Leaving footprints in the bush...

This could have so nearly gone wrong....

Look at how he is digging out the dry grass to get to the roots. Grass will store some nutrients in the roots and as the day length increases the grass will use these nutrients for the first flowering of the season. Elephants however know this and will dig out the roots. Elephants need to consume a large amount of vegetation in the drier season to maintain their health. It has been months since I did my last safari, before the lockdown started in SA. It has been 146 days of lockdown now with Inter- provincial travel to re-open, hopefully soon. It has been a long and hard few months. When I drove to the reserve I was as excited as I was when I just started to guide 11 years ago. Every safari my excitement is almost the same as a young boy before his birthday who can't wait to open his birthday presents. Now, I am back on game drive and what a shock to the system, it's so dry and very little grass and leaves left for the animals to eat. This is one of the realities of the dry season. The dry season ( June, July, August) is not a birders favourite time of year because the migration birds are yet to arrive but for a Cat lover it is a very good time of the year. With the foliage minimum, grass short and not a lot of hiding space, the cats do tend to be more visible to a human’s eyes. Believe it or not, in the dry season with everything being so dull brown and grey, African Elephants weighing average 6 tons can disappear so easily. This is why safari is amazing, every day is a new day, every drive you see something different, every walk you smell something else.

A piece reflecting the effects of Covid-19 on tourism both in South Africa and around the world. Please click the link to read.

“Isn't walking in the bush dangerous?”