Over the last little while, we seem to be drawn to the banks of the Sand River near Finfoot Crossing, with various animals making appearances there. This Week’s Virtual Safari is no different, except this time a pack of wild dogs really tests my patience as I eagerly await their crossing.
We arrive to find them on the banks, looking intent on crossing through. However, like most predators, they’re understandably cautious about wading into flowing water – you never know where a crocodile might be lying in wait, ready to ambush its next victim. In this spectacular location with nowhere else to be, we settle in to wait, knowing from experience that it could be hours before they make their move.
Thankfully, a large elephant bull’s arrival sparks some action when the male wild dog considers following him across, before thinking better of it and rejoining the pack. A second elephant, more agitated by the dogs’ presence, crosses through the water. This time the male dog follows, leading to an entertaining chase as the elephant pursues him into the distance. We stick around another hour hoping this might encourage the rest of the pack to cross, but they eventually settle back down on the banks.
We close this Virtual Safari with thrilling news – the discovery of another den, this time belonging to the Kambula Lioness. After tracking her movements to the same spot in the Maxabene River multiple times, we finally locate her den after hearing the unmistakable whining and growling of tiny cubs nearby.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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Sean, I thought the video of the wild dogs got a little boring until the elephants showed up. I enjoyed watching the young bull elephant chasing the one wild dog. Then the Kambula lioness showed up and you found her den. “Just a great video . Patiently waiting until we can view the newest lion cubs. Thanks for your patience in filming.
Hi Sean, what a spectacular, magnificent elephant bull! Incredible to watch him into the water, showering himself, drinking and all, in the luxurious vegetation, a view many would surely name a top event! on the opposite side the silly behaviour of that wild dog in comparison to his pack. Nobody dares to enter the river and risk, moreover after a grown, potentially fatal bull! He is unbelievably loosing energy with nothing to gain in change. Sometimes they act in an incredible stupid way if compared ti hyenas, that, lurking and ambushing or jumping on attacks, depending on the situation, manage to eat literally all alive or dead. I understand local population having some shivering with them, but as far intelligence is concerned they are at the top even if irritating. The lionesses have cubs! What a wonderful news! I hope the sneaky and cunning hyena will not follow their traces as well… once I watched a mongoose eating a newborn cub. It was the only one of the poor lioness, she was desperate. I wish these mothers a great success!
Hi Sean, oh my word that elephant chasing the wild dog such a long way is sonexciting and nerve racking at the same time. They are very possessive over the water and don’t want to share the water. You can understand that the dogs are scared of crossing with the crocodiles leaking in there. So glad you have found the Kambula lionessess den. So very cute to see. Is the other lioness also pregnant.
Dear Sean , thanks for that update. The elefants are great, I am very exciting to see what is going on with the lion cubs.
Your incredible videos are always the highlight of my week, Sean. So fantastic that there are new lion cubs!
I hope that you will soon be able to film the little ones.
The elephants plus wild dog video was so entertaining. I really enjoyed it and it made me laugh. How that dog kind of teased the elephant and then nonchalantly ran off into the bush.
Well Sean, you did it again with teaser at the end! Thankfully there have been peeks of these new lion cubs but i’m definitely looking forward to seeing more footage.
It was really fun watching the wild dogs on the riverfront and I suspect this is the Toulon pack? The numbers seemed a bit low however unless a few were elsewhere. The best part was watching the elephant bulls intimidate, or try to, the single dog that was brave enough to cross the river. I loved watching the elephant running and trumpeting up the rise as the dog ran ahead. It was rather humorous given the dog is much faster than the elephant and could cut back at any time. Were the others too lazy to make the crossing, or young enough to have fear of what might be lurking underneath? Knowing this crossing I had thought it would have more water given the amount of rain you’ve had thus far, but perhaps the rain has not been heavy enough to cause the river to rise, given you can still see the sand islands across the span.
Just four more weeks and I will be able to see Finfoot Crossing and whether it’s crossable in addition to perhaps a few leopard and lion cubs. In the meantime, hopefully we will see more of the new cubs in the ensuing blogs.