SAFARI ChEy IS IN THE HOUSE!: Sunrise Safari April 29

Sunrise Safari April 29

We begin this morning with Sam Chevallier as our Guide and Dave Eastaugh on Camera
The Temp is 16 degrees C which is 60 degrees F

Sam is mentioning his ear problem for an earlier drive. He slept and now he can hear much better and feels much better this morning..

Dave saying this sunrise is very fresh this morning.
Sam calls it a crispy sunrise.

Crispy Sunrise

Sam has his little wooden Elephant on the dash of his vehicle.
We are on Rebecca's Road.

Over to James.

James thinks we are in for a rough Winter season because it is so dry.
Not expecting more rain.
The Elephants have been suspiciously absent the last few days. He suspects they know something that we do not.

We are driving along

OH MY GOODNESS!!

Leopard right in the middle of the road.... Is it Karula? Is it? Or is it Shadow?

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There is a LEOPARD

Shadow

James says she has muck on her neck. She has probably killed and has been lying around the dam.

Still no confirmation. Wiam says it is Shadow.
James will follow for a bit and then move around so we can get a view from the front to make a spot identification as to which female Leopard it is.

She has heard something.

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Shadow On the Top Of A Termite Mound

James will keep his distance because she is stalking.

It is Shadow.
Spot Pattern 3/4

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Shadow watching and listening

She is moving off into the bush

James says she is most likely moving onto another termite mound and will move along to attempt to catch up with her.

She has dropped her back. She is definitely stalking. seeing or hearing something.

Lost sight of her. James is trying to drive as sensitively as possible. If she is hunting, we will keep our distance.

We have found Shadow on top of another termite mound.

Shadow


Beautiful Rosettes on Shadow

And off the mound and back into the brush. She is moving quickly and appears in very good health.

"Dash" says James.... lost sight of her... got her back. She is moving down into the second drainage. She spotted something West and has shot after it.

James is calling other guides who are close by to see if they have a visual but she is moving.
James cringed as he tries to re position to continue looking.

James will and try and find her for one more minute and then while he looks we will head over to Sam. Lex said she is running very fast.

Over to Sam

And we see Elephants.

The Elephant is being cautious. not feeding. Moving into the thicket.

We just see this LARGE backside.

The Elephant has moved back into the road and now after seeing a guide vehicle has placed his trunk over his tusk which means his personal space is being invaded. He is letting this vehicle know that he is not comfortable.

Elephant Shows Personal Space Has Been Invaded

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When is close TOO close

Ellie says you are TOO close

Elephant Suggesting That Guide Truck Back Up

Sam saying the trackers are very good here and are very aware of the Elephant's behaviour.

And now let us all take a look at Sam's Elephant.

Sam's Elephant

We move along and Sam, spots a silhouette in the distance of a Female Waterbuck

Female Waterbuck

Sam driving along... Signal in and out at this time.

Over to James

We see James sitting with the engine off. He is listening. There are no bird alarm calls. Lex and Chris are attempting to relocate Shadow.

Back to Sam

Sam has spotted a Hyena but it is deep in the brush and cannot zoom in enough to see.

Back to James

Yellow Billed Hornbills.

Yellow Billed Hornbills

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Yellow Billed Hornbills

Back with Sam who is looking for Hyenas


Sam Shielding The Bright Sun

Sam arrives at the Hyena den but no one seems to be awake.

Back to James

James is coasting along with the engine off and loves the quiet with the engine not running. He wants electric vehicles.

Back to Sam with Hyenas

Brief Glimpse and then into the scrub. Off driving again with Sam

Got the Hyenas again but picture quality is poor

Eating a Foot

Very Close To Vehicle

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Hyena

The female spotted Hyena has a VERY full belly. She keeps the chunk of meat and is not sharing it with the youngsters.

Sam can't get it out of his mind how full this female looks and why she isn't sharing.

We hear the sound of bones cracking.

Hyenas milling about. Smelling and licking each other.

Back to James

The flies are out in full force now.
James telling us that the Hyenas pilfered the remains of a Leopard kill this morning according to reports.

Back with Sam

We see a warthog but blurry and moving around the perimeter of the Hyena Den. The Adult Hyenas had already run off and the cubs are deep inside their den.

Back to James who is telling us it is a lovely morning.
People are confused by the term Drainage Line. It is a river.. but is a dry river bed.

The temp is approximately 24 C now 75 F

A viewer asking if we have Bloodwood here. James says he does not know and he thinks the term is familiar but he thinks he remembers the name from "The Game Of Thrones".

We now see Nyala displaying their male dance.

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Nylala Fluffed Up Displaying

There are 8 million acres in this park so knowing who the oldest animal is impossible to know. The oldest would most likely be an Elephant around 60 years old.
James says he is talking Rubbish. That would be the oldest Mammal.
Crocs live over 100 years and a Leopard Tortoise can live up to 200 years.

Back to Sam who has some Mongoose

Mongoose

So far today we have seen Shadow (Female Leopard), Hyena, Hornbills, Buffs, Elephants, Mongoose and Nyala. ( and of course Sam's little wooden Ellie)

Back to James

He is talking to Chris who is out doing a private Guide drive.

And back with Sam

This little Elephant is doing his best at trying to climb this termite mound


Elephants Climbing A Termite Mound

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Who is King Of The Castle

Climb little Ellie CLIMB!

Just needs to get that other leg up there.

Nope... He has given up.
Sam says you have to give up when you are reaching too high for the cookie jar.

Elephants will go down to the water... get wet... then cover themselves with dust and then scrape the dry mud off against a tree to dislodge the dried mud and with it the mud takes the mites with it.

And quick! Back to JAMES!

He is showing us Hyena Dung. and it is GREEN!