Learning Lessons From A Wildlife Safari In South Africa
The writer goes on a wildlife safari chasing the Big Five in Kruger National Park in South Africa and comes back wiser with a few life lessons learned.
Shraddha Kamdar goes on a wildlife safari chasing the Big Five in Kruger National Park in South Africa and comes back wiser with a few life lessons learned from the Savannah wilderness and its inhabitants
When you stare straight into the eyes of a lioness for a few minutes (yes, you read that right, a few minutes), you realise that few experiences in life will come close. Make no mistake, all the drama in that sentence is intended. I did see the lioness from a few feet away and I did stare into her eyes; she had just woken up from her nap and stretched as if she had not a care in the world. Perhaps she didn’t. That said, I was not face to face with her without knowing how to save myself. I was safe in an all-terrain 4×4 open truck, one of the comfiest I have ever been in on a wildlife safari. And I was but a few feet away from the big cat.
It is in South Africa’s Kruger National Park that I understand that a safari is never really about ticking animals off a list, especially the Big Five. It is about learning to wait. And that is not a lesson you take to very easily. You envelop yourself in a blanket in your safari vehicle before dawn to combat the sharp morning chill and keep your eyes alert to scan the vast expanse of bushveld – which appears deceptively empty. Then, suddenly, your guide tells you to look at a particular spot and you have the African wilderness revealing itself slowly before your eyes.
On our first game drive in Lion Sands Game Reserve in Kruger, close to an hour in, we spot a few of the usual suspects – the svelte impalas with their elegantly-arched horns and the more weathered-looking nyalas. We soon realise how underrated these are when our friendly guide Jabulani Manzini points out, “These are the ones who survived the night.” Each night is a fight for survival to not be the hunted one. Jabu also tells us that, in the wild, every animal has a killer instinct, because, again, survival. We spot a variety of birds and many marula trees (indigenous to Southern Africa and a key ingredient in the delicious Amarula liqueur), but are all excited for what lies in store.Soon enough, Velley, our friendly spotter (he sits in a special seat on the bonnet of the vehicle and spots the fauna with his sharp eye), points to a bush. Jabu drives us in and, there, unfolding before us, is one of the most exciting scenes of my life – the lioness stretching herself after what seems like a well-deserved nap, and that’s when I get to lock eyes with her for a couple of minutes. Was I nervous? You bet! One-and- a-half leaps and she could have been on me! It was up and close, if not personal.
I kept breathing and hung on to every instruction Jabu offered – make no sudden moves, don’t put your hand out, don’t stand up in the vehicle to get a closer look. “The animals are used to the vehicle as a single unit and do not perceive them as a threat, but any sudden move will startle them,” he said. We sat there for almost 20 minutes with the regal cat for company while Jabu offered us titbits on the mating rituals of animals, hunting patterns, protection instincts, and more.Thrilled with the opening act, we progress through the drive, and are greeted with the one-horned rhino, only a few left in the park, Jabu points out. Poaching is a problem faced by parks across the world, including our very own Kaziranga in Assam, and so, the rhinos in Kruger are dehorned to avoid danger. This piece of information makes me ponder on how humans have to act on mute animals to keep them safe from other humans. I am brought out of my reverie by Jabu’s voice telling us we will be calling it a day soon, but not without a little enjoyment. The duo brings out a host of drinks and snacks, arranging them neatly on the bonnet, for our very own sundowner on the Savannah grasslands.
The next morning, well rested and fresh, we fuel up – drinking 5 AM coffee and munching on a few fruits and snacks – before we start on the next game drive. We arrive on the grassland a little before sunrise, hoping to make the day’s sightings count. And, boy, do they! Kruger is a gift that keeps giving. Just as Jabu turns the vehicle to go to a popular spot for a sighting (the guides have a radio network on which they constantly communicate with and update each other), we are greeted by a herd of zebras. You might see them in photos, watch them in documentaries, even come face to face with them in a zoo perhaps, but, trust me, nothing compares to seeing a pair passing your vehicle just inches away from you.
The stripes, exactly the way you remember them from your childhood books, create hypnotic monochrome patterns against the golden-green bushes. They usually move in pairs, Jabu tells us, as a safety measure. What comes next takes me by surprise. Nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming feeling of seeing a giraffe in the wild. I have seen their photos, drawn them, even embroidered one, but the elegance of the animal captures my heart. As it moves silently across the landscape, minding its own business, with a singular focus on grazing, I feel a rush of awe, gratitude, and joy. Its height seems to touch the sky, and it moves with effortless grace, towering over the bushes in a majestic and mesmerising way.
I look back longingly at the giraffe when it is time to go. The radio comes on and, after a short conversation, Jabu hurries to reach the spot indicated to him. Going by the staggering number of vehicles all waiting on the road looking at one spot, I know we are sure to see gold! We have to wait for the treat though – it’s too far in the distance to spot – but the ever-swift Jabu turns the vehicle again. We have access to the inner region, he tells us, and drives closer to the spot over grass and narrow streams to get us there.
Up in a tree is what we are looking for – a female leopard enjoying her morning siesta on a broad branch, basking in the full glory of the sun. It is the lottery win that only nature could have organised – spotting the elusive creature in broad daylight. We soak in the sight for about 10 minutes, then she decides she will delight us with more. An everyday move for her – the show of a lifetime for us. She simply wants to switch sides, so she stands up on the branch, swats a few flies away with her tail, turns from left to right, balancing effortlessly yet delicately on the branch, and goes back to being comfortable again. By now we have all learnt to be patient and still, simply observing. It is a lesson in how that vantage point helps her get a 360° view of her territory and spot her prey.
On the way back, we settle down in the vehicle, not yet over the sightings of the morning and looking forward to a good breakfast. We’re crossing River Sabie on a bridge and, suddenly, see two heads bobbing up and down – Cape buffalos cooling off in the water. Suddenly, four of the Big Five are done! We cannot be happier. On the way back, we spot a few baboons crossing the road, one actually posing for us. My 14-year-old niece later called it a “diva.”
As the vehicle moves along, we hear a few dull thuds – elephants going at the bark of a marula tree to get their favourite fruit to fall. Velley picks up a few for us to enjoy – they’re sweet and tangy and very succulent. No wonder the elephants love it!
Home to close to 150 mammal species, Kruger National Park has so much to offer. While we rejoice at having spotted the big five, Jabu speeds up the vehicle to check what the commotion is ahead. “African wild dogs!” he exclaims, among the most endangered predators. “You guys are very lucky; even we don’t get to see them often.” It is like a film chase then; the pack of lean dogs moving with extraordinary coordination ahead and us behind – a moment that can best be described as quiet exhilaration. Finally, they disappear into the thicket, and we head for our much-awaited breakfast.
In the luxury of the lodge, as I reflect over our two days in the wild, I cannot help but marvel at how much nature has to offer us. The Tinga Lodge at Lion Sands is built in the lap of nature, and the enormous suite offers spectacular views of the river, while you can hear animals grunting in the background, or have a stray nyala come to visit when you are in the plunge pool. It is a sign that, if we cooperate, we can all coexist in a world that is now dominated by humans.
Also Read: Beyond Masai Mara: Unique Wildlife Crossings Around the World
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