Mana River Camp Wildlife Sightings August 2024
As August has come to a close and spring has arrived, Mana Pools Camp has gotten warmer and drier as the days go by. The wind has also started picking up as the wildlife in the area turns from grass eaters to leaf eaters. This is due to the dry conditions leaving the area parched of water. Luckily, this weather means that many thirsty animals will come looking for a drink at our nearby watering hole.
A Help Showoff
Boswell, our resident icon, is quite famous for his unique way of feeding, and on one particular day, our guests got a front-row seat to his performance. Fresh from a delicious continental breakfast, our guide Alfred and his guests approached the flood plain and came across Boswell.
Unlike his fellow elephants, he will not put up with any old leaf hanging closest to him. Instead, he showed us how he stands up on his hind legs and picks the freshest and most delicious leaves atop an acacia tree. Thanks to his ingenuity, some fresh leaves fell off the tree for his friends to enjoy.
Packed Pack
During the latter half of August, we came across a pack of African wild dogs resting underneath a rain tree. By the looks of their bellies, they had just finished eating a meal.
Our guests were in awe of how beautiful these wild animals look, however, as we neared the pack, a female stood up and barked softly. This seemingly told the others it was time to go, and they stood up and set off. We followed them to the Chisasiko water pan and observed them at a distance to avoid disturbing them or their full stomachs.
Sundown Preparations
Sundowners at Mana Pools is a magical experience. One of the most memorable ones happened not too long ago one evening when we took a couple to show them what it is like. We set out for the sundowner at Long Pools, parked our game vehicle on the other side, and walked through a forest to find them a spot to watch the sun go down.
Once we got there, we spotted a group of hippos preparing for a night of foraging. Seeing them walk out of the water, one after the other was spectacular, and our guests even managed to take some fantastic pictures.
Would You Rather?
As we were having our afternoon tea and chocolate cake, a large herd of Eland antelope strutted into camp, looking to drink some water from our small pan. The area around our camp is still rather dry, meaning that a lot of game comes to drink at Mana Pools Camp because they would rather not get eaten by a crocodile while trying to drink out of the Zambezi River. Seeing such an amazing sight with cake has to be a dream come true.
Until next time,
Shepherd, Alfred & Tinashe
Mana Pools Camp
