There are a number of people who visit Londolozi having never been to South Africa before, let alone other natural areas where wild animals roam free. We as guides therefore have a responsibility to not only show our guests the beauty of our environment, both big and small, but also to educate. Educate about conservation, the protection of natural resources and the importance of social upliftment and development. It is a feeling of immense reward when guests leave Londolozi with a greater connection to wildlife, which can profoundly impact their busy daily lives back home.
Experiencing particular events for the first time is something that people face every day, be it a moment of adversity or a positive, rewarding occurrence. For most of our guests, each sighting is seen as an enormous privilege and appreciated as such.
Occasionally however, when guests view certain sightings for the first time, it is something so rare and special that they become the envy of all rangers. If it’s your first visit to the African bush and you witness something very rare, it is understandable that you may return home believing that a leopard making a kill, lion cubs playing with their mother or the Mashaba female and her cub playing in a tree occur on a regular basis. However, this is certainly not the case.
The first time I saw a leopard cub…
The first time I saw lions drinking…
From a ranger’s perspective, it is an incredibly rewarding and incredible experience when we witness something for the first time. I have been fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of experiencing two such events in the recent past.
Viewing lion cubs has been something that has eluded me throughout my life, including my almost 18 months at Londolozi, so you can begin to imagine my excitement when I heard that the Tsalala pride were secreting cubs in the beautiful Manyelethi River in our northern territory. All I wanted was a glimpse. Even a flick of a tail would have sufficed! Let’s call it beginner’s luck, but my first ever sighting of lion cubs turned out to be one that will be difficult to replicate.
The first time I saw a lion cub…
The two young Tsalala females play in the safety of their mother’s embrace.
The ever playful and energetic lion cubs taking a rest.
An amazing aspect of working at Londolozi is that no day is ever the same, with the prospect of new experiences quite literally around every corner. In addition, seeing something unique and extremely rare – a first-hand glimpse into the wonders of nature – is something that all rangers strive for. One such event occurred only a few days ago; seeing lions in a tree. It was a sighting that I had only ever dreamed of.
The two Tsalala lionesses greet each other a top a Jackelberry tree
The mother of the young cubs wakes to the call of the Matimba males in the distance
One of the cubs quickly adapts to her new surroundings.
One of the cubs looks directly into the lens…
The rarity of such witnessed events need to be cherished wholeheartedly by immersing oneself in the moment and appreciating not only the animal being viewed, but also the circumstances surrounding that particular sighting. As in all facets of our lives, when experiencing something for the first time, look at it from a more holistic perspective, taking into account the numerous variables and factors surrounding that isolated event.
These picture are beautiful…the cubs are so young their beautiful eyes are still blue. I love what you all do, wish I could be there. I tell myself it’s never too late, but right now it’s just not the right time for me to come to Africa. I would love to come to Londolozi and volunteer. The native animals of Africa are magnificent and we must do everything in our power to protect these animals! Thank you!!!!
Great cub photos, Callum. May you have many more ‘firsts’ in the bush. Aloha.
Wow just wow!
Beautiful story and wonderful pictures. Thank you
Callum your words at the beginning of your blog are so very true. My visit is something that will stay with me forever and I find it very difficult to describe my feelings whilst being at Londolozi. I will be back to try and capture once again all my feeling I experienced.
Callum, it sounds like you have had the most amazing year, with many incredible “firsts”! I’m sure your next year at Londolozi will bring you many more fantastic experiences. Thank you for a great blog and really wonderful images!
I’d love to come to Londolozi one day. It feels good when looking at the lion cubs, they are so cute.