All entries for Friday 06 August 2004

Leaping lions and bouncing bushbabies

A tiny primate-like face stared at us from out of the bush, it's disproportionately large eyes bouncing the beam of our spotlight back towards us with a startling intensity. For a second it remained motionless, and then the eyes closed and it was gone. Again it re-appeared, perhaps four feet to the left, having lept to its new perch in an instant. Daniel, our Kruger Park guide with 25 years experience, was as amazed and intrigued as us. We sat for five minutes as several individual bushbabies sprang around in front of the vehicle. This was a rare sight in the Northern Kruger, the first that Daniel had seen in this area.

Daniel had already proved himself to be a genuine bush guide. With many years spent on the Nyala Walking Trail, he certainly is as he claims 'the professor'. Now based at the lovely small Sirenhi Bushcamp on the Shingwedzi River, he leads morning walks and nightime drives every day. We set of in the open top Nissan 4×4 at 4.30, with his trainee Sam as the driver. Almost imediately after leaving the gates of the camp, we stopped to look at the vegetation. From even a short distance all bushveld looks identical, but if you know what to look for, you can identify the many different trees and shrubs, the combinations of which make each area unique, and which determine the kinds of animals and birds that are likely to be present. Daniel also proved himself to be a good 'bushtucker man', pointing out plants that produce sweet fruits on which one can feast in the summer.

The car rumbled on down the sandy dirt road, and we searched the bush, intensely looking for birds and animals. Sam suddenly said something in Shangaan to Daniel. Kicking up dust and throwing us all alarmingly forwards, the vehicle stopped suddenly. We looked around, upwards and to the sides without a clue as to what we were supposed to be looking at. Amused perceptual inadequacy, Daniel alerted us to the large puffadder
moving across our path just a few feet away. If you have always imagined that all snakes propel themselves with a stereotypically serpentine wriggle, you would be surprised, possibly alarmed, and maybe even repulsed by the puffadder. Imagine a millipede without legs, moving by compressing parts of its body and thrusting other parts forwards in a straight line. It's fast too. Fast enough to catch up with a surprised human. Not as quick or aggressive as the black mambas that we've seen in the past, but still scarily quick.

We let the puffadder cross, and then moved on, turning down a restricted road that led to the Sirenhi Dam. There we stopped by the dam wall, and got out to have a look around. As with everywhere else in the Kruger for the last few wet years, the dam was full of water. After a short break and a look at the various herons, we continued on. It was billed as a 'sunset drive', during which we would stop to admire the scenery for a while. However, after looking at some wild herbs growing on the river bank, we unanimously agreed to get back to drive. It was quite clear that Daniel had many more things to teach us.

Within ten minutes the temperature had started to fall as rapidly as the light levels. Night envelopes the bush swiftly. We took up the challenge of the dark with a pair of powerful hand held spotlights, one on each side. And then the action started. Having turned East into the open ground between the Shingwedzi road and the river, we almost right away drove into the middle of a large heard of buffaloes. Their great bulk being further exaggerated with the shadows thrown from them by our torches. Edging slowly forwards, the buffalo reluctantly moved from the track, splitting the herd in two. We tentatively passed through.

Animals and birds were spotted every few minutes as we drove East. Once
on the tarred road, a wider field of view opened up, with several species of nightjar and dikop swooping around us. A marsh owl brought us to a halt yet again. Imagine a bird somewhat like a barn owl, standing in the middle of the road and doing a good impression of an official from the Ministry of Silly Walks! With strangely pendular strides, lifting a leg up, bending it, lurching forwards, it crossed the road. Why? Perhaps just for comic effect, or perhaps some kind of hunting strategy.

And then the alien space craft appeared. OK, it only looked like a visitor from another world. In fact it was the night drive truck from the nearby Shingwedzi main camp. Built to carry 25 tourists, and festooned with lights, quite an extraordinary sight to be dazzled by. A few years ago, Emma and I tried out one of these mass market experiences. It was very strange. We did see a pride of lions and a leopard, but were alarmed when it stopped for a dinner break in the middle of a small clearing. We then realised that the other occupants had been encouraged to bring along hamburgers and chips. Lion bait! Two days later one of the drivers was killed by a leopard.

And this is where it gets controversial. The towering height of the alien truck had enabled them to spot something interesting cowering in fear behind a large bush. The still bored tourists could obviously just make out a shape in the distance. We could occasionally spot some eyes. Sam drove us over to the spacecraft, and Daniel informed its driver that a really good herd of buffalos could be found nearby. They raced off, leaving us and their victim in the dark. At this point the sacred Kruger Park rule book, defended by painful fines and the occasional prison term, was discarded. We drove off into the bush, crunching trees beneath the wheels. Edging closer to our target, we could make out a pair of ears sticking out above it. And still it didn't emerge. So Sam drove us closer, maybe ten metres away, revving the engine hard to try to flush it out. No change. And then it got really strange. When sitting in an open vehicle ten metres from what may be a powerful killer it's nice to think that one's security is protected by the experience and sanity of the guides. When the driver switches off the engine, and the guide stands up and starts to make howling/roaring noises, one starts to get nervous. Having had no effect with his song of the wild, Daniel then started thumping his fist against the door. Again the cowardly creature would not show. Daniel gave some advice to his trainee in Shangaan. Whatever next?

Sam opened his door, stepped out, bent down and picked something of the floor. With the accuracy of a cricketer, he lobbed a large stone into the bush. It landed with the muffled thump of stone on skull. It's target rebounded into the air, leaping perhaps six feet up. A very confused male lion ran out from its hiding place. And it was a monster, one of a pair of brothers known personally by Daniel. Off he went to get himself a nice buffalo dinner.

It's hard for an outsider to judge the ethics of such an action. Would it have a negative effect on the behaviour of the lion? Perhaps making it more aggressive to humans, or reducing its chances of a successful kill? Or do we trust the experienced guide who has lived and worked in the park all his life? As ever, a drive in this park is never predictable.

Robert O'Toole : 06 Aug 2004 09:22 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem