Zimbabwe - Hwange National Park - Verney's Camp

Never Give Up

Very early on in the month, a group of guests had their hearts set on seeing African wild dogs. So much so that they were even willing to see them in captivity. Luckily, during their check-in evening, a pack of wild dogs called out for one another after breaking apart during a hunt. We immediately set out on a night safari to see these beautiful creatures, but unfortunately, they were in the thickets, and it was too difficult to follow them.

That, however, did not mean we gave up. At dawn the following morning, we set out on another safari and successfully tracked the pack of wild dogs after half an hour. We found them hunting kudus, and after watching them for some time, they did not manage to secure a meal for the morning. Our guests were elated with their sighting, bidding them farewell only to see them again that very same evening, drinking from a watering hole in front of camp.

Cheetah Chasing

Spending four nights at Verney’s will usually allow you to see most of Hwange National Park's spectacular wildlife. This was the case for a group of guests we had this past month. However, during their first three days, they did not manage to spot a cheetah. So, to remedy this, one of our guides decided to use their final day to go cheetah chasing.

We managed to spot two beautiful cheetahs sitting in the shade in the mid-morning, relaxing away from the hot sun. They paid us no mind, allowing our guests to snap all the pictures they’d like. They were quite the photogenic pair, posing atop a termite mound and casting elegant silhouettes. It was a day well spent.

“Patience Pays Off”

On one of our morning game drives, we spotted a marvellous female leopard stalking something on the plains. She was definitely hunting something, but we could not tell what it was. “Patience pays off” is what we said to our guests, and as we all quieted down not to alert the leopard or her prey, she pounced.

She landed on a duiker, a medium-sized species of buck, and killed it before it could cry out. She then dragged her kill into the bushes before digging in. We were all ecstatic at seeing a master hunter at work.

Mommy’s Home

During a night around Verney’s Camp,  a coalition of male hyenas called for each other all night. With so much activity, we decided to track them the next day. They had just moved into a den in the bushes behind camp. It was difficult terrain, but tracking them would mean effort either way, so we pushed forward. We drove for a few minutes, eventually finding a female hyena drinking from a watering hole.

There were signs that she was lactating, and with the possibility of seeing something incredibly cute, we followed her back to her den. What came out of her home was truly heartwarming. Several hyena pups popped out of the den and excitedly ran to their mother. She relaxed next to the den and let the pups take turns nursing and playing in the sun.

Until next time,
Themba
Verney’s Camp