There are moments in the bush that unfold quietly, without the drama of a lion’s roar or the power of an elephant bull in musth, but leave just as lasting an imprint. On a still winter morning a few weeks ago, wrapped in mist and bathed in soft light, one such moment played out at Taylor’s Crossing.
A magical glow over Taylor’s crossing, and if you look closely, you’ll see something even more magical!
At first, it was a faint ripple in the water. The Sand River flowed lazily as always this time of year. A few Egyptian geese honked somewhere upstream, and a pair of hamerkops stood statue-still on the riverbank. Then, from behind a cluster of reeds, came the unmistakable glint of wet fur and the fluid, playful motion of something far less commonly seen—a Cape clawless otter.
Mostly solitary and highly secretive, these otters are one of the river’s more elusive residents. Most who visit or even guide here can go years without laying eyes on one. But this morning, the bush offered up a rare gift. The otter—likely a female based on her size—seemed in no hurry to hide. In fact, she was completely relaxed, gliding through the shallows with a grace that almost looked choreographed.
She surfaced and dived again, twisted on her back and rolled over, snatched something from beneath a rock, then took to the sand for a brief pause. Her whiskers twitched in the golden light as she sat with her back to the rising sun, drying off just long enough before sliding back into the water to continue her morning ritual. For well over 20 minutes, we sat transfixed—no words spoken, just the occasional click of a camera shutter and the silent agreement between all of us that this was something truly special.
Otters are extraordinary animals—adapted in equal measure for land and water, they’re part of a unique ecological web that ties together the riverbanks, reedbeds, and rocky crossings of Londolozi. The Cape clawless otter, unlike its more widely known cousin, the spotted-necked otter, lacks true claws (as the name suggests) and relies on incredibly sensitive, dexterous fingers to hunt for crabs, frogs, and fish beneath the water’s surface.
Their presence is often only betrayed by a muddy track in the sand or a flicker of movement out of the corner of your eye. To have a front-row seat to one’s morning activities felt like stepping into a quieter world—a reminder of the life that moves through these waterways long after the leopards and lions have passed through.
Eventually, the otter slipped downstream, vanishing between boulders and leaving behind nothing but soft ripples and the warm afterglow of having witnessed something intimate and untamed.
In a place known for its dramatic wildlife moments, sometimes it’s the quiet ones that speak loudest.
Hi Keagan , I love all otters , and I got to know Cape clawless otters. Otters in general are the dancers of rivers, so gracefully they swim, twist and twirl, and are not that silent animals, of course in front of people or potential predators they are, but offer a great range of sounds and moves, they front paws appear like little hands to us, because of their ability with objects… such little intelligent creatures! Every otter is a pure magic view to me. Thank you for showing those merry animals, I have been waiting for that….
How special for you and your guests!
What an absolutely fascinating sighting, Keagan! So beautiful: This lovely golden light, the fairy tale background, the flow of the water and in the midst of it this truly special animal.
I love otters though one rarely sees them indeed. So this is a really great video.
Keagan, What a great post! In all our visits, we have never had anyone mention otters, let alone see one! What a treat!
What a special siting! I now need to add the Cape clawless otter to my “want to see” list along with aardvark & porcupine!
Do they have any real predators? Seem like they would be a hard catch!
Hi Keagan, thanks for this video and story on the Otters. They are really cute and very intelligent little animals. Always busy and they are such to watch. You don’t always see them, so this was truly a surprise and a look into the Otters lives.
What a special sighting for all of you as the otters are seldom seen by anyone. There are times whilst out on a drive that the most interesting viewings are not of the Big Five, but some of the other smaller creatures. I’ve seen the otters at Moss Landing, CA but it would be fun to see the little clawless otters at Londolozi – perhaps next year!
Out of all the animals I have seen in Africa , as otter is one of the three I would most like to see (the others being a caracal and a melanistic leopard)
Hi Keagan,
Beautiful photos and video of such a friendly animal, under a golden light in a dreamlike environment.
We live on a lake in Canada and have the opportunity to admire them often. It’s a real treat for the eyes to see them slide through the snow and dive under the ice.