August has been a wonderful month both in terms of sightings in camp and on our game drives.
All the water in the park has now dried up except for the ones in the river and the springs. This has forced all the animals to be more concentrated along these water sources which has made sightings out of this world.
Lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs have all been seen this month giving our guests some unforgettable experiences, sightings, and indelible memories to take back home.
Of course, Elephants were seen by the hundreds. Our small water hole is visited day and night by Elephants, Bushbuck, Impala, Kudu, Waterbuck, Hyena, Black-backed Jackal, Lions, leopards, and even Verraux Eagle owls. We generally had 20-30 elephants in camp every day which is split into three female groups with babies and around 20 bulls.
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After a long struggle, we managed to get Tanapa to come and remove a radio collar off an elephant that was now putting a squeeze on his neck. The young bull had been collared around 8 years ago by a UN project. Unfortunately, this collar was never removed and as the Elephant grew the collar became tighter and tighter and would have caused major problems as it would have strangled him in the long run. So we are ecstatic that we were able to be part of this project to remove it and give this Elephant a happy life.
Lions visited the camp during several evenings, with their arrival time announced right over dinner time. Several nights they lullabied us into sweet dreams. If you were hard of hearing you might have slept. Some of us were kept awake to the tunes of the lions celebrating their lives as the sound reverberated in our chests.
Thanks to guests Robin and Audrey Couchman for contributing to this newsletter with their beautiful pictures and videos.
Other pictures and videos by Malcolm, John Melele, Ayoub Yaledi Nyang’ango.
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We hope to see you soon.
Mdonya Old River Camp Team
If you are in the African bush expect anything, anywhere and anytime. The bush will provide the sightings you desire, most of the time.
Lion sightings have top notch. Imagine sharing your hard-earned meal with a bunch of crocodiles. Sometimes sharing is caring. To top that off you have a young Lion talking curiously at the vehicle or maybe the guests.
Spotting a civet on your trip, well, yes priceless. Not many of them around and they are quite elusive as they forage for a tasty snack to eat.
Leopard sighting have been awesome. Hiding up a tree or lying camouflaged under a palm bush the sightings have been regular in the area around the camp. We know they are around as the baboons barking, the Impalas snorting and the shrieking of the Vervet monkeys gives their presence away.
The Black and white colobus monkeys were spotted up the trees frolicking, but the icing on the cake was spotting the young one holding onto the mother lovingly.
Thanks to Robin and Audrey Coachman, Omari Ally, Ramadhani Chombo, James Mgona and Zach Mligo for their contribution to this newsletter.
Enjoy the videos and photos and we hope to see you soon.
Safe travels.
Shaun, Milli and the Lake Manze Camp team