SANParks.org Forums

We saw one honey badger at Satara, early one morning and then again that night in camp. Or maybe it could've been two, at different times.

I am notorious for not going to bed and doing more than a bit of meandering.

I have fallen into leguane holes, sat spell bound by ellies and hyenas... and even climbed into stranger's beds.

but that is another story.

MM

With our last visit to KTP we saw a leopard late at night.

If unfenced camps count:

- aardvark
- porcupine
- white-tailed mongoose
- woodland dormouse
- acacia tree rat
- African wildcat
- spotted hyaena
- side-striped jackal
- buffalo
- elephant
- leopard (four)
- lion (lots)

That's not counting the birds, insects, arachnids and common mammals (genets, bushbabies, the usual antelope species).

Johan

Hey everyone I'd like to share my story of success with a torch! Earlier this year in pilanesberg I was outside and heard ferocious noises and ended up walking bare foot at night towards the low fence full of excitement. When I turned on the light, 11 lions were feasting on a wildebeest!!!

Mattib
And you were barefoot???
Did you not give a thought to scorpions, snakes and other things that your torch may NOT have picked up, while shiny about to find the noise

manicwalker,

I was only aware of that problem after haha! One gets carried away in this situation. What I wanted to know was, has anyone else experienced this situation? and also it put forwards the argument that are lions taking advantage of camps because this wildebeest was hindered by the fence and thus his escape routes were limited. Thought this would be a good debate, what are your opinions?

OP, your post made me laugh so hard! I love that passion though - It's great to see people enjoying the 'smaller' animals instead of purely scoping for the Big 5!


Sounds like a lot of you have had wonderful luck with your sightings! We live on a game reserve around 20 minutes away from the Kruger, and I believe one of their cheetahs has wondered onto our place with her two cubs.. Does that count? In terms of actual sightings at the Kruger with a torch, I agree with the above - right place & right time :-)

Do you guys prefer night time spotting? Or day time?

All the best,
Jacqui

Last April in Satara we had just finished our braai when at about 23:00 an African wild cat came as close as 10 meters curiously looking at us

There is an AWC inside Satara campsite. When walking around you will see him a few times per night.

My sightings at our Safari Tent in Punda Maria during May 2012 did not even need a torch. They came to our stoep.

I think it was Kim wolhuter who has started noticing that the wild dogs he follows are using the fence to hunt and will chase impala into the fence

A few years ago I witnessed wild dogs cornering an impala at Punda Maris's western fence.

Len

Hi everyone!! I am quite surprised that no one has mentioned this siting at Satara as I know some other forumites also saw it. Late May 2012 (can't remember exact date)....maybe after 21:00 somewhere (you guessed it, can't remember exact timeas well!!) I was still chatting away with friend next to the camp fire in the Satara campsite when all hell broke loos next to the fence close to the western corner of the camp. An old emaciated lioness had caught a wildebeest calf against the fences and had it's hind quarters in her claws and jaws while two or three hyenas had the calf by the head. At the same time one or two hyenas kept biting the lioness on the flanks. She was a sorry sight and in the end lost her meal. At one stage it even looked as if the hyenas were considering her for dessert. All this happend about 2m from the fence with onlookers taking photos, shining spotlights etc etc. It's times like these when you realise just how wild it is out there and that a meek little begging hyena transforms into a ferocious killer at a drop of a hat and that the weak will never last long. Oh, and Mattib, I think the old lioness definately used the fence to catch that calf.