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sightings report

Our Home is Their Home – Part 1

By Sheldon Hooper on

Lion Resting Sabi Sand

Every so often the bush presents us with an interesting reminder that yes, in fact we are surrounded by mother nature and all of her creations. Today was a fantastic reminder of that and if you join m...

This morning as we were returning after a particularly good game drive, having seen a large Male lion (Seen below) finishing off what was left of a kill and then a little later a female leopard (Also seen below) also on a kill as well as numerous other creatures of the bush, we were alerted to the presence of another leopard just outside of room 11 on the Northern wing of the lodge.

Lion Resting Sabi Sand
A close-up of a resting lion showcasing its majestic features, with a rugged mane and distinct facial characteristics. The image evokes the raw beauty of the wild, emphasizing the lion's calm demeanor in its natural habitat.
Leopard Sabi Sand
A striking black and white image of a leopard in a natural setting, showcasing its distinctive spotted fur and alert expression. The leopard is partially surrounded by lush vegetation, embodying its wild habitat in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve.

Not one to shy away from more possibilities to view these amazing animals I jumped on the opportunity and rushed over to where the leopard had been reportedly seen. Upon rounding the corner we spied a white tipped flash scuttling off into the bushes just a few meters from the deck of the room in question. We had found what we were looking for!

Leopard Sighting Sabi Sand
A beautiful leopard rests in the lush green grass of Sabi Sand, showcasing its distinctive spotted coat. The serene setting highlights this majestic creature, known for its elusive nature and striking appearance.

While sitting waiting for the young leopard, he was quite small, to emerge from the depth of the bush he had taken refuge in Sydney, our tracker, alerted us to the fact that lo! A waterbuck had managed to make its way up the tree right in front of the lodge, obviously with the help of our little spotted friend.

This then presented quite a predicament as we had guests in the room in question that had now become host to a leopards larder. Surprise, one of our Rangers, however managed to extricate the waterbuck in question from the tree and dropped it down below where the young male would have access to it in order to move it elsewhere hopefully out of sight and out of reach of our guests.

Life then went back to idyllic state at the lodge but I’m sure everyone was eager to find out later that afternoon what had become of the enterprising young male and his meal. We had decided that the first thing we would do on the afternoon drive would be to go in search of this young male and his meal.

What we would find that afternoon would come as a complete surprise!

Look out for part two on our Facebook page as well as Instagram.

Thank you for taking the time to share this amazing sighting with us, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Please follow us for more amazing sightings updates like this one on our Facebook as well as Instagram channels and let us know what you thought of it by leaving a comment for us.

Blog and photography by Sheldon Hooper (Chitwa Chitwa Guide)

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