Tracker Exon Sibuyi is a softly-spoken man, yet some of his stories are the best you will hear in the bush. He’s been knocked unconscious off the tracker’s seat by a flying impala, after which 15 lions came and ate it off him like a dinner plate, but he just chuckles about the incident, brushing it aside as almost inconsequential. This happened years ago at another lodge, when Exon was out on the front seat after dark.
Exon sporting some stylish headgear.
Although there’s little danger in staying in the trackers seat, as most of the big cats in particular are habituated to the presence of a vehicle, at Londolozi we will bring the trackers inside, mainly to enhance the experience for the guests. If a pride of lions is moving in front of the vehicle, it’s far more pleasant not having to stare at someone’s back.
Also, it’s one less thing for the ranger to have to worry about when off-roading; I’ve been severely reprimanded by a tracker after ripping his favourite jacket full of Knobthorn holes when I accidentally drove him into the tree whilst looking the other way at the leopard we were trying to follow. He was still on the front seat at the time, and I learnt my lesson.
Exon Sibuyi, in the front seat this time after the animal has been found, watching the Tamboti female.
One of Exon’s favourite stories comes from a time when he was on the tracker’s seat. At least he was for most of the telling of it.
The incident took place about 20 years ago, before Exon was at Londolozi. He had tracked and found a pride of lions, and had returned to the vehicle to direct the ranger into the sighting. They found the pride just as they emerged onto the road, and the ranger slotted the vehicle in behind the lions, slowly trundling along at 5 kilometres an hour.
Exon was happily sitting on the front seat, content to watch the lions and their cubs as they slowly moved through the reserve at a sedate pace. The ranger meanwhile was explaining to the guests about lions in general, turning in his seat to be heard.
It generally provides a better viewing experience to not have anyone on the front seat when following lions.
If the engine is on and the ranger is facing forward when speaking, it’s hard to hear his or her voice, so one of the first things you are taught when starting guiding is to talk to the back seat; turn and talk! The ranger was doing a great job of this while the rising heat of the morning was having a soporific effect on Exon, making him quite drowsy out on his bonnet seat. With heavy lids, he had folded his arms across his stomach and his chin was slowly drooping towards his chest…
Tracker Elmon Mhlongo watches the Tsalala males from the passenger seat…
The ranger, meanwhile, was swivelled in his seat to talk to his guests. It happened to be a more extended bit of dialogue than usual, and he didn’t notice that one of the lionesses had stopped to listen to something off in the bush. Eventually tuning back to the road, the ranger was horrified to suddenly see that he was practically on top of the lioness, and his immediate reaction was to slam on the brakes. Now, the vehicle wasn’t exactly moving fast, but it and everyone it contained still had a certain amount of inertia. Exon was horrified to wake up and find himself in mid-air, catapulted out of his seat by his forward momentum!
I imagine he was even more horrified half a second later, when he landed squarely on the back of the lioness!
I don’t think any pictures exist of the lioness after Exon fell on her, but I imagine her facial expression looked something like this Sparta female…
Thankfully, most lions out there aren’t used to being assaulted from the air by falling bodies, so it’s debatable who got the bigger fright: her or Exon.
What we do know is that her immediate reaction was to run for her life, disappearing in a puff of dust and with a hearty growl into the thickest bushes she could find, while the pride up ahead of her spun in all directions, trying to establish what the threat was while Exon sprawled in the road.
The only real threats were those probably uttered by Exon himself, as he quickly jumped up, brushed himself off and made it known to his ranger just how displeased he was with what had just happened.
And I always wondered why there are handles installed next to the tracker’s seat…
I could not help laughing. It is quite a funny story. Probably not funny at all if you are Exon. Great experience though and something Exon can tell to his grandchildren. Just a sugestion, can’t someone write all these wonderful stories down and publish it in a book.
From this distance it is easy to laugh, however at the time it must have been terrifying for everyone, including the lioness! I have often wonder about sitting in the bait seat and am glad that everyone was safe. !!! Victoria
It’s a good story! While at Phinda several years ago, I enjoyed the experience of riding in the tracker’s seat for a couple of kilometers on Xmas morning- and I was so happy to have the handles as the road was more than bumpy. I have such appreciation for their eyes and ears, sighting things that us mere mortals would never see, all the while, hands free!! Hooray for Exon👏😊🦁
This is a hilarious blog, James! Bob and I read it out loud and howled with laughter at the picture of Exon flying up and onto the lioness! I’m not sure how funny it was at the time, but it makes for a wonderful camp fire story!!
I just can’t imagine the fright waking up mid-air, only to land on a lion! Thankfully she was frightened….were it me, I’d be in the middle of a cardiac arrest!
Hello James,
Fantastic stories! I’am glad that it all went well! Exon Sibuyi seems to be a very good tracker! With a very natural cool attitude, knowledge and a strong mental strength he could face these very dangerus situations in such an elegant way! A very brave man! It is alwayes a great pleasure to read the blog! Thank you for sharing!
James, Great story!!! Maybe you need to also add seatbelts!
This is quite an amazing story, James! And Exon isn’t a nervous wreck in a mental hospital but looks an extremely well adjusted, cheerful person! Not sure whether the lioness recovered so well …… Has she ever been seen again on that game reserve? And if so, has she got a nervous twitch? Just wondering ….. Wendy M
What a great story. I had a good laugh at Exon’s expense and now I also know what those handles are there for.
Great story. From the safety of the seats inside the landrover we have often thought there must be countless stories of trackers being launched unexpectedly! But landing on top of a lioness was not among our imagined outcomes!!
Great story! A regular highlight of the drive stops is talking to the guides and the trackers and listening to it only all the amazing knowledge they impart about the animals and the habitat where you stopped, but the amazing stories just like this that they tell you!
Sorry Exon! I just HAD to laugh! In fact I laughed my head off. It’s one of the reasons I so LOVE my Londolozi Blog. My phone trills about mid-afternoon and I think ‘That may be Londolozi – what NOW I wonder?’ And quite often I don’t open it until I’m curled up on my bed in my caravan with a mug of tea and no distractions. Falling on the back of a lioness ineed – I don’t think even Leon Schuster would dare to put that in one of his movies! I hope one day I get to meet all you lovely people!
Hi James. What a funny story.
Have you heard anything lately about the Tsalala Males? I heard that 2 of the 3 males have been killed. They were struck by lightning or electrocuted by a downed power line. I hope this is just a rumor.
Hi Chris,
I heard this rumour as well but it was about 7th hand, and I have yet to substantiate it…
I tried sitting on that tracker seat once at Samara, and lasted about 30 minutes before crying uncle. Bruised and battered, I reliquished my seat of torture to the professionals. (smile)
Amusing story. I had a visual of this as I was reading. Thanks for sharing this one