Verney’s Camp Wildlife Stories February 2024
As the temperatures at night start to drop, you can find us sitting around the campfire sharing stories of the day with newfound friends and like-minded travellers. During the day, you’ll find us exploring the untamed African bush or poolside, enjoying a refreshing beverage.
A Welcome Return
The Pachyderms return to Verney’s to enjoy the permanent water source in front of the camp. We are always amazed at their calm and tranquil demeanour so close to camp. This always makes for unbelievable encounters for guests.
Patience is a Virtue
Our expert guides are well-versed in the language of the bush. On a game drive, we came across two female lions calling in low grunts, which made our guide suspect there was more than what the eye could see.
After patiently waiting with the lionesses, the calls were heard and five little cubs emerged from their hiding place. We were delighted to watch the cubs nurse and play with their siblings and mother.
Dominance and Territory
Two dominant male lions were seen leading their pride near a pan close to camp. The females accompanying them were skittish, indicative of the possibility that the pride had had an unfortunate encounter.
Upon closer inspection, one of the males was limping badly, a sure sign they had been involved in a territorial fight.
An Optical Illusion
Thinking they had seen a leopard in a tree, our guides confirmed that it was a cheetah, scanning his surroundings for his next meal.
After marking the tree with his scent, he lept down and continued on his journey to seek an easy target. Between leopards and cheetahs, it’s usually the leopards in trees. This cheetah had used the elevation to gain a better perspective of the landscape.
A Nursing Cow
A kudu cow has visited the pan at Verney’s almost every day with two calves. The cow is nursing both of them, which leads us to believe they are both hers. Kudu are known to practice community nursing, so we are yet to confirm this.
There has been a lot of activity around the pan at Verney’s Camp we have hardly had to leave the camp to witness some incredible wildlife encounters. What will next month bring…
Until next time,
Themba
Verney’s Camp
