Big moments, new beginnings and family feasts: October at Umzolozolo
“Rhythms of the Wild”
The bush hums with quiet triumphs —
new tracks pressed into red earth,
first breaths taken beneath golden skies.
Around each bend, stories unfold —
a pride united,
a zebra foal finding its footing,
the dance of the cranes setting the scene.
The wild is feasting,
and with every sunrise,
we begin again.
October has been epic! So epic, in fact, that I honestly don’t know where to begin. I have accessed my photos from the month and this is what I will use to create the timeline for this month’s report.
Our Blue Cranes are in the midst of choosing partners, selecting nesting sights and preparing the nests for eggs. I spent almost an hour with a group of seven cranes one morning. The males were displaying very interesting and entertaining postures that were combined with leaps and bows. It was captivating to watch! The cranes are not the only ones preparing for the arrival of eggs. Our weaver birds are diligently gathering material to weave into their hanging nests and the coots are stockpiling reeds to construct their floating nests. We have observed a few more birds on the reserve this month like Common Buzzards, Jacobin Cuckoos, Greater Honeyguide and an African Jacana.
While I realise that cheetahs featured in my September report, I have to make mention of how much they have dominated our guest experiences this month, too. The cheetah brothers have been in top form; they took down a blue wildebeest one morning and we almost got to see the entire hunt from start to finish. The transition from uninterested to full speed was incredible to watch! They have also been interacting more with the older cheetah cubs and providing us with some intense moments. One morning in particular comes to mind. The youngest cheetah mom was feasting on a common reedbuck ram with her two cubs. They were being harassed by a pair of black-backed jackals but when the two cheetah brothers arrived on the scene, the jackals were the least of their worries. The cubs bolted away from the kill and the mother followed. Somehow, in the pursuit, the one cub became isolated and we were relieved that they were reunited. The mother of our five cheetah cubs, as we had hoped, is becoming more relaxed around the vehicles. She has been spotted a few times on game drive and even took down an impala ram quite close to the road where we could observe the cubs feeding and the family allo-grooming.
Our elephant herd has been back in the south and they have paid us a visit up at the lodge a few times this month. On a number of occasions, the heat has inspired them to spend some time swimming and playing in the dams. Watching elephants approach water and then fully submerge themselves is an experience that never disappoints! Their genuine delight and excitement is tangible and it almost always seems to be the younger bulls that linger that extra bit longer.
The Tswalu lionesses popped down south and took down an eland cow this month. It presented a wonderful opportunity to get some footage on the thermal camera. We headed out on a night drive and came across the one lioness in the road. We spent time filming her and then she gave us an almighty roar and sent us on our way in style. The Ntombi pride made a few cameo appearances this month as well. The block burn up in the northern plains has provided excellent opportunities to spot the big cats out in the open. Towards the end of October, we happened upon them stalking a buffalo cow. The moments before the young lioness took her shot were tense and very exciting. She got so close but the buffalo got away.
There were a couple of unexpected surprises for me and my guests this month. We were called in to join the sighting of a zebra mare that had just given birth to her foal. It was an intimate moment that evolved into quite an intriguing sighting. We watched as the mother appeared to treat the foal in a rough manner while simultaneously protecting it from other zebras around them. She knocked it down a couple of times and the foal would struggle back to its feet. As it gained stability, its body warmed up and became flexible enough to bend down and take its first suckle. Amazing! We also experienced the complete process of finding, darting and safely translocating black rhino. The morning was long, but the experience was unforgettable. Nambiti is part of the black rhino expansion project and it was time to move two females to a new home to continue the project’s aim. We were all sad to see them go, but we recognise the plight and the privilege.
The rainy season is upon us! Remember to pack waterproof clothing and to bring your bottles with you to help us reduce plastic and paper waste! We are looking forward to sharing memorable moments with you during your next visit.
See you out there! Stay wild!
Head Guide Noleen Turner