dust which makes for atmospheric photos and awesome views.  It happened to take me three visits to Amboseli to get some really good photographs of elephants with Kili in the background, but it’s mostly a matter of luck.  Good or bad.  On my third (successful) visit there were several first-time visitors in the vehicle with me…  You just never know.  This photo of a herd of elephants walking toward the swamps early in the morning, was made special by a relatively small but critical element:  the one big elephant looking back.  Just that.  Without it, it’s a nicely lit and atmospheric shot of elephant walking, kicking up some dust.  With the one elephant looking in the other direction?  You can judge for yourself.


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Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, Namibia

Photography is all about light.  Many professional wildlife photographers rarely attempt capturing anything beyond the morning and afternoon ‘golden hour’ window, when near horizontal light beams cast a flattering glow on practically everything it illuminates.  Including elephants.  Digital photography – which allows considerable manipulation of exposure levels in post-processing – has opened up a somewhat bigger photography window.  Even so, few serious photographers expect a good outcome for photos taken in bright light in the middle of the day.  The exaggerated shadows and washed out colors associated with harsh midday light, make it a poor choice.  This photo of a desert-adapted elephant taken on a game drive from Wilderness Safaris’ Hoanib Skeleton Coast camp, is a good example.  The soft morning light adds depth and drama and makes the photo ‘pop’.   Take this same shot at noon and all the warmth is gone.  It may in fact work better as a black and white image, then.


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Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Hwange’s 30,000-plus elephants are wonderful photographic subjects, particularly in the dry season when hundreds and sometimes thousands of them congregate around the many artificially pumped water holes scattered throughout the park.  I will never tire of watching a herd of elephants approach a water hole, particularly after a long and dusty, thirsty walk out of the woodland.  As they emerge from the trees, they start to walk faster and faster still.  The young ones run ahead, excitedly, to get to the water first.  Then, almost solemnly, and with serious intent, they all start to drink, practically simultaneously.  They fill their trunks with one deliberate deep draft of water after another, squirting several gallons of water forcefully into their mouths.  Again and again.  Not until their thirst is quenched, do the elephants start to relax, look around at the other herd members, and begin to interact.  Elephants lined up at a water source make fantastic photo subjects, as did these three at the Little Makalolo water hole in Hwange.  As is the case  with giraffe necks and heads, there are often patterns or symmetry – or for that matter asymmetry – to be observed and captured.  Look for it and incorporate it into your shots to tell a story and add drama.


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Odzala Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo

By the time I made it to Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, I had seen and photographed many an African elephant in dozens of places in Southern and East Africa.  I had never seen or photographed a Forest elephant though.  As it happened, we had fantastic luck with seeing and photographing Western Lowland Gorillas at Odzala.  But not much luck with Forest elephants.  A few glimpses and some far-off sightings, but nothing worth capturing with the big camera. Until we went on a walk down a small tributary of the Congo River.  As we were approaching a clearing, a solitary Forest elephant emerged abruptly from the thick bush to our left.  As startled as we were, it gave us a side-long glance and hurried across the opening, splashing through the water and disappearing into the thick bush on the other side, moments later. It’s for ‘can’t miss’ moments like these that wildlife photographers have to be ready for anything, with a camera set to freeze motion.  Not ending up with a blurry photo is the overarching objective.  With wildlife, there is often very little advance warning before things happen.  And sometimes just moments to capture an instant in time which you may never experience again.  I’m unlikely to ever again see a Forest elephant dash across a clearing in the Congo, but this image will forever be proof that it actually happened.


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Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

It is easy to believe that elephants are afraid of nothing and indeed they are – most of the time.  Under certain circumstances though, they can easily be spooked, with sometimes unpredictable results.  These photographs, taken in South Africa’s  Madikwe Game Reserve, illustrate such an event.  These three young elephants were slowly walking towards a water hole when a solitary running wildebeest set them off.


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They wheeled on the spot and rushed off in the direction they came from, kicking up a cloud of dust.   I’ve seen similar behavior elsewhere such as when a herd of elephants (in the Okavango Delta) started stampeding for no apparent reason.  Ordinarily, this is not an issue to a casual observer, when you are in a vehicle.  When you are on foot though, it can be most worrisome; you’d want to get away from the elephants as fast as possible and seek shelter.


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Chobe-Linyanti, Botswana

Elephants love water and habitually enter rivers, lakes and ponds to cool off, play and seemingly just enjoy being submerged.


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They are natural-born swimmers and can stay afloat for hours if need be.  We’ve seen them swimming – with youngsters in the herd – clear across the Zambezi River.


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This sequence of photographs shows elephants close to the Linyanti River in northern Botswana, walking in the river and also ‘snorkelling’ as they make their way through deeper water.


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Mashatu, Botswana

Mashatu Game Reserve in southeastern Botswana is one of our favorite big cat destinations, but it also has great elephants.  The Mashatu ellies are among the most approachable of any and will literally walk right by the game drive vehicles, just a few meters beyond touching distance.  Which is awesome to experience – every time.  Mashatu also has a specially constructed sunken elephant hide where photographers can get the most amazing shots of elephants coming to drink.  This photo was taken of a herd of elephants approaching the sunken hide at Mashatu.  They were moving towards the water in an almost businesslike fashion at a good clip, intent on getting there quickly and efficiently.  We did manage to capture some great shots on the day and Mashatu’s resident professional photographer helped us improve our photo skills, regardless of our level of expertise.  For any dry-season visit to Mashatu, a morning or afternoon spent in the hide is a most worthwhile addition to one’s program there.


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Sheldrick Elephant Sanctuary, Nairobi

Since 1977, the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi has cared for and fostered hundreds of elephant calves from all over Kenya.  Every morning at 11:00 a.m. there is a public feeding, where visitors can observe the elephants being fed, and learn a bit more about the challenges facing elephants all over Africa.  Assistants help to dispense a special milk formula for the babies, and there’s some leaves and shrubs for the older ones.  And sometimes a mud-bath on a warm day.  The young elephants are housed in a safe stable environment until they are able to survive in the wilderness, when they are moved to Tsavo National Park for possible reintroduction with wild herds of elephants.  This photograph of a tiny baby elephant happily drinking its milk formula encapsulates to me, just how vulnerable they are and how dependent they are on us – humans – for assistance.  We cannot change the past but we can help to undo some of the negative fallout of poaching and human-animal conflict.  Visitors or interested persons who adopt a baby elephant have the option of scheduling a more private afternoon visit, for foster parents only.  

Next week’s blog post will focus on the most elusive of the ‘Big Five’ African mammals – the leopard.  Much more common than one might think, but rarely seen due to their mostly nocturnal existence.  We will look at a handful of places where leopards can be seen and photographed relatively easily and consistently.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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