It’s still dark when we leave The Motse this morning for the game drive. Tswalu is divided into two sections – 20,000 hectares houses the lions and various animals, 80,000 hectares houses pretty much every thing that isn’t a lion. Leopards seem to be able to go between the two sections with impunity by jumping over or digging under the fences.
Not so lucky is this mole snake. Trying to scale the fence has electrocuted the poor thing, and the fence is still sparking occasionally on this snake’s unfortunate attempt to use the fence as an escape vehicle. Getting him off the fence without electrocuting Jonas the tracker is something of a drama due to the lack of sticks to prise the snake out from between the wires of the fence.
It’s another spectacular African sunrise today – a yellow orb rising in a red sky to the east over the Korannaberg Mountains.
The ‘lion’ side of the reserve has a coalition of two brothers and a number of lionesses divided into the ‘north’ and ‘south’ prides. The two males are found enjoying some early morning sunlight. One brother has a quite light mane – the blond of the family – and the other is darker, more like the black-maned lions of the Kalahari.
A small group of wild meerkats (not habituated to humans) is out of their burrow system enjoying some morning sun as well….
The sociable weavers are hard at work, and bear a close resemblance to house sparrows, and there are plenty of ground squirrels feeding on the red ochre soil as we drive back to The Motse.
The afternoon game drive is spent with the pack of African Wild Dogs and their 4 month old pups. It is warm still, so there is a lot of lounging around and changing of shady spots to stay cool. One poor pup is smaller than the rest and looks as though it has dislocated a shoulder or a wrist. It’s doubtful he’s make through another month.
Whilst with the dogs, we’re treated to a spectacular African sunset.
And that’s the end of Day 2 at Tswalu…spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and one very dead mole snake!
