This was our last day out on safari, and it did not disappoint. It’s siesta time, and we have one more drive in the jeep this afternoon, but if I see no more animals, I will be satisfied.
We ate breakfast and were in the jeeps by 7:30 this morning. We always switch guides the second day, so we had Jacks. The sister camp radioed him about a cheetah sighting, so he told us to hold on tight and sped off down the sandy, winding trail. Within ten minutes we were parked 10 feet from a gorgeous female cheetah who was sitting in the sun, scanning her surroundings and planning her kill. Once three jeeps had pulled up to admire her, she gave up and lay down and relaxed for the time being.
After about 15 minutes, we continued our drive to the delta, where guides waited to take us on a mokoro ride, which is like a canoe. They used to be constructed out of hollowed out tree trunks, but now they are made of fiberglass. Chris and I rode with Phoenix, a young man from the delta, who poled our mokoro and told us about the surrounding plants. Jacks was out ahead to keep watch for crocodiles and hippos.
Once we finished the ride, we were off and racing again because the other jeep had found the spotted wild dogs, thanks to Jacks spotting their tracks on our way to the delta and radioing the other jeep.
After a swift and bumpy ride back toward camp, we came upon eight gorgeous dogs, dozing and piled together in two clumps. Their rounded, large ears flicked back and forth, and they raised their sleepy heads when we pulled up, but then they pretty much ignored us. Their story is very similar to that of our wolves. They were killing livestock so people started killing the dogs, and they became endangered. Finally, they became legally protected. If you’re a dog lover, you would’ve wanted to snuggle in with them, but Jacks said they would’ve run away had we approached- not that we would have.
After leaving the painted dogs, we came across zebras and a mama and baby giraffe. The baby was so young that its umbilical cord was still hanging from its belly.
What a full day it had been as we started up again for the five minute drive back to camp. But wait, how about coming across eight lions, five females and two young males? They were mesmerizingly beautiful as they snuggled together, some with bellies up and paws in the air. The head lioness kept a calm watch over her pride as we snapped hundreds of pictures and just watched them.
Okay, so I’m back now after our final camp dinner and song and game time with the staff. I have to write about our final drive this evening.
We set out looking for ostriches but were eluded by then, so we headed back to see those lions, who would most likely still be napping and resting in the same spot we left them. It will never forgot it. The were still pretty relaxed when we got to them, but the two mama lionesses had begun to scan the horizon for the evening hunt. The other six lions – two males and four female – were adolescents and took their cues from them
The two mamas proceeded about 50 feet forward and stopped on top of a huge anthill, followed shortly thereafter by the young ones, where they could better scan the grasses in the distance. Of course, we followed in the jeep so we could continue to watch them.
As the sun began to set and the sky turned from orange to purple, the mamas led their pride further into the grasses, and we figured it was time to let them be. I will never forget the beauty and majesty of those animals.
My Corner of the Village 