Mashatu 2: Family Dynamics

On Saturday, Dan made the round of our tents for our 5:15 am wakeup call. By 6am we were loaded in the Land Cruiser  and headed off for a morning’s adventure in the soft light of dawn.

The small elephant family we saw yesterday was out on the same path heading for a waterhole. The lead lady was definitely giving us the side-eye. The older female (in back) is in muskh (ready to breed), as you can see from moisture seeping down her rear legs.

Back in the dry riverbed, we found the tracks of a very large leopard, probably the big boy we saw lounging in the bushes yesterday.

We spent some time watching a large troop of Chacma Baboons foraging in a Mashatu tree. The baboons were shaking the tree branches to drop fruit to the ground, where they – and an Impala herd – were happily devouring it. This was a very busy spot, with lots of to-ing and fro-ing by many species.

Birding was also good in the vicinity of the baboon entertainment.

Not far from the Mashatu feast, we came across a lion family: a “big boy,” father of the pride, with three 2-3 year old adolescent males and their adolescent sister.  Big Boy patrols their territory all night long – that’s his job – to protect the pride’s smaller cubs, who are hidden away in another location. The young males help him patrol, which is part of why he tolerates them, for now. However, once their mother goes into season, Big Boy will drive the younger males away and join the other two lionesses and cubs who are part of this pride for breeding. There was a bit of a scuffle/dominance display between papa and the boys (caught on video). When one of the pride’s adult females and another adolescent lioness appeared in the distance, the group ran off through the bushes to join them. Then they all settled down in a new spot, while Big Boy stalked around marking territory.

Inspired by the Baboon/Impala feast, we had morning coffee under a venerable Mashatu tree (probably 100 years old).

The Tent Camp and its waterhole were very lively as we enjoyed a delicious breakfast/lunch. We committed a large food faux pas: given menus that said brunch and lunch, we thought we were ordering food for two meals and it turned out to be one – WAY too much food. After this, staff just prepared a buffet, which we adored. They always created a wonderful mix of vegies and mains, including traditional Botswanan dishes and British favorites.

By 4pm, we were out safari-ing again. 

Tau amazed us with his eagle eye (or maybe his owl eye?) By spotting a tiny Pell’s Spotted Owlet high in a tree not far from camp.  We got to know this fierce little guy (about 8” tall) quite well over the next couple of days. 

A Grey Hornbill was hanging out nearby. These birds have a particularly cut-throat method of raising chicks. The parents lay two eggs, but the stronger kicks the weaker out of the nest. The parents then spend seven years raising the survivor (little ingrate). This species of hornbill does not have a large population (understandably).

We spent some time watching the morning’s activity at a large waterhole nearby camp. I realized later that this was the Matebole Hide, where we spent two wonderful mornings in the coming days.

We drove south, encountering a variety of critters along the way. Birding was great!

We found another Baboon troop on the move along with a small herd of Impala. 

A Black-backed Jackal watched the activity for a while, but kept its distance from those long baboon teeth.

A very large flock of Guinea Fowl were scuttling across the plain, heading for cover in the trees before the sun went down. The slanting light colored their blue heads iridescent.

We saw two Bat-eared Foxes in the dark. I couldn’t get a shot (it was dark 🙂 but they are so cute I found a stock picture to share.

On the journey back to camp, eagle-eyed Barb spotted a Thick-tailed Scorpion on the road.  This is a large (~ 4 inch long) scorpion whose venom is “medically significant” for humans. I was glad that the we didn’t meet it in a dark alley while on foot!