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Nick Tennick

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Nick has always loved the outdoors and never turns down an opportunity for an adventure. After finishing high school in Johannesburg, where he grew up, Nick spent a gap year in the Zimbabwean bushveld which truly sparked his love for wildlife and conservation ...

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19 Comments

on Have You Ever Seen The Shy 5?

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I have never seen an Aardwolf or a Pangolin. They are still on my list.
But I have seen the other shy ones, even several times.
I do hope that next time at Londolozi I might see a Pangolin.
Great photos of these animals, Nick.

Thanks for the comment Christa. I hope you get the opportunity on your next trip to Londolozi, winter evenings are the best time of day to get a chance of seeing one. I have never seen an Aardvark yet… but I’m always on the search.

Hi Nick, thank you for highlighting the Shy 5. Prior to this trip I’d only seen a Bat Eared fox and a Cape porcupine, but then after my stay at Londolozi last month I flew off to the Southern Kalahari where on my last night, I tracked and followed a Pangolin, definitely a bucket list moment!! But the evening improved as my guide, tracker and I discovered an Aardvark an the edge of a pan drinking and afterwards it came within a few meters of our vehicle. Two major sightings in one night was overwhelming and one I’ll never forget! My other bucket list sighting was to see Mashaba and that happened on the way back from our sundowner stop – by far, my best trip to South Africa!!

Hi Denise. Firstly, it was great to see you again at Londolozi and I’m glad you had such a memorable trip including the Mashaba Female and an aardvark and Pangolin in the Kalahari – WOW.

We’ve seen both a pangolin and a porcupine at Londolozi! Memorable, awesome experiences!! Still hoping for that aardvark 😜

Both very special sightings indeed Mary. Me too, I’m always in search for the very secretive Aardvark!

Last year we saw three pangolin. The one we saw second time sashayed its way from its hiding place to its hidey hole over the course of maybe five minutes. Stupendous! And we’ve seen a honey badger or two, plus lions with porcupine quills in their faces (but no porcupines themselves).

Hi Willa, Wow to have seen three Pangolin on one trip amazes me. I have only seen a Toal of six in my guiding career.
Those lions certainly learnt a lesson. Its not often a predator will attack a porcupine and second time!

Hi Nick, i so happy to see these 5 Shy! They are among my favourite animals, I love them all, especially the bat-eared fox! Also the Aardwolf is such a pretty creature, it looks more like a fox as well then a hyena or a wolf. Pangolins and Aardvark are so precious. Porcupine are spread not far from where I live, nice creature. The Five Shy are so interesting also from a behavioural perspective. I’d add African wildcats, black’footed cats and serval to the list, also otters… all among my favourite too. Thanks for this special pictures

Hi Francesca, thanks for the comment. Firstly, I agree that the shy 5 are very special and precious animals. All with very significant adaptations to be secretive and feed mostly on insects!

Secondly, If I were to adjust the shy 5 list to the region where Londolozi is situated, Replacing the Aardwolf and the Bat-eared Fox, I would add the African Wild Cat and Serval to the list which I have only seen a number of times. The Cape Clawless Otto is also an individual that is very rarely seen and is a big candidate for the Shy 5 list.

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Pangolin is the only one I’ve seen so far! Quite a collection.

Hi Ann, You are very lucky to have seen a Pangolin at Londolozi!

Thanks Nick for reminding us of the shy 5 animals. I have never seen the pangolin,aardvark, bat eared fox or the aardwolf. But we do have the porcupine here in our reserve and although I have not seen it, the evidence is here and I have picked up quills by my veranda.

Hi Valmai, Thanks for the comment. Porcupine are very busy animals especially at night so discovering evidence of them during the days is not difficult but seeing them sure is! I hope you get the chance to see the others one day!

Thanks Nick for the pictures of the shy five. Truly very shy animals and rarely seen by most visitors.

Absolutely, William. If any of the shy 5 are seen on a safari its considered huge luck!

Hi I was wondering if I could get an update on the old lioness with the Talamati Pride. Also – I saw where the clipped esr lioness of the Pride was mating with the Black Dam male. . Have been hoping the other girls would also mate with them. Do you think girls are looking like they are going to stay on your property? Thank you so much for this very interesting meet the shy 5 .

So great to see these wondrous creatures featured! I have seen the bat eared fox once and the aardvark three times, but still yearning for pangolin and aardwolf:-). I have seen porcupine quills on the ground! Even more than seeing them, I hope we can save them all. Population control, habitat preservation, co-existence education, anti-poaching…we need it all and fast!

I have seen a cape porcupine. That’s it.

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