Autumn is approaching rapidly as I watch the western horizon disappear – dripping with the colours of a coppery metallic sunset. The guests still recounting the events of the afternoon game drive.
An hour ago in the fading afternoon light, I’d answered Anne’s question of “Do you see cheetah here?” as we clear the dense acacia stands navigating our way to the open savannah area we call cheetah plain.
“No Anne , not often due to the thick bushveld / woodland terrain and the presence of our bigger predators namely the lion and vast leopard population. Cheetahs are usually solitary and are built for the chase and thus very slight and light physically. These cats need vast open areas for their secret weapon of speed during an attack on prey animals,. The last sighting we had was a coalition of 3 male brothers about three months ago, I explain. I see the disappointment etched on her face as she softly confides- “hmm ,a pity they are my favourite cats”.
Isaac my tracker points and turns in a quick fluid motion, his posture shows he’s spotted an animal, I scan and drive south in the direction he’s looking in.
“Lion ” shouts a guest excitedly from behind me. “Where” shouts her partner.
Isaac looks at me with a broad smile as we both simultaneously realize what we are seeing. I let out a soft whistle under my breath and quickly question my expert tracker in Shangaan, Isaac’s native tongue , using the local word to confirm what we’ve both seen – so as not to set up our guests for an incorrect ID on an animal.
“Hey Boet (brother) Xikankanka?” I ask as quickly as I’m already processing a hundred thoughts – of where to position our vehicle, whats the light doing for photographs, whats the mood and general behavior of the animals, stress levels and are they relaxed, how will our presence affect the sighting – while I ease our 4×4 onto the open plain.
“Yebo, famba boet” (yes and go or drive fast) replies Isaac . His excitement tangible from his tracker seat position, his expression one I will hold in my memory.
Our guests struggle to grasp the visual canvas unfolding in front of their eye’s, and I know so did Isaac and I. In the vast and pristine wilderness of the the Timbavati Reserve, we are often suprised by how nature showcases her magnificent creatures both great and small. However the show that day could not have been scripted better even if you had to pay for it.
The coalition of 3 male cheetahs’ were here once again, in their territory the vast expanse of Cheetah plains. Two of the brothers were chasing a small antelope of to our right at full tilt – a blur of dust and feet. I slowly position our vehicle at right angles to the sun. As I switch off the engine we watch in silence as the third member of the cheetah coalition, turns to gaze at us from 30m away. Isaac and I are ecstatic. I look at Anne, who has a glow about her as she watches from the viewfinder of her camera, thrilled!
As I explain and interpret the scene unfolding in front of us, I have to radio in the sighting to the various vehicles on drive. The responses are all absolute elation as we as rangers and tracker teams are thrilled that the cheetahs have returned for how long we don’t know. The protocol of two vehicles in a sighting is put into place as the closest vehicles respond and those further afield ask for location details as to plot where to take their “standby” positions.
We experience an incredibly rare sighting with the coalition extremely relaxed with our presence even after a failed hunting attempt. Our guests euphoric and still chatting excitedly amongst one another as we slowly leave the sighting making way for another vehicle to enter the sighting. Scotch and Civilized two fellow rangers and close friends from Tanda Tula private camp wave to us from a distance, giving us the thumbs up signal of well done guys. Collectively a sighting like today will be spoken about tonight around the many dinner tables of the vast Timbavati Game Reserve, with much delight, animation and awe.
I ask the guests how powerfully precious that sighting was, as we slowly drive to our home at Rockfig private camp with the spotlight sweeping the rutted jeep-tracks ahead, Isaac illuminating all the bushveld silhouettes.
I fall asleep to the sounds of a distant hyena calling only to be awakened by the shrill of my alarm clock. Its 04H45 and time to prep the coffee and tea before our early morning drive.
“Avuxeni boet” Isaac greets from the warmth of the kitchen, the embers still a glow in the fire-pit outside. I smile and greet Isaac as we drink a cup of coffee before waking our sleepy charges.
The mood of yesterday’s excitement still evident as they sit around the dining table watching as the morning unfolds in crisp hues of pinks and pastel orange. The African sunrise – a moment suspended in time, surrounded with the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the banter of friends and the dawn-chorus as the incredible bird-life begins to salute the day.
“Martin, what do you have in store for us today?” asks JP as we climb into the landy. Before I can answer Isaac announces that today we will look for leopard, until we find them and then with a straight face says “or we can find tigers?”.
Laughing at his own joke so loudly through his glistening white smile – that we all join in, knowing today is going to be another adventure out here in the wonderful African bush.
There are days and game drives that will stand out as beacons in my mind as ‘unbelievable” and are never repeated. This was the case with the Big Cats and coalitions experience, suffice to say we were privileged to have sightings of lion, leopard caracal and cheetah’s. and perhaps the biggest was the rare sighting of the famed white lions of the Timbavati. To date still no tigers here in the timbavati - but hey Isaac has a wicked sense of humour – inkomo Isaac.
The following is a small gallery of Big Cats and Coalitions as I have photographed these felines on drives while doing freelance ranger work for Tanda Tula and Rockfig private safari camps located in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve -
for your viewing pleasure.
See you on safari - Martin
